I am so excited at the chance to see the real Julia. It makes me forget the Julia I have known for so long. Just like the phrase moving forward makes me forget anything that has happened in the last 2 years.

I especially look forward to the Real Real Julia replacing the Real Julia in about 2 weeks.

Should I dare to dream of the Real Real Real Julia?

I'm sorry Julia. It's over.

The polls seem to be 'heading in the right direction' as one M.Lemma used to tell me.

Julia Gillard has lost no opportunity to sling mud at the opposition from day one. The difference is that with TA, she is now getting it back in spades.

Whilst Labor had been in opposition, they had little in the way of dirty laundry, but now after 2 1/2 yrs of policy blunders, they have bulls eyes painted all over them.

JGs election strategy has been to try and stick to the message and create as small a target as possible. This is obviously not working, and now in desperation she plans to try the negative campaign against TA. The Liberals must be rubbing their hands in glee, as a negative smear campaign is generally bad news for the incumbents.

Her first words to Tony Abbott were "game on". I bet she is now regretting them.

Poirot and Severin, the popular media is where most of the election is played out.

Many of the undecided voters are not so interested in politics that they will seek out the genuinely hard hitting journalism (the definition of which often depends on our own political bias's anyway).

Like it or not the Today Show and other popular media is where a lot of the public impression of the parties and leaders will be formed.

I was left with the impression that the minders had realised that commentary was against the staged managed campaign approach so they decided that it need to be more "real" (an a staged manner). No actual change, just some words to add to the spin.

Will the lib's counter it with real speak to go with real action?

R0bert

RObert,

"the popular media is where most of the election is played out."

So true....and that, I might suggest, is the tragedy of our times.

Belly, Severin, it's time to start really worrying.

Little Julie is in big trouble, because just enough of the "real" Julia has in fact shown through, & a lot of previously fooled people have got a glimpse of her. The more we see the quicker she will drop.

Any other leader to pull out of the swamp?

Perhaps having taken over 2 years to wake up to what a peanut Rudd was has sharpened peoples focus. It may be that they are now seeing through the spin, & seeing the almost empty barrel behind it all. Almost empty, because despite much effort, they have not managed to clean it of all the rot. Rot that unbelievably grew in less than 3 years.

A couple of months ago my only thoughts of Gillard were, "dreadful voice, dreadful hair colouring". My opinion was an empty slate for her to write on. Well, it didn't take long for her to cover it in the red ink of failure. You can tell by the way it comes out, that most of what she says is preprogramed spin.

Also a few months ago my only opinion of Abbott was "dreadful speaker, lousy haircut". It was frustrating wanting to finish his sentences for him, while he stumbled over ums & ahs. Well, I can now see that he is thinking of what he is saying, nothing preprogrammed here. He says what he thinks.

Which ever one gets in, it will be a pain listening to them, but I know which one will be closer to talking truth. I've switched off now. I know which one I would hate to have as PM.

She is a true product of her party. She winks at her elites, while kidding her rednecks that she will stop the boats. I wonder if anyone knows where she stands on AGW, or even if she knows herself. She is probably waiting for a poll to tell her. What ever, we need someone like her like a hole in the head, & thankfully, quite a few are seeing the same thing.

RObert,

I think the logic goes like this the polls are showing that TA is winning the poll because of his simplistic almost every bloke mannerisms.
TA is simplistic delivery is a bit like Joh's 'don't you worry about that'.

The great unwashed want some one who appears to be like them because they assume that means that they don't have to put much thought into issues all they have to do is consider the wants. They assume that the issues involved from there are as simplistic as the govt telling the PS and that's it.

JG by being measured 'safe' is painted as being controlled both personally and professionally (by whom? back room gnomes).

What is ignored is that the Liberals have exactly the same pressures.

So the powers to be (JG) have decided to try and make her more accessible (in the great unwashed's perspective), hence less scripting.

They figure that TA isn't as personally mentally agile as JG and that he will make bigger gaffs or leave himself open to claims of control...what is he hiding.

Personally, If I went to a Brain surgeon who sounded like TA I'd want to check his credentials VERY CAREFULLY. The last thing I want is someone like my neighbours running the country.

I disliked Turnbull's persona But I think he's got a better grasp of the benefit to the country than TA.
Side issue Watch 4 corners tonight then tell me how is TA going to stop the boat people with Indonesian corruption as it is? Clearly King Canute comes to mind.