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Colin Craig on the Moon

Luna 2, the first man made object to land on the Moon, sent by the Soviet Union.


If what's been spread on the airwaves is to be believed, Colin Craig doesn't believe men landed on the moon. Amazing how what someone says can be spread like Chinese Whispers where it almost takes on a life of it's own. Yet the story, as reported in The Herald is this:

Mr Craig's initial comments were made during an interview with RadioLive host Marcus Lush.

Mr Craig said he had "no idea'' whether astronauts had landed on the moon, and hadn't had the chance to look into chemtrails - a conspiracy theory that suggests the trails left by aircraft come from the deliberate spreading of chemicals.

Asked about the moon landing conspiracy - which suggests the Apollo landings were faked by the US government - Mr Craig replied: "I don't have a belief or a non-belief in these things, I jut don't know."

Asked again, Mr Craig said he had "no idea" whether man had walked on the moon.

"That's what we're told. I'm sort of inclined to believe it. But at the end of the day, I haven't looked into it. And I know there's some very serious people that question these things."

Ouch. I know what he's saying, that things can necessarily be known if you can't verify them personally. In the end you have to take a lot on faith, because you can't be everywhere at once to check out the veracity of every single little thing. However, that subtle conversation of how reality and our beliefs interact is better left in a small discussion with a group of friends, not a swarm of pyranhas looking to take you down and eat you for breakfast.

Later on in the day, given the reaction to what he said, Colin Craig clarified what he believed:

In an interview with APNZ today Mr Craig appeared to move away from earlier comments about whether man has landed on the moon.

Mr Craig said: "Of course I think we landed on the moon, but it doesn't mean that I'm the expert on that."

"I think people should talk to people who are experts, whereas they can talk to me about politics or an issue in New Zealand, that's relevant to New Zealand, and then I will have an opinion on it.

"Do I think they're right? Probably not. But that doesn't mean that I'm the person that's going to be sort of judge and jury of whether their little view of the world is right or not."

But it was far too late, the whisper had been uttered and there was no way to retrieve it. Today, on the Tim Fookes Morning Show on NewsTalkZB, Tim Fookes was asking for people's opinions of a political party leader who believed in conspiracy theories, already carrying on what had been started the night before.  So, John Armstrong told Colin Craig through the NZ Herald, that he had a problem.

... when someone who conceivably could end up being a minister following next year's election is unsure whether he believes man has walked on the Moon, it is time to press the "whoop-whoop, pull-up" warning button on the dangers of potential coalition with a party which might also believe Paul McCartney is dead and Elvis Presley faked his own death.

Craig was not fully subscribing to one of the great conspiracy theories, but he was not dismissing it out of hand either.

That was breakfast-time. By lunchtime, Craig was shifting away from his ambivalence faster than the Space Shuttle on take-off.

Too late. His lunar-tic observations during an interview with RadioLive's Marcus Lush came close to overshadowing John Banks' press conference at which he announced he would not be standing for Act in Epsom next year as well as stepping down as leader at the party's annual conference in March. Given Banks will be in the High Court dock next year facing charges of electoral fraud, both decisions were inevitable. He correctly described his standing aside as a necessary circuitbreaker for the party. It gives Act one last chance of reviving itself. That is going to be a tall order.
Hmmm, I disagree.  Craig could actually make a good conservative leader despite not being a savvy debater who can recognise a pitfall at hundred paces.  He seems like a smart guy, so will hopefully learn fast.  Debating and governing are two different skills.

I don't think whether or not Colin Craig is a bit vague on men landing on the moon is the real issue, however.  I think it's Conservatism itself that scares media people (who are mostly liberal) witless and attacking Craig on this issue is just the poxy for their fear.
Related links:
That Interview on Radio Live - AUDIO
John Key: Colin Craig is 'winding up' media ~ NZ Herald
John Armstrong: Hello Colin Craig - you have a problem ~ NZ Herald

Craig on conspiracy theories ~ David Farrar, KiwiBlog
Colin Craig is a conspiracy theorist—chuckle chuckle—all the way to the bank ~ Terry Wallbank, The Conservative

Comments

  1. I'm sure I read Mr Craig is a devout Christian - if true, there's an exquisite irony in his refusal to accept on mere faith that commonplace historical events actually happened...

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  2. Psycho,

    Yeah, I suppose if you have no faith yourself, then that would be one way of looking at it.

    Except many Christians, including myself, don't just take our faith on faith, there's supporting evidence that we take into consideration as well.

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  3. What exactly has ones belief in mans landing on the moon got to do with ones political ideas and endeavours? What was the motive of the interviewer in asking such an odd question? The whole was then taken up by the media ,I feel, in its glee to belittle any conservative policies Mr Craig and his party might have.
    Mrs Mac

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  4. Mrs Mac,

    The interviewer's purpose was to make Colin Craig look like an idiot - he basically said as much according to some reports I've heard.

    Though, if he really believed that men had not landed on the moon, I'd be worried about his ability to tell truth from fiction.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lucia Maria,
    Of course the interviewer wanted to make Colin Craig look a fool ... that is what I meant to infer ... anything to stop people from considering voting for the Conservative Party ... Look how they ridiculed so many of those opposed to the same sex Marriage Bill ... back further , how they ridiculed Patricia Bartlett. During my earlier days in Australia anytime anyone stood up for what is right morally or religiously , media would do their bit to bring them down in the public opinion.
    Mrs Mac

    ReplyDelete
  6. So the media ask Colin Craig really odd questions to make him look like he is out of touch with reality.

    And this from the vrey same people who actually believe that two men can "marry" each other - which of course is something that is off the planet BONKERS

    ReplyDelete

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