Lexi:>> Perhaps with time she may learn "on the job,"
and overcome the difficulties she's currently facing<<

Lexi, Belly mentioned what a gem Gillard was in opposition, but in power she is a clump of dirt. I have no idea where the Gillard that talked some sense, was always abreast of the issues and had a ear for the battler went. She is now so tainted that Slater and Gordon have taken her picture from the wall, so I hear.

Lets take another tack guys, what defines a woman, what defines a man, what are the community expectations from each gender, if any?

No no need for another tact the threads is on subject.
I have More chance of winning the lottery without a ticket the Gillard of being PM after an election.

Lexi

you are to be congratulated for quite a balanced summary. Not often I agree with you but I think your piece is close to the mark.

Dear SOG,

Perhaps the "real Julia," has had to make certain
concessions being part of a minority government
and therefore is unable to govern in her own right?
Just a guess.

Dear runner,

Thank You.

Gillard was elevated mainly due to her media-friendly profile as an effective Parliamentary performer.

It was the media who promoted her as the most viable alternative and then feigned horror when she replace Rudd (who they apparently tired of).

As for Abbott, he's not a leader. He's a follower who goes around telling people what he thinks they want to hear but never seems to have an alternative proposal to put forward - nothing but a list of "what I'm NOT going to do".

Thatcher was eventually knifed by her own Party. I don't know about her being "a borderline genius" if she didn't see the Poll Tax would be one negative too many - like Howard's Workchoices.
Some unkindly say her current dementia went unnoticed for decades.