Pauline Hanson has a very finely tuned BS-metre. This was reinforced to me last week when I rewatched footage of her confrontation with Shanghai Sam on Q&A. Pretty much everybody on the left mocked her, and many on the right were dismayed – didn’t she know he was a Muslim?
But Pauline was making a point. She asked Dastyari if he was a practicing Muslim, and Dastyari avoided answering the question directly.
This displays a high level of insight in the heat of the moment, to pick out something which which would become important well into the future.
This insight was on display when Hanson conducted her burka stunt in parliament, and again when she got a deal to conduct an inquiry into the ABC. Hanson understands the importance of setting the narrative, and she understands power.
This was on display again today on Channel 7’s Sunrise when she called Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young on her BS:
“I do have a bone to pick with you today. It is about the fact that you refused to condemn those skinhead morons who attacked (Labor Senator) Sam Dastyari and then said a couple of days later that they would come after me,” Ms Hanson-Young said in a panel segment featuring both politicians.
“It is incredibly disrespectful and irresponsible of a member of Parliament like you, Pauline, to allow and encourage that sort of vilification, racism and violence. It is up to you today to apologise for refusing to condemn, apologise for what you said to Sam Dastyari and actually own up to the fact that you are giving cover to skinhead thugs.”
Standard Marxist tactic of bullying an opponent by calling them evil with the aim of putting them on the defensive, at which point you can destroy them. Pauline was having none of this:
“Senator Hanson responded, after being prompted by Sunrise host David ‘Kochie’ Koch: ‘I actually have to ask her, does she need to work at being a nasty piece of work or does it just come naturally?’”
Does Senator Two-Dads really think Pauline Hanson does not know who Donald Trump is? The God Emperor has shown us the way, and Pauline has read his playbook.
“I made it quite clear last week that no one deserves this. I made that comment. It’s unacceptable,” she said. “I had people throwing urine, tomato and eggs. I never heard one Member of Parliament stand up and support me…”
“So this is it. Sam (Dastyari) gets a few nasty words. I hear more out of your mouth, Sarah, in supporting this, and you’ve called me constantly, time and time again, a racist,” Senator Hanson said.
“You are a nasty piece of work, Sarah, and the fact is you have no idea who I am. I’m sick of your lies. You twist everything that I say, I’m not answering to you. I’ve had enough of you.”
Like I said, Pauline understands how to set the narrative. On Sunrise this morning she skilfully reframed it; instead of falling into the trap of defending against the charge of “racism”, she called out the socialist on her nonsense.
And she understands power:
“I’m not interested in coming on your program with Sarah Hanson-Young because I’m not putting up with this rubbish… I’m not going to be made a joke at your behest, Channel Seven, about this.”
This was followed by Kochie saying they really do want to have her on the show again, and they will talk about it off-air. Pauline knows she can set the ground rules. Nobody gives a stuff about that fruitloop Sarah Hanson-Young.
But everybody will tune in for Pauline Hanson.
It’s your XYZ.