Russel's carbon footprint

Russel Norman, co-leader of the Greens is very good at telling us what we should do, how we should travel, and how we can Save the Planet. So we can't help but wonder if he is at all embarrassed by the latest Wikileaks revelations - Michael Field from the Dom-Post reports:

A discreet diplomatic lunch, a free trip to Washington and assurance of "assistance" from the US Embassy in Wellington have been used to blunt the Green Party's "radical positions on many issues", a leaked American diplomatic cable reveals.

The Americans seduced Green co-leaders Metiria Turei and Russel Norman, the latter with a free trip to Washington, and managed, over a lunch, to get a commitment from list MP Kennedy Graham "to turn (to the embassy) for any assistance he may need in the future."

Whistleblower Wikileaks over the weekend published around 1500 cables written by the US Embassy in Wellington.

Oh dear. As if it isn't bad enough having his former comrades-in-arms Sue Bradford and Nandor Tanczos teaming up to establish Hone's Mana Party, we now learn that Russel Norman got a freebie to Washington. Quite how that contributes to saving the planet, we're not so sure; that's quite a carbon footprint that Russel Norman has created.

And the US mission head David Keegan seems to be a smart cookie; here's what else he cabled his superiors:

On the July 15, 2009, lunch between Graham and US mission head David Keegan, the cable said:

"The overarching purpose of the July 15 lunch was to establish the beginnings of a warm and respectful relationship with Graham," Keegan cabled home.

"By lunch's end, an open dialogue and a mature relationship with Graham going forward were highly probable."

He said Graham displayed an "extensive knowledge and understanding of global affairs", was "an evident multi-lateralist" and a "moderating influence on his frequently radical party."

Graham (brother of former Justice Minister Sir Doug Graham) "does not appear to be bogged down in the left-wing dogma which imbues many of his Green Party colleagues....

"He revealed that he does not always subscribe to the majority view of his party's caucus.... Graham has the potential to be a moderating voice within the Green Party, synonymous with taking radical positions on many issues."

While the Greens had been a strong critic of US policy, Keegan said they had held "a highly successful call on the Green Party's new co-leader, Metiria Turei" and they had got Russel Norman into the US under its visitor programme.

Norman had reported on the "great value" he got out of going to the US.

Oh dear. Whoever would have thought that the Greens were "bogged down in left-wing dogma"? We always thought that the mission of the Greens was to save the planet, and to save us from ourselves.

And lastly, Keegan was right on the mark when he penned this in another cable:

In an earlier cable Keegan said the Labour Party needs to "revamp its current parliamentary list, which is replete with tried, tested, and largely defeated Labour Party stalwarts".

That's just brilliant! You couldn't make this sort of thing up!!

But we do look forward to Russel Norman's explanation of this. On the face of it, the US has bought him off, and he's certainly added to the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. The left has triumphed Wikileaks as telling the truth about what those terrible right-wingers and capitalists are doing around the world; today Russel Norman seems to be the victim of friendly fire! Oh dear; how sad; never mind.