I agree, it's hard to imagine any candidate, even a high quality candidate like Maxine McKew, taking the seat. Two further thoughts:

1. Her intervention may draw attention to the issue of ABC funding, and there would be quite a few people on the north shore of Sydney in the ABC's "AB" demographic. It might be enough to stave off any further reform proposals from the Government that might adversely affect the national broadcaster, and could conceivably be used by McKew and her party as leverage against the Government on that issue.

2. Sometimes a party will ask a would-be parliamentarian to contest an unwinnable seat before allowing them to contest a winnable seat. We should consider the possibilty that McKew has a longer-term strategy.

A good analysis. Shewd of Rudd. Labor need a smart champaign to win government.

This is not about winning Bennelong; this is about winning Government. The rat cunning of Howard is a finite resource - the more rat cunning which has to be devoted to holding Bennelong the less available to be devoted to holding Government.

I would not disagree with The Skeptic either; McKew will emerge from this a much wiser politician and with recognition for having made the hard yards up the middle (a rugby league metaphor is appropriate for NSW). Her reward is likely to be a shot at a winnable seat the next time around - perhaps even Bennelong after Howard's retirement.

Glad Howard's in trouble. Sick of him acting like a good sheep dog while in company with George Dubya, yet forever using the 'I' rather than 'We' while dictating policy in Australia.

It is possible that he is still patterning himself on Menzies, who with British royalty acted also like the faithful hound, as was so expected of a colonial statesman.

Further, maybe it is a sign that the whole purpose of our allied illegal misadventure in Iraq is or was to still keep the English-speaking Anglophiles on top, and as one of our group mentioned earlier, promising liberty and freedom as a replacement for the lies about the blessings of Christian colonialism.

You blokes might be right but after today's allegations it might not be Rudd running as opposition Leader.

Two questions need to be answered:

Are Costello's allegations about an alleged deal between Rudd and Burke correct?

Following Costello's claim that Rudd and Burke met three on three occassions, in WA, before his elevation to Opposition Leader, has Rudd a connection to Burke?

Rudd needs to be frank and open about any contact he has had with a convicted fraud. Commentators and the media need to be open in reporting all such allegations and responses about a prospective PM.

Why Rudd met with Burke, is something he needs to clarify. It is disapointing that Rudd has made such inroads on Howard, yet Rudd appears to have let himself down in fore thinking previously. He needs to be strong and objective in responding to his fro par!