When did Trevor Mallard decide his life’s ambition was to be a Labour version of right wing blogger Cameron Slater?
The abovementioned have been at one another's throats for a while now, but it's all got very public today, with this post on Red Alert; under the heading A whale of a challenge, Trevor Mallard blogs:
Whaleoil has been less than complimentary on my rate of recovery.
In fact he now refers to me as a cripple.
Well let’s get the challenge out there.
Trevor v blubber boy 50 – 60k bike race, no motorbikes, on a course to be set by the peoples champion Gordon MacCauley in Auckland between 15 August and 15 September.
We will see whether the actions match the words – or in his case his fingers.
I bet he is too chicken, and if he accepted he wouldn’t have a chance.
It must be a slow news day, as NBR has picked up the story - read on:
Bikes and boxing gloves are the duelling weapons of choice as Labour MP Trevor Mallard and blogger Cameron Slater seek to settle an online spat.
Mr Mallard today challenged Mr Slater to a bike race after taking exception to posts on the Whale Oil blog that mocked his rate of recovery from a bike crash in March.
The MP has to use crutches or a wheelchair to get around Parliament after he broke his right thigh bone and right shoulder blade in the accident.
In a post on Labour's Red Alert blog today, Mr Mallard referred to Slater as "blubber boy" and challenged him to a 50km-60km bike race in Auckland. "We will see whether the actions match the words -- or in his case his fingers," he said.
"I bet he is too chicken, and if he accepted he wouldn't have a chance."
Slater responded to the challenge on Twitter, suggesting they instead took the dispute into the boxing ring.
"Unfortunately Trevor I don't own a bike, the sport is a bit too g.a.y. for me...happy to step in the ring for 3 rounds though," he wrote.
The blogosphere and social media has gone all a-Twitter over this, and we suspect that in the best fashion of the duels of days long gone, honour is going to need to be satisfied. We're awaiting developments with interest, but the boxing match would definitely be worth the price of admission! We do wonder though at the wisdom of Trevor Mallard, Labour's third most senior MP indulging in name-calling on Labour's official blog. Given that Mr Mallard is Labour's campaign manager, is this a sign of things to come?
And we'll leave the last word with Trevor Mallard's close caucus confidante and blogging buddy Clare Curran:
Labour MP Clare Curran on Twitter described her colleague's challenge as "bullshit blokey stuff" and Mr Slater's response as "pathetic".
32 comments:
ooooohhhhh....Trevor might be in trouble. Slater spent all summer working out - running - and walking about 10k a day. He has lost quite a bit of weight.
This could get interesting. ;)
The contest should be held in Wellington for the following reason:
We all know Whaleoil will pay his own travel expenses to Wellington whereas Mallard will put all of the costs of a trip to Auckland on the Taxpayer.
Trevor! Trevor! Trevor!
A whale on a bicycle - how ridiculous!
(A slater on a bicycle, even more ridiculous!)
Calling another man a cripple - doesn't make Slater look very good, does it.
You supporting the 'you're a cripple, you're a cripple' guy Inventory2?
I thought I'd been pretty even-handed Rob. I do wonder though whether Trevor Mallard is doing his or Labour's image a lot of good by engaging in this stuff. Perhaps he should take cognicence on a saying that Cam Slater uses from time to time - there are two certainties when you wrestle with a pig; you'll both get covered in mud, and the pig will enjoy it.
You're calling Slater a pig Inv2?
I have a feeling that Daffy has seen the writing on the wall and even a trougher like him couldn't handle another 3 years as an opposition MP. He may well be setting himself up as a future blogger or some other sort of commentator
rg - I think more Mallard as the pig - he meets all the pig criteria.
But what does Inv2 say?
Perhaps he should take cognicence on a saying that Cam Slater uses from time to time - there are two certainties when you wrestle with a pig; you'll both get covered in mud, and the pig will enjoy it.
Is Robert Guyton really that obtuse?
Inv2 has been out for dinner Robert. WO uses the wrestle with pigs analogy frequently. Don't confuse metaphors with life Rob.
Tricky Inv2, but Slater implies that he will take on all challengers because he loves to wrestle in the mud, being a pig, and those who wrestle with him will end up splatterd with muck. presumably you understand what he means, where 'Anonymous' struggles.
