NZ First Party leader Winston Peters. Photo / Stephen Parker
John Key was at school in short pants when Winston was first elected. Winston has seen Prime Ministers come and go. It's not fair he is always on the bench.
Even Winston with his characteristic modesty would allow he is our most experienced politician. We know he never wishes for the baubles of office but we can't afford his experience to go to waste.
The PC brigade has made most jokes off-limits. But we can still poke fun at politics and politicians. Winston as PM would more than make up for the loss of the other material.
Well, my business. No politician generates better headlines than Winston. Every week there would be a surfeit of stuff to write about.
We know that his most emphatic "no" with signs and whistles may mean "yes". He's a politician who would never let us down. We know precisely where we are with him.
Successive Governments have droned on for years that the Treaty means partnership. We have had 38 Prime Ministers but never a Maori. Winston is the only one in prospect. It's time we honoured the Treaty.
Robert Muldoon long ago introduced Winston as the man who would be New Zealand's first Maori Prime Minister. It was prophesied long ago. It's meant to be.
The polls have Winston as kingmaker. He successively made National's Jim Bolger and then Labour's Helen Clark Prime Minister. But why shouldn't he choose himself? He is not campaigning for others and surely sees himself as his best choice.
Winston has had the other jobs. He has been Deputy Prime Minister, Treasurer, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Maori Affairs. He has also paid his dues: he has babysat 35 New Zealand First MPs. There's only one job for him to step up to and that's the top job.
We have elected Winston over and over again. Northland elected him as MP. He has won more elections than any other politician and collected more votes. We have kicked him out. Twice. Then put him back. We deserve him.
The victim was backing away when he was hit with a blindside punch.