If he didn't have the numbers, he didn't have the numbers.Kevin Rudd disappointed hundreds of thousands of Labor supporters and came away looking like a gutless weakling.
At least Al-Qaeda has the good grace to blow everything up on in its missions, this clown seems to walk away from every catastrophe he creates.
If he didn't have the numbers, he didn't have the numbers.
Kevin Rudd may not have been too keen to trust Simon Crean based on his past comments. Simon wasn't too kind on tonight's 7:30 Report either.
We'll never know for sure whether or not he had the numbers, but judging by the Chris Ullman reference above, I don't think Kev did what team Gillard wanted.
IMO labor supporters will see him as honouring his commitment not to challenge.Regardless all those Labor supporters will see Rudd as gutless now.
I would agree with that.I think Crean was genuinely trying to do what's best for the labor party and today he did that.
+1. But did he do it with the conviction that Kevin would rise to the challenge and win, and that therefore the outcome would be that he, Crean, would become Deputy PM? It's hard to visualise that, given his pejorative comments about Rudd.Simon Crean is the only person to come out of today's shambolic navel gazing by the ALP with any credit.
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Not necessarily, waza. It was supposed to be the end of it in February when that challenge was apparently resolved.Of course the Gillard team are dissappointed if Rudd had challenged and lost that would have been the end of it.
That's certainly what he hopes they will think. Rather than:IMO labor supporters will see him as honouring his commitment not to challenge.
He'll be less inclined to lead an opposition than Peter Costello was.he could keep his powder dry and accede to the desperate pleas of the party to lead them in opposition when Gillard has lost the election.
Not necessarily, waza. It was supposed to be the end of it in February when that challenge was apparently resolved.
I don't think anything has really changed as a result of today's extraordinary events, apart from further damage having been inflicted on Labor as a party, and Gillard and Rudd as individuals.
That's certainly what he hopes they will think. Rather than:
1. he didn't actually have the numbers
2. he saw no value in leading the party to a likely defeat, when
3. he could keep his powder dry and accede to the desperate pleas of the party to lead them in opposition when Gillard has lost the election.
He'll be less inclined to lead an opposition than Peter Costello was.
While he obviously wanted to heal the party, I have doubts about Simon Crean's loyalties beyond that. In his spill call this morning, he commented that there was division between himself and Kevin Rudd about who would be deputy leader. He would know that's not a strong platform from which to launch a coup.
For Gillard it didn't go to plan. Kevin Rudd was meant to challenge in my view. That he hasn't leaves the option of the party to go begging to him in the prospect of electoral annihilation under Gillard. That prospect is in the context that Labor has applied some of what they call Al-Qaeda good grace to themselves and in this mission, blown up any remaining electoral prospects they had.
For the life of me I can't believe Crean even contemplated doing what he did - calling the press conference, the spill etc - without knowing if Rudd was even going to throw his hat into the ring. When Rudd didn't make himself available, I thought Crean might have for a few minutes.
Either Crean's a complete fool (likely), he was duped (possibly) or he'll be mounting his own challenge for the ALP leader's job soon, or after they lose the election.
Crean was the Arts Minister. On the outer, and clearly at odds with the leadership on several key policies. Labor are very unlikely to win in Sept.
What did he have to lose.
IMO labor supporters will see him as honouring his commitment not to challenge.
I think Crean was genuinely trying to do what's best for the labor party and today he did that.
"There are always these personal tensions, but it's in the interests of the party and the nation that we work to resolve them, and I think what I was trying to do was to demonstrate I was prepared to take a lead, I was prepared to take that extra step, I was prepared to put my neck on the line, I was prepared to take the bold call, but when it came to the call, he blinked," Mr Crean said, dismissing Rudd camp claims he had been sent a text message ordering him not to speak publicly about a spill before consulting with Mr Rudd.
"That is rubbish. Absolute rubbish. Get these so-called sources to come forward," Mr Crean said.
Mr Crean said he spoke to Mr Rudd in the caucus room.
"My only words to him were 'You should have run'," he said.
As for the position of the positions being declared open, Kevin Rudd, in my view, has no alternative but to stand for the leadership. He can't continue to play the game that says he is reluctant or he has to be drafted. I know the party will not draft him.
Word this morning is that, Crean knew before he called his press conference that K Rudd would not contest a ballot. Can't see Simon getting another chance to lead the ALP in opposition let alone as PM.
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