Have the recordings really been as damaging as Armstrong suggests? The Nick Smith has no impact other than to provide an opportunity to identify who the low life interview taper was. Lockwood Smith likewise was nothing more than a beat up by some left wing journos. English did stuff up. But has the incident had these effects as described by Armstrong?
Those behind the recordings may have dented National's prospects of winning the election - or, to be more exact, winning it by a large margin.
or
National is very angry. The party has been wounded - and badly. Of that, there is no question. It expects to take a hit in the polls.
or
the tapes of Bill English, Lockwood Smith and Nick Smith capture a mixture of cynicism and arrogance which will make some people seriously doubt the veracity and durability of John Key's assurances that National does not have a secret batch of right-wing policies to be implemented once the party is back in power.
Overstated in all three places. National was coming back in the polls a bit anyway as some supporters chose to reward ACT for its focus on Winston Peters' hypocrisy and failure to declare donations from vested interests in the fishing and racing industry. We believe that any damage would only have been short term and can easily be recovered. Particularly as the media move from the immediate story of what was said by English to who was behind the taping. We believe that several political careers are potentially at risk from this investigation.
