There is nothing complicated here. The issue at hand is whether ex-PM Hawke's 'classic stuff' is how Oz wants to be seen by the world.

His 'F' bomb and over-done faux Ocker presentation are easily overlooked by Foxy, just as she turns a blind eye and ear to his joke directed at Indira Ghandi some years ago (and mentioned because it is so representative of Bob Hawke in his 'Ocker' stride).

However it isn't Bob's obvious similarities with Sir Les Patterson that I object to, it is the falseness of the Ocker language of a man with his intelligence, educated at Oxford and who is very well read and travelled.

Bob Hawke lays it on with a trowel in his relentless campaign to be accepted as one of their kin by the working class he has not been a part of since early youth.

Obama is the same. Obama is a Harvard man and one of the privileged class, a blue blood, who when the occasion suits, puts on the unbelievable facade and language of a black from a (non-existent) Southern sugar cane farm.

The real Bob Hawke might be encountered at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, knowing precisely what all of that cutlery is for and speaking fluent French to an awed waiter.

Not saying he doesn't have a penchant for the odd truly coarse joke, but there is a 'Bob Hawke' persona that is constantly marketed by him and one wishes he would drop it now that he isn't obliged to the unions.

Taken from, "The Hawke Legacy," ...

"There's no doubt according to the experts that Bob
Hawke was a popular and effective Prime Minister
whose economic and social reforms are acknowledged
to have shaped modern Australia."

We're told that "he's still an active participant in national
and international affairs and his speeches on a range of
issues continue to attract public interest and comment."

The book, "The Hawke Legacy" is worth a read and the 21
contributors offer a timely consideration of the legacy of
the Hawke era in various facets from economic, education,
environmental, health, and cultural policy and practice.

Or if you want to continue reading on what sort of PM
was Bob Hawke, then, "Hawke: The Prime Minister," by
Blanche D"Alpuget, also comes highly recommended.

It is typical for Foxy to cowdoze on with her broken record. Partisans are like that.

However many people and I am one of them, would like to hear the real Bob Hawke to glean some information from this intelligent, well-educated and well-travelled ex-PM that we are still paying for and handsomely so.

The problem with so many ex-politicians however is that they cannot easily shrug off the persona that was crucial to their success in politics.

As well, they often feel obliged to cement their place in history which results in the re-writing of history. Thankfully, Bob Hawke does not have as strong a motivation to re-write history as Julia Whatshername. Even now Julia is still blaming Rudd and anyone else she can think of as well as mythical blocks to womyn.

I quite liked the debate between Bob Hawke and John Howard,

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s2879422.htm

But no-one could ever imagine Ms Julia Whatshername ever being near frank in an interview. Nor would she appear without her trademark feminist bandwagon to ride. Partisans like Foxy might like that, but I don't and from the recent election, nor do the overwhelming majority of Australians.

If you base your case on insults rather than reason
and facts, how can you expect to be taken seriously.

Fifeteen of the Coalition's new seats are held on very
thin margins. Eleven of the Coalition's new seats are
held on a margin of less than 4,000 votes. This isn't
the clean sweep, no matter how the misinformed spin it.

Foxy,

It is part of your modus operandi that you:

- broken record instead of addressing the arguments of posts that challenge your world views, and

- berate and attack the person/s who have challenged your thinking and assumptions.

As one of the targets of your withering assaults I am in the very good company all who have gone before thinking they could appeal to reason in your case or at least get a hearing. Now lecture me me how to write an argument, as you have done to so many others before who have disagreed with you. Or will it be hands over ears? LOL

Dear OTB,

Again with the insults.
And you expect me to take you seriously.

ICUR
ICUB
Not otb
But all out at C.