the hatred of many transfered from Howard to Abbott. Quite pathetic really. The hatred blinds them of the incompetence of our current Government.

Lexi,
the problems Australia is plagued with now ARE ALP induced, don't for one minute think it's not so. Things are bad enough that Tony couldn't make it any worse even if he tried. It's slim pickings alright, thanks to who's failed policies ?

I agree Lexi, in that I haven't read the book mentioned in the website, but I was commenting on the quotes from the author in the article itself.

I see you feel the same way about Abbott, as do many others I have spoken to, especially women.
I would suggest that the opinion polls that put Abbott ahead as preferred Prime Minister are actually more concerned about seeing the Liberals (or indeed anyone else!)in government than actually saying they prefer Abbott himself.

I am not saying that the current Government, or it's leader, are doing well at all. I didn't vote for either ALP or Liberals.
What I am worried about is Abbott himself, and I suspect that he would be pushing his own agenda on his party, and the rest of the country, if he should become Prime Minister.

Leave to the lefties to attack anyone they don't agree with, with repugnant remarks.

Funny how you all call him a woman hater, yet he is married with 3 daughters has a woman as his deputy and has more women in key positions on his staff. Yep, must be a woman hater.

Interesting that this woman hater commands more respect from woman than your very own wicked witch from the west!
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/capital-circle/pm-has-a-woman-problem/story-fn59nqgy-1226147453117

You're all so full of it I want to gag!

This articles is not worthy of Susan Mitchell's usually inciteful commentary. Mitchell is doing an Andrew Bolt by failing to interview Tony Abbott face to face to find out a bit more about the man rather than relying so totally on the media 'face' of Tony Abbott and making superficial generalisations about some of his comments.

I disagree with Tony Abbott on many issues but to paint him as a 'woman-hater' is disingenuous and unfair in my humble opinion (although Mitchell does make the caveat that TA is not a 'bad or mad man'). There are many more valid reasons with more substance that would lead one not to vote TA than the ones outlined by Mitchell.

It is true that Tony Abbott has had a narrow Catholic upbringing as have many Australians who go on to form opinions that don't always marry with the strict dogma of their Church. Tony Abbott has said a number of times that he, like any other person, is influenced by his upbringing but he attempts to see issues from other points of view.

While I suspect TA will never champion same-sex marriage, climate change or contemplate questioning the free trade dogma that plagues us (neither will the ALP) this article goes too far in branding him a woman-hater. TA is old fashioned in some respects but I don't think this would taint his overall position in many areas. I cannot see TA promoting family values any more than the ALP leadership with their economic growth prioritism that sees more and more children institutionalised from an early age to feed some misguided economic ideology.

One has to remember that TA only won the Liberal leadership by one vote against Malcolm Turnbull so the little 'l' liberals are still around albeit in hiding. The Centre/Left should not make the same mistake as the Opposition in resorting to misleading hysterics to win people to their side. There is already enough of that at the moment and enough hate speech towards Julia Gillard (and previously towards John Howard).

It well may not be easy being Green, it sure is not being Labor.
Lexi, love your work, but just a few talk but do not under stand.
Some rant, and I stand back then, some who oppose are are insightful and hard to rebut.
This ALP/Government,is supporting its own failures by continuing down the path Abbott will trip, over his true self.
HE HAS, no one noticed.
Polls, clearly, show dumping of Rudd was wrong.
Todays polls prove it was done for reasons other than polling.
Julia, polls shriek, is not for given for what public refuses to see as other than a lie.
Polls show! we would win! today! if Rudd lead us! OUTSTANDING evidence, we not Abbott need to lift our game.
We are not being heard not seen , Abbott is the mad monk still.
And we ensure no one cares.
Now look at the unfounded claims, the polling against us.
We sell in Gillard hamburgers out side a synagogue.
Abbott is our problem, some within our party sit and wait for him to win an election for us.