"The likes of Howard, Costello and Abbott do not care all that much if their verbal attacks on Rudd's credibility lead to renewed allegations about the AWB scandal, Iraq, the children overboard affair and so on. Their interest is to bring Rudd down to the level that they are assumed to inhabit. In other words, leading Coalition politicians want Rudd to be regarded as a politician, not as some kind of secular saint."

Gerard Henderson

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Gus: yes Gerard,The likes likes of Howard, Costello and Abbott do not care all that much if their verbal attacks on Rudd's credibility lead to renewed allegations about the AWB scandal, Iraq, the children overboard affair and so on. We know their interest is to bring Rudd down to the level that they inhabit.

Rudd never claimed to be a saint though he has ten million times the high moral fiber than a scheming Howard and his troops of blow flies.

At the moment as you say "Rudd may ultimately benefit from the loss of his political halo even though it is a painful experience in the short term, irrespective of opinion poll results over the next month or so."

Yes that would be a sad case of a cracker lit by the PM under Rudd's seat but blowing up in his face as he tries hard to double the dose... The mound of Howard's hypocrisy is bigger than mount Everest... and the PM is gasping for oxygen —a problem of his own making after ten years of porkying. Now he desperately tries all the tricks in his book. Getting red in the face, Johnnee might catch apoplexy (used non-medically to mean a state of extreme rage that leads to a shut down) for the good of this country...

from the ABC

Labor support the highest in 11 years: poll

A new poll taken amid the fall-out over politicians' connections with former Western Australian premier turned lobbyist Brian Burke shows support for Labor is at its highest level in 11 years.

The latest poll published in the Australian newspaper gives Labor a 14-point lead on a two party-preferred basis.

The Federal Opposition has 57 per cent support, compared to 43 per cent for the Government.

It is the highest level of support for Labor measured by Newspoll since Prime Minister John Howard took government.

The poll taken at the weekend shows Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd and the Prime Minister have both lost ground in their satisfaction ratings.

Mr Rudd has fallen two points in the preferred prime minister stakes to 45 per cent, with Mr Howard up one at 38.

 

From the ABC

PM unwise to promote Johnston: analyst

A political analyst says Prime Minister John Howard has made an unwise decision promoting Senator David Johnston to the frontbench, given his links to lobbyists Brian Burke and Julian Grill.

Senator Johnston has been chosen to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Ian Campbell who quit because he had a meeting with disgraced former Western Australian premier Brian Burke last year.

Senator Johnston has admitted Mr Grill was his boss when he worked at a law firm in Kalgoorlie more than 20 years ago.

It has also emerged that he owns shares in two companies that employ the pair as lobbyists.

Political analyst Harry Phillips says the promotion could cause problems for the Government.

"It was unwise given the standards that have been set by [federal Treasurer] Peter Costello," he said.

"The Opposition are going to ask questions, why was Senator Campbell dismissed and David Johnston promoted on the basis of very similar links.

"And I think the electorate at large will be asking those very same questions."

Senator Johnston says he would be surprised if his past business links become an issue.

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Gus: according to the acid routine of this failed comic duo Abbott and Costello, mind you, Senator Johnston should be hung high, cut in half and turned into sacrificial lamb soup — otherwise they have no more "grip" on their dubious tar brush against Mr Rudd... Their thin punch line is totally fizzled... pfffttt... gone... no traction... No laughter.

Campbell was immolated in vain — to satisfy the vanity of a deflating but hyperventilating Howard.

Anti-climax for an excited left

Gerard Henderson
December 4, 2007

Blah blah, blah blah...

...

The left intelligentsia is busy celebrating Howard's defeat and personal humiliation. But don't be surprised if, in a year or so, the inner-city left accuses Rudd of not doing enough to roll back Howard's legacy in such areas as industrial relations, welfare to work, federal intervention in the Northern Territory with respect to Aborigines, foreign policy and even the environment.

There are signs of such a development. Comedians who used to bag Howard from the left are beginning to bag Rudd, also from the left. This was evident on The 7.30 Report last Thursday when John Clarke and Bryan Dawe mocked Rudd's pro-American stance. Tony Blair experienced a similar phenomenon in Britain. The left has invariably despised both political conservatives (like Howard) and social democrats (like Rudd).

