Teacupgate serves best to remind Act is merely the loony wing of the Nats, carved off for appearance alone. But rubbing people's noses in it by setting up Goldsmith - Banks' and Brash's biographer - to lose so Act can win really takes the biscuit.
Most revealing has been how far Key's halo has slipped over the teapot tapes. His spiteful behaviour shows he's just as feral underneath that smile as any other autocrat.
And for the record, no, it was NOT a private conversation.
As I trust the courts will rule tomorrow. It was a public meeting in a public place, staged entirely as a media circus.
If Key then said something inappropriate, the only crime is his abysmal lack of judgment.
The irony is that Labour never came close to upsetting Key this whole term as much as he has managed to upset himself over a cup of tea.
Which in many ways is a great pity, because when you get beyond "presidential style" politics and examine the real issues, Labour has a plethora of good solid policies that, for the first election in awhile, make it distinctly opposed to National's drill-it, mine-it, sell-it direction.
But as earnest and hardworking as Phil Goff is, few are going to vote for him. While their "debates" paint both in shades of grey, Goff fades into a dull background while Key does his Cheshire cat imitation; the smirk lingers. And that's all that seems to count. Russel Norman on the other hand has the boyish looks and a nice smile as well as obvious intelligence behind it. And his reaction to the stickering of National billboards with "truth labels" by Norman's assistant's partner and cronies put the depth of his integrity beyond doubt.
To immediately "out" a member of your own party and offer to pay damages after the offender was stupid enough to "anonymously" seek to claim credit was a masterstroke of judgment.
It marks how far they have moved towards conformity, which rankles with some who prefer their Greens to have more bite. But is "middle New Zealand" convinced yet that the Greens are conformist enough to be trusted with government?
Norman is doing his best to win that debate, though I can't help thinking that if he were heading Labour he'd be far more likely to be our next Prime Minister - especially as he'd then have the chance to go one-on-one with Key on the box.
That he isn't already on the same stage is a nonsense. If the protocol for division of debating rights is "major" versus "minor" parties, then clearly the Greens are a major party. They consistently poll well over the 5 per cent threshold, whereas none of the others come close. Time our TV bosses caught up with MMP, methinks.
Speaking of which, don't let the spectre of Winston or the Mana of Maori distract you; MMP at least guarantees every vote counts, and (attempted rorts excepted) any proportional system beats FPP hands down.
When you go to the polls next weekend, put aside all the silliness and focus on what really counts: the future of our once-clean country.
Yes, the environment is the number one issue; and the Greens have at least shown they can work effectively with National and Labour.
You may not trust them alone, but putting a Green presence in partnership in Government is the best way to ensure our precious diversity is preserved.
That's the right of it.
Bruce Bisset is a freelance writer and poet.
