P Jack, you are forgetting, or simply ignoring one very, very important fact, that being that Rudd was responsible for the illegals mess, a mess that will at best cost us years to fix, with billions we simply don't have, and at worst have to potential to deprive the tax payer of their tax payer funded privileges for years, if not decades.

I while I can accept that you may choose to ignore/forget, I seriously doubt the masses will, especially given it will most likely be to main topic of discussion be one Tony Abbott.

After all, mr Abbott simply needs to ask, "Mr Rudd, did you get it wrong, and what makes you think, that after six years of miss management, you can now all of a sudden get it right".

P jack welcome and nice to see intelligent comment.
Rudd is in the seat he never should have been forced to leave.
Warning however this forum is full of potential front bencher's in Abbott,s camp.
Some have the screaming and miss information down to pat.
However will there be an Abbott front bench.
Now exposed to a true politician Abbott will battle to make his baseless rants stick.
He too must look over his shoulder, issues like climate change put Turnbull in the box seat to roll him before the public does.

It is extremely unlikely Rudd will retain the seat of Griffith. Increasing evidence is pointing to the fact he lacks support on the ground in Griffith. The labor branches have been decimated by declining membership and reducing numberd of branches. Kevvy's past strategy of importing support from youth and union sources as well as other electorates, is no longer possible as he is roundly hated by all his elected Qld mates and unions. As well State and Council members who once could be counted on for help have been reduced to a rump. Where once he could depend upon six to eight members he now hss maybe 3 and two of them are factionally aligned.
The LNP have an excellent candidate in a former Chair of the AMA. Swings in Griffith against Labor have historically been greater than the National average. Rudd failed to win Griffith in his first attempt in the Howard landslide against Keating. Griffith has a large population of 'Howard Battlers' and swathes of increasing North African and Asian immigrant enclaves.
He is likely to suffer the same fate as a former PM. Ironic? Naaaaah .... deserved.

It would be an odd result if Labor won the election under Rudd but then for Rudd to lose his seat. Who would be PM? I'm guessing Crean, Shorten or Combet may take a stab. Or maybe Plibersek? Or Bowen?

My goodness, it would be a pickle.

How soon people forget. The only thing working for Rudd electorally is the fact he is perceived as the underdog, the guy who got 'knifed' by a woman and some faceless men. His personality, previous mistakes and difficulties appear to have been forgotten.

Rudd was removed for more than just polls and a bad handling of the MRRT.

Barry Jones said it well. Rudd was bad at communicating and relating with the 'Inside' of the ALP and a poor administrator, while Gillard was very good. Whereas, Rudd was good 'Ooutside' in the electorate. Just when the electorate was starting to see the 'real Rudd' he was cast as the hard-done-by fallen PM which appealed to the sense of fair-play in the electorate. It was outside in the electorate that Gillard failed to translate her good qualities and policies. Gillard made some fatal mistakes early on which set the path unfortunately back to Rudd.

Gillard would have been better just being herself and mostly ignoring the spin meisters. She would have fared better showing the person that those who have met her close up see, and those who experienced the machinery of government led by her compared to Rudd. She did not do that - and maybe that would have been impossible. The focus on gender was a mistake and just became a divisive instrument.

However, I find it difficult to watch Rudd on the TV at the moment talking about vitriole, negativity and 'hate politics', because here is a man who worked to undermine the government at every turn as payback for his deposing. Whether it was the Rudd Camp's sabotage that led to the hung Parliament I wouldn't know - but it certainly did not help. Here is a man talking about solidarity and putting a united front...........hahahaha

PJack,
Your job in the Labor Media Office must take you everywhere. Just be careful the crap you peddle isn't one of those mess holes you might fall into.

Mr "Gaff", I see you continue with your gaffs. Nice try son.

Belly, did you watch Parliament today? Rudd, and his team, utterly DEMOLISHED Abbott and those 2 angry juveniles Pyne and Hockey. Labor spent the time explaining policy, policy, policy and more policy, whilst the Coalition members were having their usual hissy fits interspersed with invective.