I actually sat down and thought about this. I went through the list who's who in Australia's political circles on who has personality, charisma and an atitude to set fire to people and get 'em passionate about this. It about 15 minutes to decide to broaden my search and include foreign pollies.

Italy has an ex porn star by the name of La Cicciolina...

That's about all I've got. We need porn stars, militant Islamists, militant Christians, the Legalize Cannabis Party, Scientologists and the Exclusive Brethren (they'll just sit there with their eyes closed handing out money) running the circus. That should stir 'em up.

Foxy: "Can someone explain - who do we believe?"

Well, certainly on his record you wouldn't believe the "lying Rodent". Even his own party doesn't believe him.

Personally, I prefer Costello over Howard - but that's like saying I prefer redbacks to funnelwebs.

Stg, "who has personality, charisma and an atitude to set fire to people and get 'em passionate about this"

Those types tend to make me nervous. My impression is that they can be rather rough on those who don't share their views. When I think of leaders who were good at getting people passionate for a cause etc I recall that Hitler seemed to be really good at that.

I'd rather most of us be somewhat disinterested in what our pollies have to say and people be able to go about their lives without a charismatic leader singling them out for public hatred.

Capable administrators may not be much fun and may not make great reformers but then they tend to leave a lot less harm in their wake.

R0bert

I will make my decision - based on who I feel isn't lying to me.
(naive - I know). And what I feel is the right decision not only for Austrlia, but for the planet.

"The women can't stand him which I find puzzling."

Ah thats easy. Women often prefer to have their emotional
buttons pushed, they want schmalz. Costello is about economic
reasoning, which is a whole different story.

Fact is, one cannot deny, he is a smart fellow, who wins
most debates in parliament, as Keating used to. Keating
wasn't popular either, for much the same reasons. Both
are smart fellows and I'd prefer a smart PM, then a dummy
who knows how to give electors the schmalz they want to hear.

Rudd is smart, but more of a diplomat. The problem there
is not Rudd, but the hangers on, who will invariably sink
him in the end. One fellow does not make a Govt.

Perhaps we need a Costello-Rudd Government :)

Women like schmaltz? - Boy, that's so yesterday...

What women like is chutzpah not schmaltz -( and poor man has neither!).