Best Opposition Leader Poll #2

[2020hindsight]

From there he headed to the battle of denial
and Trafalgar
"Kiss me Julie - aghhh"

It is a common misconception that Nelson's last words were, "Kiss me, Hardy", spoken to the captain of HMS Victory, Thomas Hardy. Nelson did, in fact, say these words to Hardy a short time before his death. Eyewitnesses testified that Hardy kissed the admiral twice: once on the cheek and once on the forehead, as Nelson struggled to remain conscious.[14] Prior to this Nelson asked his flag-captain not to throw him overboard and to look after 'poor Lady Hamilton'. He then said "kiss me Hardy". After Hardy's first kiss Nelson said, "now I am satisfied". After the second, "who is that?". When he saw it was Hardy he said, "God bless you Hardy." However they were not his last words as Hardy was not present at his death, having been called back on deck.[14]

Some have speculated that Nelson actually said "Kismet, Hardy", but this is unlikely, since the word kismet did not enter the English language until much later, although he may have heard the word used by a Turk. In Nelson's time, the word "kiss" also meant "touch" in the sense of any physical contact (not exclusively oral contact). Nelson may therefore simply have wanted Hardy to shake his hand or make some other physical gesture. Shortly after "God bless you Hardy", Nelson said, "Thank God I have done my duty", and then finally, "Drink, drink. Fan, fan. Rub, rub." He lost consciousness, the surgeon was called, and Nelson was declared dead at 16:30.[14

Kismet Hardy - ? lol - nothing gay about the Royal Navy, what !!

 

[Aussiejeff]

... for the necessary fall guy.

... and likely FALL he will - especially now that he has done a COMPLETE BARREL-ROLL (with the assistance, nay, PRODDING - of his trusty HardRightWingperson Ms Bishop) on his initial stances regarding:

(1) that it was OK to say "S****" to the Original Inhabitants,

and

(2) that the contentious Work Choices legislation that the Libs got HAMMERED for in the Election was "dead in the water".

It seems Ms Bishop has given him a NEW direction - ie: NEVER say s**** to the pesky Originals and ALWAYS bash the workers. Enough of that namby-pamby small "l" moderate Liberalism that Malcolm was spouting, eh? NOT FOR THE NEW "DREAM" TEAM!!

So, it appears that the ghost of John Howard's policies will live on and on and on under this new team. Wonderful stuff.

Good luck Libs at the next general election/double dissolution (strike out whichever you think is going to come first!)


AJ

 

[Julia]

This is what he has always been like, isn't it? Remember the hash he made of explaining what happened when Jake Kovco died? I think he postulated three different theories rather than wait with any announcement until the facts were known.

His own background of having been a Labor Party member in the past shows his capacity to flip flop.

 

[greggy]

Probably the right decision in the long run for both Turnball and the libs.
Turnball is the rising star of the party and someone that's actually come out of the election arguably better than he entered it. Much better off keeping him in cotton wool for a couple of years to allow him to run for PM untainted. I really believe opposition leader right now for the libs is a losing battle. Afterall, when was the last time the opposition won an election after only 1 term in opposition?

You may have to look back to 1929 when the Scullin Labor Government came to power. They were heavily defeated at the following election.

 

[skint]

You may have to look back to 1929 when the Scullin Labor Government came to power. They were heavily defeated at the following election.

True. Don't forget though, that was during the Great Depression. Howard has been ousted during a global boom. They do have some similarities. Labor won both elections on the back of highly unpopular IR laws. Judging by the fact that Nelson/Bishop have prevailed over Turnbull, and coupled with comments coming from the Liberals, they don't appear to be learning. Same rigid thinking on IR, Aboriginal reconciliation and Kyoto. I think Turnbull will wait until they've well and truly cannabilised themselves and then make his move. To some extent, its playing into his hands IMHO.

 

[skint]

Below is an excerpt from a Peter Hartcher article this morning. Throughout the campaign, the coalition had been bombarding the airwaves with warnings of the terrible economic fate that would result if Labor prevailed. Rudd effectively made the coalition's enemy dissappear by being more economically frugal during the campaign (albeit marginally). The analogy of the WWII battle below is apt with this in mind. Howard and the yanks were both fighting imaginary enemies. It also doesn't say much for the Amercan military just by the by (lol).



"It was one of the most brilliant tactical manoeuvres of World War II. The Japanese had a force of 6000 marines on Kiska Island, part of the Aleutian Island chain off Alaska. The US was preparing a full-scale invasion to wipe them out, a thunderous campaign of destruction.

The Americans knew of the suicidal doggedness of Japanese resistance, and were taking no chances. They sent in their big bombers for an intensive two-week aerial bombardment, dropped thousands of propaganda leaflets to urge a Japanese surrender, then launched 35,000 men at the island. The US forces fought their way onto Kiska in heavy fogs and suffered hundreds of casualties in the first three days.

It was only then that the Americans discovered that the Japanese had abandoned the island days before the US bombing had begun. So who had been shooting at them? Nervous American troops had been firing at each other through the fog."

 

[numbercruncher]

The Scullin Labor Governments landslide victory was two days before the crash of Black Thursday 1929


ominous

 

[2020hindsight]

Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar

 

[2020hindsight]

.......

 

[happyjack]

2020 Why does Nelson have 2 eyes ?

Happyjack

 

[2020hindsight]

no idea hj
gotta feelin you're gonna tell me tho.

 

[2020hindsight]

hj, thought you were leading into a joke there - something about aye aye maybe?

If you're talking about Horatio - he had two eyes, (no glass eye) - just one didn't work (thanks to a cannon blast near him) something about his retina.

http://www.mapperleyplains.co.uk/oprus/see.htm
I know a positive thinker who is fond of saying .. (imaginary telescope to closed eye)
"I see no ships, only hardships" !

 

[noirua]

I still think John Howard could have made the best opposition leader. Without him, the present leadership "Rudd & Co" are likely to increasingly find little proper experienced opposition and depress the Australian economy.