Hope your meal was good.
Unlimited rounds, cage match.
Slater would fucking kill Mallard.
Ribeye steak, ordered medium-rare and cooked to perfection. Mrs Inv's lamb shanks fair fell off the bone. Well worth the journey into town.
I'm sorry to hear about Mrs Inv's shanks - would physio help?
Slater in a cage?
Sounds about right.
Yep, Robert Guyton is that obtuse.
As a committed National voter I'll be cheering for Trev.
Sorry to note the blog has become polluted again.
Crikey, the potential of taking a swing at one of the biggest troughers to ever disgrace the Parliament and all Whale had to do was call him a cripple?
Hey Trev ya cripple. Can I take a swing now?
Here we go.
A bloke says another bloke is a cripple.
He challenges this cripple to a fight in the ring.
You ladies cheer him on.
Nice, Inv2!
On the side of the thug.
You missed a couple of bits out Robert - important bits.
A senior MP abuses a member of the public on Labour's OFFICIAL blog, Red Alert. Said MP challenges the person who he has name-called to a sporting contest. That person responds with an offer of a different sporting challenge in a sport which that person has trained in, to whit, boxing.
Frankly, your attempts to paint Trevor Mallard as the innocent in this are dripping with pathos. And whilst it's fine for the likes of you and and I, and WO to exchange banter on blogs, is that the kind of example you would expect one of the oppositions most senior MP;s to be displaying?
I don't thrill to the idea of an able-bodied man (who has been in training we are told) challenging a 'cripple' (recently involved in a serious road accident) to a fight in a boxing ring.
That you can't see the problem here Inv2 is disturbing.
That your followers are salivating at the thought of a punch-up, where one of the contestants is a cripple is not surprising.
Robert - the "cripple" you refer to issued the first challenge - to a 50 to 60km cycle race. He also takes umbrage at the mere suggestion that he is crippled. A previous commenter was right; you ARE being obtuse here.
Inv2 - in your post you quote,
"The MP has to use crutches or a wheelchair to get around Parliament after he broke his right thigh bone and right shoulder blade in the accident"
Your hero Slater has challenged this accident victim to a fight in a boxing ring. You are defending his actions.
I don't think you've thought it through.
On top of that, I say Slater is feeble for not accepting the original challenge to race on bicycles, given that the challenger "broke his right thigh bone and right shoulder blade". Which ever way you look at it, Slater looks bad.
So you still refuse to criticise Mallard for the childish name-calling then Robert. Don't you think that an MP with 24 years under his belt should be above that kind of thing.
As for Mallard's accident; it was noted on here at the time, and best wishes were sent. Mallard is recuperating, and has himself suggested that rumours of his demise are exaggerated. If he's contemplating a 50-60km cycle challenge in September, his rehab must be going well. He's also overlooked the rules of duelling; the affronted person lays down the challenge; the challenged nominates the contest.
So ...Mallard's not a cripple then Inv2?
Okay.
Slater's been calling him a cripple though, in public, on his own blog.
Admirable.
When the victim of that slander challenges the slanderer to a cycle race, you bleat that it's the slanderers right to nominate the form of the challenge!
Good grief Inv2!
Your view of this issue is really warped.
I haven't said that it is admirable Rob; but for WO to call Mallard a cripple is no worse than some of the bile that YOU have written about John Key, Gerry Brownlee and others. Stones and glasshouse; I'm sure you'll appreciate the horticultural admonition!
My case is made.
I'm outa here.
Thanks for the opportunity Inv2.
"My case is made.
I'm outa here.
Thanks for the opportunity Inv2."
As usual...preening moral certainty emphaticaly ends another greenie's argument!
Well spotted MVL. And note the similarity to Jane's parting shot on the Mr Whippy thread the other day. Coincidence?
Obtuse and self-satisfied.
is Bob really that thick? It seems typical of the left to only see what they want to see.
I would LOVE to see the punch up. If it was in Wgtn, I would go and watch it .. CHCH, nah, I hate flying.
Daffy would NEVER agree and neither would Goff.
"On the side of the thug." can you be more specific?
@ Anon (5.50pm) - I think that's Robert's self-description, given that he seems either unable or unwilling to condemn Mallard's name-calling.
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