Friday, December 02, 2011

Marcus Lush on David Shearer - what the listening audience doesn't see

Had been listening to Willie Jackson and JT yesterday and still had my radio tuned to Radio Live this morning . David Shearer popped into the studio on his way to the airport to talk about his prospects for leading the Labour Party. Marcus Lush made some interesting comments after his departure in respect of what the listening audience doesn't see. He was impressed that the guy had turned up in person and shaken hands with all the news staff. Said that Shearer obviously really wants the job. But there was something he was uncomfortable with. Whenever he was asked a question Lush said Shearer's eyes immediately darted to the right. Lush preferred someone to look him in the eye when conversing and suggested that it was a habit that Shearer would need to be "media-trained out of". Otherwise he came across as (I was waiting for the word shifty but Lush deliberated just long enough to leave the word loudly unspoken) "too politician-like."

And if I hear one more time about how Shearer negotiated with Somali warlords I will .... roll my eyes again. Has anyone asked whether his negotiation successful?

6 comments:

Will de Cleene said...

That's a bit harsh. My eyes veer right when I'm thinking of an answer to a question too. It's something to do with using the left brain hemisphere. You look people in the eye only when the picture is formed.

By asking for people to stare him in the eyes without thinking means Marcus Lush prefers ready-made pictures for answers instead of hand tailored responses. Back to the same old same old PR crap that the NZ public is supposedly tiring of.

Mark Hubbard said...

I think much of what is said about body language is bunkum (shrugging my shoulders and rubbing my nose, the last only because my glasses are itching :) )

Re the Somalia citing, yes, I'm sick of him bringing that up ad nauseum. As I said on Homepaddock's blog, what it brings to mind to me is that he now wants to be the one holding the gun. Doesn't endear him to me at all.

Mark.V. said...

He is alive so his negotiations must have been reasonably successful.

manolo said...

The negotiastion in Somalia were very successful indeed. Nowadays those savage terrorists only kidnap half othe number they used to.

The UN pays the rest of the ransom money. :-)

Sthnjeff said...

The Somali warloads will seem like the Care Bears if he ever upsets the Labour Party Sisterhood

Anonymous said...

That is not the only thing he will need to be media trained out of. He needs some Perigo speech training!