If Rudd were a genuine, rather than a Sunday Christian, he could do worse than “forgive those who trespass against him”.
He should invite, even insist, on Gillard staying (hers, is after all, a relatively safe seat, and they need all they can get).
Getting past the misogyny, the nasal twang and the looks (if only she were as handsome as John Howard...) Gillard was an excellent performer in Parliament, and a great negotiator. The general consensus of those in the know appears to be that neither Rudd nor Abbott could have handled a hung parliament as well.
In fact, Rudd's weaknesses are Gillard's strengths, and vice versa. If they weren't so ego driven, they could play to each other's strengths, instead of highlighting each other's weaknesses.

Grim,

So you don't think it was in the best interests of Labor's re-election chances to arrest the slide into political oblivion?

I agree that Gillard was a powerful parliamentary performer. However, it's something that didn't translate into electoral appeal.

The opposite, in fact.

Poirot, I think you can be both.

I believe Howard was. When working in a factory in early 1990s, and then a fanatical ALP supporter, I always said Howard should be leader. Articulate and effective, often putting the smart ... Keating in his place through intellect and decency.

and I know the left will not agree, but satisfaction to polies actually went up under Howard as he addressed some of majority's concerns

G'day Poirot,
Absolutely. I think Gillard should have stood down months ago, for the good of the party. It seems Australia just isn't ready for a female PM yet -particularly one who got the top spot by less than noble means.
I'm merely suggesting if Rudd wants to unite the Labor Party, he should start by giving Gillard a cabinet position. And, let her do the negotiating.
I hardly think she'll ever be a threat to him again.

how labor voters are so fickle. they got rid of Rudd after the polls showed he was not popular with labor voters. now he says hes a changed man. thats after most of his own party hated him and were saying things like he is dysfunctional and a narcissist. he had dismantled the refugee policy which started this influx of boats now over 17,000 a year. his NBN is in turmoil with delays and costs blowing out. his insulation bat scheme has cost 4 lives and many house fires. the school hall bundle has cost millions and still mounting. his emissions trading scheme was a failure and the mining tax has been a joke. his green loan scheme is being audited amongst concerns of rorting by energy assessors.
the hand outs for floods was rorted and cost millions. Schools stimulus program waste. Plan for 260 new childcare centers axed - Nurses recruiting scheme failed - Computers to every senior student failed. GP Super clinics failed, Trades training centers failed.
he has been in the shadows as a smiling assassin making hell for his own party as revenge for being dumped and he says he has now changed and wants everyone to be kinder. then in the next breath says the LNP will cause a conflict with Indonesia with their stopping the boats. he struts around saying he has installed the most women to the front bench thats because there wasn't many left after most of them refused to work with him because they know what hes really like. it seems the labor voters are basing their support on personality and not competence. well on both counts he fails miserably.

it seems labor has developed a split personality complex. first we had Kevin 07. then it was egotistical Kevin and dysfunctional Kevin. then we had back stabbing Julia, then julialiar. next we had slush fund Julia and women's right Julia, hypocritical Julia then the new Julia. the warm Julia, the spectacle wearing Julia and finally the knitting Julia. now we have the new Kevin, the all inclusive and changed Kevin and the lets be kinder to each other Kevin. as opposed to the smiling assassin Kevin and the disruptive vengeful Kevin. so really there are lots of candidates to choose from. which one do you trust.