The writer's comments seem to me to describe Mr Turnbull very well. I also agree that Mr Rudd is in for a fight - a good thing.
Although I am a labor supporter, I also concede the need for an effective and organised opposition which, it seems, will shortly be forthcoming.
Also, despite my being dependent on the age pension, I have no problems with Mr Turnbull's wealth - nor indeed with the wealth of the Rudd family.
However, the author's final comment gives me some cause for concern. Although I realise that the 'church' comment was no doubt meant to be taked metaphorically, the fact is that a large proportion of the Liberal parliamentary party are right-wing bible bashers of various denominations. I regard organised fundamentalist religion as the curse of the world, so as I see it Mr Turnbull is starting his real parliamentary career with a substantial mill-stone around his neck. The extent to which Mr Turnbull can throw off this yoke will be the defining measure of his character, vision, and ability and will ultimately determine his success in his aggressive pursuit of the top job.

I remember a time when 'Liberal' meant 'liberal'. This included the right to cross the floor of Parliament, the right to disagree, nay it was encouraged to disagree with the 'leader' as you as a representative of your electorate were there in parliament to represent your constituents.
Now "Liberal" means to be lead by the nose by the bullying attitudes of the powerful.
No longer is it a 'broad church'..it is now narrowed to the Christian right, the head nodders, the ambitious minions who do as their master wants.
No longer does the "Liberal" party represent the masses of people who believe in rights, freedoms and the broadest expanse of ideas and ideals.
The "Liberal" party now belongs to the American right, the conservatives in the strictest sense.

Even now Malcolm is showing how he has bent to the new "Liberal" idea by not going ahead with pushing for a Republic.

We shall wait and see but I fear he is just stepping into the shoes of the last real Leader, the mighty HoWARd.

How sad.

"The one thing that Turnbull can do is to recapture small “l” Liberal voters who could not vote for Howard or Nelson. These voters have drifted to the ALP and even the Greens. Mr Turnbull’s social and economic liberalism should be attractive to these voters. And it should help to reposition the Liberal Party to where it ought to be and once was - a broad church."

It's hard to imagine that many small 'l' liberals would've voted for the Greens, and to a lesser extent the ALP (tho there was a big (temporary?) shift in the last election). I'll grant that Howard was by no means a 'l'iberal - his tax churn policies demonstrate that - but was he so bad that voting for the Greens was a better choice? Methinks not in long term trend terms.

One wonders how the Australian Public would look at a genuinely 'l'iberal party. We, as a population, love our tax churn (baby bonus', family tax allowances, rebates, rebates, rebates etc), we love our tall poppy syndrome, love our big intrusive governments etc. These things make it hard to believe that the 'L'iberals could truly be a successful 'l'iberal party. Perhaps it would just be a centrist party with some 'l'iberal tendencies.

Mr Turnbull appears to be in the same mold as Mr Rudd. I would go as far to say (from someone who has never voted Labour) that I would actually prefer Mr Rudd to Mr Turnbull. I doubt very much that Mr Turnbull will be leader in 2010. He offers no alternative to the spin we have know. He is a believer in the failed global warming doctrine and defends child porn because he has some of Henson's art. He seems a man more of ideology rather than principle. The Liberals will be losing what few conservative votes they have left with such a 'progressive' (really regressive) at the wheel.

What do I see? Turnbull. Ambitious, republican, legal and banking expertise. No apparent interest in social philosophy. No stated aims or policy or understanding of the role of Government. I can only think that he's taken up politics because he's bored. A somewhat shallow CV for a Prime Ministerial aspirant.

Isn't Turnbull an atheist who is pro-abortion and gay marriage. What's he doing leading the conservative party. Family First will be the big winner if Turnbull stays leader of the Libs.

Conservative christian voters which make up the base of the Liberal Party will leave it droves.