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Gus: Gerard, comedians do one thing. They bag everyone whichever way they can... Including themselves. Left, right, top and bottom... That's the nature of the job. Cartoonists are the same: we cartoon because we care, with a wry smile and a blunt pencil, of course... But some targets are more targetable than others. Will I regret the passing of John Howard and his manipulation of the truth and his cunning ways? Not a bit. He had to go... Busy celebrating? you bet!  But there is plenty more fodder in front of us. The only comedian I knew who was on the right side of politics was Steve Vizard... Nuf said...

It is a cunning Hendersonian device to mix the "left Intelligentsia" with cartoonists and comedians, although the left Intelligentsia will always bag anyone including its own left machinery, seriously and with gravitas. The left intelligentsia is full of educated dreamers and we need educated dreamers. Some cartoonists are loopy dreamers too, mind you. We need dreamers to promote a more equitable society, less hubris and a greater understanding of the expanding universe... Hey! Look who's raising amongst the prunes in the US Republican party... Candidate on Jesus juice comes to the fore

That should frighten the bejesus pants out of you... Forgive the mixed metaphore...

The cartoon at the top brings tear to my eyes...

Rudd or Costello, it's a mild ride

Gerard Henderson
July 22, 2008

The revelations in Christine Jackman's book Inside Kevin 07 concerning the Liberal Party leadership struggle in the lead-up to last November's federal election come as no real surprise. She reports hitherto private Labor Party polling conducted in late 2006. It found that if Peter Costello replaced John Howard as prime minister, a Costello leadership would neutralise much of the potency of the-future-versus-the-past frame that Labor had developed. The polling suggested that this would be especially the case if Costello was given the time to promote his own agenda.

A decision by Howard to step down in favour of Costello would have diminished Labor's generational change pitch and forced the ALP to reframe its campaign strategy. It is likely that Costello would have engaged in the symbolic politics which Howard declined to embrace. That is, he would have ratified the Kyoto Protocol and apologised for the separation of indigenous children from their families. There were few problems with the former approach since, unlike several nations which ratified Kyoto, Australia is meeting its emission targets. And there was no political downside in proffering an apology for past events.

Since the election, Kevin Rudd has gained significant support for his stance on Kyoto and the apology. Also, the 2020 Summit proved to be popular - although it remains to be seen what the Prime Minister will do with the "top ideas" it produced. Beyond this, the Rudd Government does not look dramatically different to its predecessor.

A few examples illustrate the point. Last month the Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, a one-time stalwart of the ALP parliamentary Left, was photographed in polite discussion with the US Vice-President, Dick Cheney. Gillard is in the process of winding back the Coalition's WorkChoices legislation but has not dismantled it.

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Gus: Chi va piano, va sano; chi va sano, va lontano
He who goes softly, goes safely; he who goes safely, goes far.
Gerard, there is no urgency in pulling the place apart and reconstructing shoddily in a hurry. All the mines and unexploded cluster bombs placed by the previous occupier of the lodge —although he preferred to maraud at Kirribilli House — are still many, not counting the booby traps. The ground needs to be stabilised before solidly building. It is happening.

And Gillard cannot shoot Dick Cheney... It would leave some stain on the carpet... He still is the most powerful man in the world, until his dummy-sidekick George is retired...

And too say that had Costello been given the keys of the ute, the Liberals would have done better, pleazzze! The "revelations" in Christine Jackman's book seem to me like a well constructed furphy-class one. Although I could buy that, in late 2006, a Costello leadership might have dampened the effect of the Rudd machine a tad by turning attention five minutes away from the football, but back then Rudd was "new". He was not in full swing yet... And he had Costello's measure in his sight...

I am quite sure that some "secret" polls done by the Liberals showed the exact opposite: they would be sunk by a huge margin should Costello take the baton over. The man in the street knew that. He has his ears to the ground and could hear the grandiose fracas should Costello take over. In fact the scenario was slightly split:
Costello is given the job: Boom, the electorate punishes Costello and the Liberals by a huge margin
Costello fights Howard for the job and gets it: The Liberals loose by a tiny margin.
Howard stays on: the Liberals loose by a "certain" margin.

To some extend I believe that Howard, even under pressure to go from some heavy quarter of his own party, wanted Costello to challenge. But Costello had no spine. No guts. Not a fighter. Just a second fiddle bean counter.

Costello has not shown any leading ability yet. Rudd had and has since BIG TIME. big difference...

End of story.