Kevin/Julia
I was really pleased that caucus chose Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard to take the reins and lead the alternative government on the undeniably-uphill battle that awaits. It was hard not to feel for Beazley - the loss of his younger brother and the apparent conclusion to his career would have spelt a very unpleasant day for him on Monday.
Rudd and Gillard have a lot to offer and they are both very intelligent people. I enjoyed Rudd's interview on The 7.30 Report on Monday, and Gillard's too on Lateline (though I was disappointed by Tony Jones's uncharacteristically lightweight questioning).
It really shouldn't be as difficult a task as it is to defeat John Howard. He is, after all, incredibly and unashamedly dishonest, arrogant and prejudiced. But, unfortunately, the omnipotent JWH is - as an individual politician - probably the biggest obstacle facing Kevin Rudd. And those surrounding Howard - in true Republican, Gingrich style - will play very, very hard over the next months, doing anything and everything it takes to make Kevin Rudd look 'soft' (and inexperienced) on just about every issue imaginable.
I was looking back on some previous posts I made on the subject of the Labor leadership. I had for quite a while expressed my desire to see Kevin Rudd and particularly Julia Gillard in leadership positions, and I am very glad that this has at last happened. Of course, I should confess that my confident prediction on this site that 2007 would see a Howard vs Beazley contest was obviously off the mark. But I'm happy to have been wrong.
Rudd and Gillard have a lot to offer and they are both very intelligent people. I enjoyed Rudd's interview on The 7.30 Report on Monday, and Gillard's too on Lateline (though I was disappointed by Tony Jones's uncharacteristically lightweight questioning).
It really shouldn't be as difficult a task as it is to defeat John Howard. He is, after all, incredibly and unashamedly dishonest, arrogant and prejudiced. But, unfortunately, the omnipotent JWH is - as an individual politician - probably the biggest obstacle facing Kevin Rudd. And those surrounding Howard - in true Republican, Gingrich style - will play very, very hard over the next months, doing anything and everything it takes to make Kevin Rudd look 'soft' (and inexperienced) on just about every issue imaginable.
I was looking back on some previous posts I made on the subject of the Labor leadership. I had for quite a while expressed my desire to see Kevin Rudd and particularly Julia Gillard in leadership positions, and I am very glad that this has at last happened. Of course, I should confess that my confident prediction on this site that 2007 would see a Howard vs Beazley contest was obviously off the mark. But I'm happy to have been wrong.
posted by Anthony Stoddart @ 1:23 PM
2 Comments:
At Thu Dec 07, 07:21:00 PM,
Sarah said…
I'm happy you were wrong, but I expected the same thing.
To see John Howard trying to paint Kevin Rudd as inexperienced is hilarious. Howard lived at home with mummy washing his underwear until he was 30 (and Janette started washing his underwear), and has spent every minute of his life since then as member for bennelong. That's the kind of experience Rudd should have?
At Sun Dec 10, 11:04:00 AM,
Anthony Stoddart said…
Haha, excellent point. Yes, it's interesting isn't it? The talk of inexperience started the second Rudd became leader. This is despite the fact that Rudd has surely one of the richest lists of past experience under his belt that you could hope to come across.
I happen to think that a philosophical former diplomat, fluent in Mandarin and in possession of a massive brain, would make a rather decent PM.
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