Looking at parliament last week (Climate Change) and this week (Iraq) the Labor party is setting the adgenda. Howard had to correct a statement he made last week, he was not going to do it this week.(re his stupid Obama - Democratic Party gaffe).

The Labor party are attacking his strengths, security this week, maybe the economic miracle next.

Howard looks uncomfortable, his front bench looked pissed off. The Labor party will wedge the Libs and Nats on water (compulsory acquisition of water entitlements etc.)

Game on. I have not seen Howard so desparate for yonks.

PS I'm back :) Chemo worked again.

I am still wondering how USA withdrawing from Iraq could endanger the US and its allies.
The more soldiers left to fight the next battle the better I would have thought. And I personally prefer an Al quada resting on its laurels than sending its own and the 'west' into self-perpetuating destruction

John Howard has just awoken from his slumber.Kevin Rudd is the only serious contender Labor has managed to spawn in over a decade of opposition.I was listening to the debate in Parliament today.Kevin Rudd harped on about Obarma and the Democrats being offended by the charge of neglect in leaving Iraq in a definite time frame no matter how much chaos ensued.

John Howard was only partially correct in stating it would be a terrorists' paradise.If the fundamentalists unite in the Middle East,they could disrupt the supply of oil to the world and bring on WW3.

In the debate today John Howard well and truely had Rudds measure.Kevin Rudd ranted and raved on about how John Howard always has these bag of goodies to bribe his way back into Govt come election time.In the past Labor had no bag of goodies to bribe the electorate since they were broke.Remember the $80 billion deficit?Then we have the argument of the resources boom being reason for Howard's success.Well back in the early seventies Gough Whitlam also had a resoures boom and he too sent the country broke.Labor cannot manage the excesses of their ideals.They have yet to grasp how a free enterprise economy works.This is their greatest folly.

Other than Rudd,who have Labor got?An ageing rock star with obsessive compulsive greeny disorder,Julia Gillard who idolises Swedish socialism.Well,where are the others who have a broard spectrum of both experience and intelligence?

We have one articulate Rudd,which I applaud,but the rest are dudds.

Steve Madden I'm pleased to see you back!

Arjay...the Whitlam era...for God's sake he only controlled Australia for one term? Whitlam probably did more for cultural and social reform in his short period than any PM!
As for Johnny, l think he's luck is bound to run out soon...inherited a country coming out of recession, survived Tampa with the unfortunate 9/11 but can climate change and Iraq bring and end to this bloke.
I'm not a Howard supporter, more Hewson who completely blew it, but you have to hand it to little Johnny for lasting this long.
As for Rudd, l like him, he seems calm and articulate and rather pleasant to listen without the constant personal attacking that Howard and Costello and Crean/Latham and cuddly bear Beazley?
On low interest rate, yep, but what about wage reform in comparison to the Cost of Living?

Congrats to steve madson for the chemo working. Funny, you get to know people on this forum, I even wonder how they are. Even my rivals.

I think Howard make a big gaff in commenting on Obama, intruding on another country's electoral process. He is out of his depths indruding on White House politics.

The Americans hate being told what to do from foreigners. That is something I learned living there. I would expect back fire from the American Democracrats, now given a right to respond in kind. I would imagine the American Democracts will go on and on about the Australian Wheat Board, and how in trade during war, sleaze should never happen. They may even place more documents to the media linking the Australian Government's involvement on this. The US has known for a long time.

The US farmers are our competitors, they want punches to their rivals and will reward the Democrats with the farm vote.

They will make Howard out to be an evil little rat internationally, one that even Bush will not defend. Texans never back losers.

My prediction is that Peter Costello will overreact to this and see this as a chance to check the water again. Don't be surprised to hear some snippy comments from Costello again.

This time it will snap Howard's patience, and there is no telling what he is going to do under such pressure. The poor thing actually had to flip-flop on climate change. Bet he is furious over that.

This will be some performance. The ALP needs to just play cool and watch the fireworks. The Liberals will discredit themselves with finess this year.