Shadow Minister,

I'd be thrilled if I ever detected the type of intellect one would expect of a Rhodes Scholar in Tony Abbott.

So far he's not presented as anything above the norm as far as intellect goes.

In a situation where he's required to speak "off the cuff" he presents as below the norm - and way below the rhetorical abilities of most other parliamentarians.

If he is not afforded the luxury of slogans and rehearsed propaganda, he's often reduced to ahh, ahh, ahh, um,um um - or sometimes literally rendered speechless.

Are those the qualities one expects from a Rhodes Scholar?

As far as you statement that he "effortlessly tore down two Labor PMs"....

He was aided and abetted by an infighting Labor and a clever campaign full of slogans and propaganda overseen and promoted by the Murdoch media empire.

Would have been difficult to lose under those circumstances...even for a dull boy like Tones.

P,

Once again you show you left whinger colours. The preference for spin over substance, for lofty waffle over results.

How quickly you forget that in 2007/8 the Murdoch papers openly supported Labor, that when Turnbull was leader that Labor essentially had a free ride, and was 56/44 2pp in the polls. Abbott took over and shone the light on Labor's failings, then Dudd's support collapsed, and Labor under Juliar was unable to win power in its own right.

Abbott put together a team that out manouvered all the best minds in Labor and left them dazed and bloody. If Abbott is not smart, then everyone in labor must be blithering idiots.

Juliar promised to stop the boats, and restore the budget surplus, and failed miserably on both of them. Abbott has already in 2 months nearly stopped the boats, and started on reducing Labor's waste to get back to budget.

Shadow Minister,

"How quickly you forget that in 2007/8 the Murdoch papers openly supported Labor, that when Turnbull was leader that Labor essentially had a free ride..."

That, my dear, only goes to proving my point...if Rupey gets on board, then one's chances are somewhat enhanced.

Sorry.....Tones is not that smart.

He's ordinary.

If you think he's running the show, then I think you'd better inform Peta Credlin for a start. She's running his office and giving him his cues.

We all know that.

And she represents the Liberal Party machine.

You can waffle on forever trying to convince us that Tony is a smart operator.

He says his lines.

Avoids uncomfortable situations where he's required to answer unrehearsed.

He's middling at best.

Poirot, congratulations on putting the finger on Abbott. That makes two of us and our numbers will grow as he reveals further of his glaring deficiencies.

He is our own George W. We will have to own him until he is replaced, perhaps by Malcolm. Then again the Liberal Party may keep him, stupidly believing he is multi-talented.

They wish!

P.S. Parliament when it resumes will be very telling.

Poirot,

I hope all the labor tragics like you keep on working on the assumption that the only reason labor lost was Rupert was nasty, and the voters didn't like the infighting. That the poor policies, the chaotic management, the deceit, and the economic incompetence had nothing to do with it. That way, Labor will be out of office for decades.

As for the influence of Murdoch:

"Evidence suggests there is no correlation between reader’s media consumption and how they vote. At least that’s been the consistent finding of the Australian Election Study, the most exhaustive set of data ever collected in Australia on the dynamics of political behaviour, conducted on large samples for every election since 1987 and 2010."

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/09/australian-election-editorials-rupert-murdoch

So try looking for another excuse.

While everyone is free to air one's opinion, yours is shared by virtually no one. Even senior Labor MPs have acknowledged the brilliance of Abbott's campaign.

Power Bill Shorten's weak decision to oppose the removal of the unpopular carbon tax must have the coalition privately celebrating. The opportunity to keep hammering labor with this is a gift that will keep on giving, and concrete proof that labor has not learnt.

SM,

One can't deny the brilliance of the LNP's years of campaigning...especially if one is an admirer of deceit and destabilisation...and "now" of secret states and suppression.

Mr Abbott is none too bright, but the LP's strategy to deceive the Australian electorate - and what's more, to sucker them in so comprehensively (with Uncle Rupey's help), is something to behold.

So now the economy is doing just fine (according to Hockey) the credit rating is "now" what matters (according to Hockey). etc, etc,

We are presented with a cast of LNP parliamentarians who rort as a matter of course...not only do they rort like it's going out of fashion, they even defend it when they're caught out.

Latest from Barnaby Joyce http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-06/joyce-repayments/5073316

I wouldn't get too comfortable in smugsville, SM. This mob will be booted out at the earliest opportunity for the deceitful rabble they are.

Cheerio for now