If Australians are dumb enough to elect Tony Abbott as PM,
frankly they deserve him.

As for the intellect or experience of the combatants it is hardly relevant
when you consider those intellects are beholden too their respective masters.

Big money spin determines the agenda and the Australian Media are
embarrassing and disgraceful generally, and if you wanted an accurate picture of
what's going on, you wouldn't watch Carl Steph-anonothing and co anyway or any
other commercial alternative, particularly in the morning. I totally agree Poirot.

The damage they do to the social fabric is another matter.

The responses of the Herald Sun's readership to their daily loaded question
is surprising to me and seems as if we are either a nation of barbarians,
or the same people respond everyday to their question.

Julia Gillard is just the lesser of two evils for mine with Abbott at best
a volatile unknown quantity. He could be consulting with an ideological
crystal ball in a cupboard somewhere, for all we know.

I have just re-focussed on this because poling indicates that Abbott
has a chance of winning. This cant be happening!!.

The Govt has been disgraceful in it's handling of some things and has
succeeded at others, but their message is not resonating as they play
Abbott on his home ground, "the politics of dissent", his very game.

No doubt R0bert, Tony started it, Tony maintains it and Tony enjoys it
and thrives upon it.

It's what you wont do the counts, not what you will. So far it's a nil all draw,
and the idea is hope your opponent kicks an own goal. Yawn

thinker 2

Julia Gillard has to stand up and be counted on matters of principle and be a team player. She should be pushing her team forward so she doesn't appear to stand alone. Pushing the team makes it obvious that Tony Abbott hasn't got one, well not a very credible one when Julie, 'honest' Joe Hockey and others get going.

Julia is about to become the first ever elected woman prime minister of Australia.
She will owe some of her victory to
Tony Abbott he is unelectable.

Dear Houellie,

You ask:

"Should I 'Move forward,' Foxy?"

You'd have to evolve,
and run the risk of becoming extinct.

Julia Gillard has now decided to discard the ‘script’ provided by the ‘faceless men’ of the Labor party and go forth as the real JG. This indicates that she now has become her own women, injecting her ideas, her strengths, her style and her convictions in this election campaign. Does this mean that “I am a team player”, “I believe in negotiations and consensus…” are out? I find this puzzling! Wasn’t this what K Rudd was doing before he was so unceremoniously given the boot by Labour? That he wasn’t ‘sucking-up’ to some within the Party? What makes it OK for JG to practice that which she denied Rudd? I am utterly confused.

Foxy, I am loving your spirited, amusing defense of our Prime Minister!
I am with you on this one.

I am of the (unpopular) opinion that Julia Gillard is mainly vilified for being a female politician who dared to beat the boys at their own game.
It is mainly a gender issue, plain and simple.

Media men like Laurie Oakes only barely disguise the fact that they are appalled that this woman has got as far as she has.
With all the carrying on about opinion polls and the like, I am sure Labor would not be within a bulls roar of the Liberal party if Rudd was still at the helm.

Shadow Minister joyfully listed all of Abbott's educational achievements, and I am sure he is a smart boy.
However, I can't get past the fact he also studied to be a priest.

Someone who takes their religion that seriously will find it very hard to split his religious convictions and politics when making decisions.

Maybe that is the main reason why many people on this forum prefer this inarticulate man?