High handed would be the polite term

Disclaimer - I don't like Helen Clark. I don't like her politics, I don't like her manner and what I really dislike is the arrogance. She is intelligent, I think she represents NZ reasonably well when she is on international duty. As a politician she is impressive. But I honestly think she has lost the tenuous grip that she had on reality. And it looks like it might just cost her.

I think this Election will have 2 defining moments, and Dr Don is responsible for neither. Not Orewa, not tax cuts. I think it is going to come down to Helen hanging her diplomatic protection squad lads and police out to dry in the motorcade case, and demanding an apology from an Air NZ Pilot (for what were misguided and stupid comments).

They might seem like trivial things, but I think they paint Helzilla in a very bad light. I don't think NZ'ers like the idea of having an all powerful President. Over the past couple of years Helen has given off the impression of a dictator - these two examples, this close to an election, have given people a stark reminder of this.

Anyone who consistently talks about themselves in the third person worries me [ahem, glass houses? - Ed]. A Prime Minister who says with a straight face, 'by definition I can not leak' terrifies me. Someone who declares that 'Governments role is whatever the Government defines it to be' disturbs me greatly.

The last One News poll showed the Nats comfortably in the lead. There's still two weeks to go - but if the result goes National's way - Helen will have sleepless nights thinking about those 2 decisions I am sure.