SPQR, here you are again having a go at all and sundry without actually commenting on the subject.
I'm assuming you're happy Abbott is at the helm?
You sound like someone who would empathize with Abbott...

SPQR,

"Now, all we need is Poriot to poke her head through the door and give us some lame line about she being “all ready to give Tony the benefit of the doubt till she heard THAT SPEECH…”"

On the contrary....I expected "that speech"....the crowning glory of which, was Abbott attempting to come across as statesmanlike at the end, which "clanged" mightily!

I have never been "...all ready to give Tony the benefit of the doubt...". He's a mediocre pollie who has been elevated to the top spot courtesy of a regular injection of Murdoch rocket gas (perhaps by suppostitory?).....

That being said, here's a nice pic of Mr and Mrs Abbott:

http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2013/09/07/1226714/076372-3e007bd4-16c6-11e3-af42-07bd3660d6b5.jpg

Gentlemen,

Some of you really need to at least
try to have intelligent, well reasoned
discussions. The nation has
made its decision - and what will be is yet to be
seen. We're simply discussing the impressions
that the two leaders speeches made on us.
The discussions are not meant as some sort of
an indictment on one or the other.

Picking on certain female posters with personal insults
for giving their opinions on both speeches
lowers the tone of this thread.
An attempt should at least be made - to try to keep
the discussion on an intelligent level.

Everyone seems to forget that THEY don't write their speechs. I personally know one of the speech writers for Howard and sometimes they just do a quick glance and memorize before delivering it. They pay speech writers handsomely to write the best 'copy' for them. Not every poli can write a speech, most of them have trouble putting 2 words together.

pepper,

".... most of them have trouble putting 2 words together."

Some more than others.....

: )

I didn't mind Abbott's speech even if there was no need to use it to attack the former government. However, being a good or bad orator does not really matter. Words without action and positive results are meaningless.

Much rather a bad orator who does good things than a good orator who can spin a yarn but doesn't follow through with competence or fairness.