MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle concluded Tuesday’s edition of The 11th Hour by mourning the resignation of New Zealand’s left-wing and “legit badass” prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, claiming “we… admire you from the other side of the world.” Who is this “we?”
Ruhle immediately started spinning for Ardern, “She shocked the world last week with the news she would be stepping down. Saying, she does not believe she has the energy to continue the job.”
A more honest interpretation would include that she likely looked at the polls and didn’t like what she saw. Ruhle, however, liked what she saw from Ardern. From a policy perspective, this mainly included her push for gun control, “During her time as PM she was praised for her leadership, doing some incredibly challenging times. After the 2019 Christchurch terror attack, she successfully led the way to significant gun reform.”
Ruhle also praised her record on COVID, “In March of 2020, she quickly closed her country's borders, and managed to keep New Zealand largely COVID free, until last year.”
In addition to being a small island country in the middle of nowhere that has five times as many sheep as people, New Zealand is currently dealing with the consequences of those COVID policies to the extent the government has ordered a review.
While discussing Ardern’s policies, Ruhle also omitted that for most of her tenure, New Zealand was a lousy ally.
After playing a clip of Ardern looking back positively at her tenure as prime minister, Ruhle concluded, “She is a legit badass but Ardern will not be completely leaving politics she will remain an MP from Mount Albert saying she still has duties to perform for her constituents. Well, we say, well done, Jacinda Ardern, we wish you luck in your next chapter and admire you from the other side of the world.”
If trends continue, Ruhle will have to admire Ardern and her Labour Party from opposition.
This segment was sponsored by Red Lobster.
Here is a transcript for the January 24 show:
MSNBC The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle
1/24/2023
11:58 PM ET
STEPHANIE RUHLE: The last thing before we go tonight, you do you. That clip was a prime example of the kind of no nonsense leadership we saw from Jacinda Ardern these past five and a half years. Ardern made her final public appearance as New Zealand’s prime minister on Tuesday. She shocked the world last week with the news she would be stepping down. Saying, she does not believe she has the energy to continue the job.
Ardern made history in 2017 when she was elected at the young age of 37, making her the youngest woman to ever lead New Zealand. In 2018, she became the second world leader in modern history to give birth while she was in office. During her time as PM she was praised for her leadership, doing some incredibly challenging times. After the 2019 Christchurch terror attack, she successfully led the way to significant gun reform.
In March of 2020, she quickly closed her country's borders, and managed to keep New Zealand largely COVID free, until last year.
In her final appearance as prime minister, she reflected on her time in office, and left the incoming prime minister, Chris Hipkins, with this sound advice.
JACINDA ARDERN: You do you. This is for him, now it is for him to carve out his own space, be his own kind of leader. I would hate for anyone to view my departure as a negative commentary on New Zealand. I have experienced such love, compassion, empathy, and kindness when I have done this job, that has been my predominant experience, so I leave feeling gratitude having this wonderful role for so many years.
RUHLE: You do you. She is a legit badass but Ardern will not be completely leaving politics she will remain an MP from Mount Albert saying she still has duties to perform for her constituents. Well, we say, well done, Jacinda Ardern, we wish you luck in your next chapter and admire you from the other side of the world.
