Campaigning on experience

Helen Clark decides to campaign on her experience in government:

Yesterday she drew attention to her and Finance Minister Michael Cullen's joint 48 years in Parliament whereas National leader Don Brash and his finance spokesman John Key had just six years.

"Leading a government is not a game for amateurs," she said.

This didn't work the last time it was attempted. When David Lange became Prime Minister in 1984, he only had seven years experience while the incumbrant, Robert Muldoon, had been in Parliament for twenty-four years. A strict comparison is not available as Muldoon was his own finance minister while Lange's finance spokesman, Roger Douglas, had been in parliament for fifteen years.

Here's hoping that Helen doesn't repeat an infamous ad that Muldoon once used in 1984 and then disavowed any knowledge of authorizing. It went something like "New Zealand, who needs this man?" at the top followed by a big picture of Muldoon, while at the bottom was the answer "We do".