Our dear leader yesterday responded to the ever-growing campaign of John Valder and co in his NSW seat of Bennelong.

Howard said: 'I take strong stands on issues. I have never been a person reluctant to state my view and if you take a strong stand on a range of issues inevitably there will be lot of people who are very strongly opposed to you.'

The PM knows the mood may, just possibly, be turning against him. It's gonna be a wild election campaign.