The dying days of the Fourth Reich: it's the 2007 AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL ELECTION

embarrasSing

It's ironic that Howard wanted to be the next Menzies, yet he only served to destroy the party that Menzies established.

Abbott's pushing hard to be the next leader. "I have reasonably good people skills."

Here it is again:

"I have reasonably good people skills."

And again:

"I have reasonably good people skills."

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200409/r30860_76850.jpg

"I have reasonably good people skills."

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200409/r30860_76850.jpg

GUESS WHO DIED THIS MORNING.

...

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200409/r30860_76850.jpg

"I have reasonably good people skills."

Heh.

jesus. Of all the complete fuckwits in the Liberal party I would have said his 'people skills' were among the shabbiest. Talk about delusional.

I'd almost like to see Abbott get it just so he can run that party completely into the ground.

To be honest, I did think Howard's concession speech was surprisingly dignified, considering the bullshit he'd been flinging around for years beforehand. Thrilled to see that bastard lose his seat. Go Maxine!

Turnbull's probably the best bet for Liberal leadership. I used to like him when he headed the Republican movement, then stopped liking him when he sold out and went to work for Howard, the man he described as having broken the nation's heart. When I worked at the ABC in a fairly lowly role (Supertext captioner) I had access to the scripts for all of the obituaries, and that line by Turnball was set to head the Howard obit if he suddenly dropped dead in office.

rip bernie, no one should ever have to die such a horrible death for doing their fucking job.

RIP Bernie indeed :(

Hey JM, when and where were you at the ABC? Melb or Syd? I have several friends who work there is all.

Yeah I don't really want them to run the party into the ground. Even though I'm a through and through ALP supporter, I don't think it does Parliament or an incoming govt any favours to have a weak or powerless opposition. Policy initiatives benefit from being tested and examined in Parliament. I also think Turnbull would be the best of the choices they have... but if he leads now, the likelihood is he won't lead to the next election since they're likely to be out for two terms. I think it would be better to have an 'interim' leader and groom him a bit more, he's pretty inexperienced as MPs go.

I was at the Adelaide ABC for a few years until early '05.

i would like to see ILX's abbott assume the party leadership.

Y U hurt his haert?

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/11/26/Peter_Costello_wideweb__470x305,0.jpg

oh ned, he doesn't have one.

Oh okay then.

his sense of entitlement is aching.

And he worked so hard for your money. Um, for you.

he's only just realised he's run out of toys to toss out of his pram

There needs to be a formidable opposition to keep the leader in line. Rudd will fuck up and someone will need to point it out. I'm all for the Liberals reforming (with a small L agenda, obv) and being a force in Aus politics.

I think he's aged about 15 years since Saturday night.

xpost

i think i can see where all the fat missing from howard and vaile's thin baggy lips has ended up, mystery solved.

Costello looks like he had a failed botox job there.

Is Costello the one all up in the Hillsong hood?

ja

He never seemed the type to drag his religious values kicking and screaming into politics though.

i have detested abbott and costello ever since they took that sanctimonious court action against bob ellis for besmirching the chastity of one of their wives, it was truly pathetic.

lol, getting sued by abbott and costello

You know what I think's fucking pathetic? People using Bernie Banton's death to make a point about how crap Tony Abbott is.

Yesterday Abbott claimed to have "reasonably good people skills," and today the dying man he sledged in October is dead. I think that's relevant.

Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the mong room!

I don't want to fight about it, but as a character reference this incident simply cannot be overlooked.

This just in: Rudd to say sorry and not have an argument about semantics.

For completeness:
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200507/r51632_138129.jpg

And Brendan Nelson wants the Liberal party to actually be liberal again. The knives are coming out from all directions.

Yeah that Tony Abbott. Talk about someone using a dying man to push his own political agenda.

Wait wait, badg, I'm not sure what you're disagreeing with here. Do you support Abbott? Think we should leave Bernie out of it all? Im confused.

Ha ha nah I think Tony Abbott looks and sounds like an absolute nutcase, which is why I would whole-heartedly endorse his push for leadership of the Liberal party. But I do believe he does his own damage and to use Bernie Banton's death to simply point out what an idiot Abbott is is in very poor taste as far as I'm concerned. So yes, I don't think Banton's death should be part of a post-election analysis of what's wrong with the Liberal party.

http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,5770154,00.jpg

"My people love me!"

to use Bernie Banton's death to simply point out what an idiot Abbott is is in very poor taste as far as I'm concerned.

I didn't use Banton's death against anyone. I referenced it to make the point that Abbott's "people person" claim (if it ever had any substance) is suddenly void.

The significance of the Abbott-Banton incident goes well beyond the election campaign, and imo has nothing at all to do with what's wrong with the party, so I don't know where you got that from.

If it's legacy you're concerned about, I'm sure Banton would be delighted to know Abbott's leadership chances are lessened because of what happened.

Outgoing prime minister John Howard has arrived back at Parliament House for the first time since his election loss, to clean out his office and make way for his replacement Kevin Rudd.

Joy.

hey now we're not hosted in australia any more we can talk about that bob ellis defamation case, rite?

especially that tart [CONTROVERSIAL MODERATOR EDIT]!

Housemate pointed out that Kennet looks like he has a 'shitler'

hahahaitch

Pru Goward to thread

Turnbull supports saying sorry to indigenous people.

The ghost of Howard is being exhumed. It's all happening.

The rodent will definitely be remembered for all the bad stuff he did, especially when four days on his party is already making up for lsot time.

this is an amazing week.