The recent Labor Party inspired and Media led campaign to undermine Howard's leadership position within the Liberal Party and the electorate has backfired horribly. It effectively ended last night when O'Brian was reduced to self-ridicule and laughter when he tried to compare a Howard/Costello leadership tussle to the backstabbing vitrol of the Hawke/Keating fiasco.

All Rudd and his minnows have succeeded in doing with this strategy is to highlight the lack of depth in the opposition.

The Opposition wanted and tried to engineer a fight between Howard, Costello, Downer, Hockey, Abbott, Vaille, Turnbull, Nelson, Minchin, Brough et al. All they've succeded in doing is ensuring the electoral battle is to be Rudd vs Howard, Costello, Downer, Hockey, Abbott, Vaille, Turnbull, Nelson, Minchin, Brough et al. And that's a battle Rudd and the Labor Party will lose ... regardless of the overwhelming fawning and uncritical media support for Rudd.

Roll on November...and the poll that counts. And for the record I don't think Howard expressing his intention to retire will make one iota of difference to most people's vote and I think the Labor Party might need to pray (not in Lap dacing clubs) that the effect of Howard's expression of intention doesn't have too great a negative impact their on their 'vote'.

So Keith

How do you think the electorate will view Howard's sycophantic trade deals with Russia and China?

Russia, yesterday, detonated the "father of all bombs" and China's allegedly been hacking into the Australian government's computers to access military data and not yet a peep out of the Australian government.

Ordinary folk could well object to this nation doing deals with the devils who are bent on making this planet more uninhabitable.

Therefore, will Rudd the dud win government by default!

"And for the record I don't think Howard expressing his intention to retire will make one iota of difference to most people's vote....." (Quote:Keith)

Well you got that part right at least....

I saw Howard on the '7:30 Report' last night, and I now think he's committed political suicide - albeit in a strange and drawn out way.

His admission that he intends to resign as PM 'some time in the next 3 years' in the increasingly remote possibility that the Coalition wins the election, can only increase any ambivalence that swinging voters may have already held towards him. In effect, he's saying to the electorate that in the off-chance that he can win the election rather than Costello, they'll get Costello anyway a bit down the track. Given that the only reason Cabinet got behind him yesterday is that Costello's so on the nose with the electorate, I think this tactic will backfire bigtime.

It also edges the door a bit further open for Maxine McKew, who will now undoubtedly campaign on the likelihood that the Rodent will not only resign as PM if he and his government are re-elected, but he will retire from politics as well. Who'd vote for someone who's as good as said that he's going to quit if his electorate is silly enough to return him one last time?

That most excellent of possibilities - that not only will Howard's goverment lose at the election but also the Rodent will lose his seat - is looking more likely every day.

CJ,

Yes indeed, Maxine has been handed a valuable campaign weapon.
Using it with intelligence and cunning will be key. I hope the amature Labor party campaign strategists don't stuff it up.

Kieth, wash your mouth out with soap, the Labor party and especially its leader would never been seen alive in strip joints! Just ask em!

And this from our Arjay:

"Maxine McClueless is way out of her depth and was only put there to distract John Howard from the main game".

Posted by Arjay, Sunday, 4 March 2007 4:40:10 PM

Polls are showing she's a bloody big distraction Arjay. LOL

Graham, you are right. Therefore you are wrong.

You are right to say there is no one else as capable.

But you are wrong in saying therefore don't change.

Because this is Howard's fault, traceable way back to when he demanded of his colleagues, shape up as dyed-in-the-wool Yes-men, or ship out. All the people with integrity and ability shipped out leaving cowards and sycophants.

The sooner they get rid of him and start re-building, the sooner they will recover.