With a few well chosen words Dennis has given us an awesome display of sycophancy.

I keenly await the ambitious ones speech explaining how, for the good of us all, we should vote for him when his nearest and dearest suffer so much for his ambitions. He dragged his dead father into the public domain. He is happy to see his brothers business crippled to serve his ambition. And he is happy to see his wifes business downsized. He is happy to besmirch Labor colleagues like Kelly Hoare by leaking personally damaging stories.

If he can do this to his friends and supporters, God help us all.

What Faustian pact has this man made?

palimpsest said:

"He dragged his dead father into the public domain."

And so did you - just now.

"And he is happy to see his wifes business downsized."

But he hasn't sticky-beaked into Mr. Howard's family life.

"What Faustian pact has this man made?"

No idea. Would you like to tell us?

Just out of curiosity, Communicat, where in The Advertiser did you find the following

>>Rudd's use of Chinese was, as someone pointed out in the Advertiser yesterday, an embarrassment to the Chinese. Yes, an embarrassment.<<

The only references I could track down were these.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22376111-5006301,00.html

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22374407-5006301,00.html

Could you be more specific on how the embarrassment was caused, and to whom?

>>Also my neighbour is Chinese (and a Labor voter) and he informed me that it has been seen as a breach of protocol by his community.<<

How so? What protocol is this?

Isn't it a form of politeness, a compliment even, to use your guests' language in their presence, if you are able?

The only time this approach might possibly be questionable is when the translation leaves you vulnerable. Who remembers John F. Kennedy's famous "Ich bin ein Berliner"?

Which not only translates as "I am from Berlin", but also as "I am a jam doughnut" and "I am a bottle of of wheat beer".

Perhaps there were similar double-entendres in Kevvy's speech? Anyone know?

"power of a startling speech"

bwahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah,
cough,
bwahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha,
splatter,
bwahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha,
cough,
bwahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha,
deep breath and,
bwahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

A speech is 'startling.'
Its 'powerful.'

bwahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

What a load of k.rudd.

Pericles - try the letters page.
It is seen as a breach of protocol to require a translation from one language to another when that language is (a) not your native tongue, (b)not an official language of your country, (c) not understood by most present.
So, it was fine for Stephen Harper to use some French as French is an official language of Canada and his Canadian constituents would have expected it. (He was addressing them as much as us.)
It was not right or proper for Rudd to use Chinese as it is most definitely not his native tongue, nor is it an official language of Australia and it was not understood by most present.
The whole thing was entirely inappropriate, arrogant and rude. It was not intended as a compliment to the Chinese because he could easily have paid that compliment in private. It was nothing more than a publicity stunt of appallingly bad taste for which he should have been roundly condemned. Instead of that a pro-Rudd and very biased media made a virtue out of it.
If Rudd does that sort of thing on the international stage as our PM then he is going to cause great embarrassment to Australia.
The Chinese speakers in Bennelong would, I suspect, be wary of criticising Rudd in public. (Remember they are mostly from Vietnam and they are unlikely to make critical comments about anyone in front of a news camera.)Many of them will vote Labor because they believe they are required to do so. Just try and remember the politics of where they come from and you will understand why they will do as they told by the union movement.

DEAR COMMUNICAT: I can't speak Chinese and I understand that there are cultural differences that I may not detect, that overlay speeches, but I was in Berlin when JFK said "Ich bin ein Berlina" The smile on the German faces were the same as the smile on the Chinese President when Kevin Rudd launched into his brand of "lingo" and despite the fact that JFK was told he had said "I am a hamberger!" I do understand the joy of hearing my native language spoken when I am surrounded by a population I can't "Verstahen"