Tony Abbott for PM

[todster]

SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF HE HADN"T USED JET LAG AS THE REASON
sorry i misunderstood the jetlag bit

 

[moXJO]

SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF HE HADN"T USED JET LAG AS THE REASON
sorry i misunderstood the jetlag bit

Claiming 'Jet lag' is better then saying "I would rather clang my nuts between two bricks before I get on a plane with Julia for 8 hours"
He had actually scheduled ahead to go at a later date. The invite by the PM was a bit of a cheap shot for added spin. Both sides haven't changed much.

 

[trainspotter]

I agree with moXJO. I would rather slide down a rusty 40 foot razor blade using my balls for brakes then get on a plane with Joolyah Gizzard. I especially liked the way the media "snipped" the interview with Abbott to get the full effect of the jet lag excuse.

Anyways the real reason is what "sails" said. Remember what happened to Sundance Resources when they broke protocol and ALL flew on the same plane.

 

[todster]

If it was the other way round i wonder if you would of heard the whinning of the jet engine over the whinning of the ASF Abbott posse.

 

[trainspotter]

If it was the other way round i wonder if you would of heard the whinning of the jet engine over the whinning of the ASF Abbott posse.

Should that be whinnying? Neigh you say? Or are you just horsing around?

Try this one instead:

whine (hwn, wn)
v. whined, whining, whines
v.intr.
1. To utter a plaintive, high-pitched, protracted sound, as in pain, fear, supplication, or complaint.
2. To complain or protest in a childish fashion.
3. To produce a sustained noise of relatively high pitch: jet engines whining.

We have a posse?

 

[todster]

Should that be whinnying? Neigh you say? Or are you just horsing around?

Try this one instead:

whine (hwn, wn)
v. whined, whining, whines
v.intr.
1. To utter a plaintive, high-pitched, protracted sound, as in pain, fear, supplication, or complaint.
2. To complain or protest in a childish fashion.
3. To produce a sustained noise of relatively high pitch: jet engines whining.

We have a posse?

Yeah spell check was on but its a mac and some times you cant trust a yank!
Will be horsing around the bogans big day out(melbourne cup) just one more swing,

 

[Julia]

Todster, do you ever think for yourself or do you just swallow everything the media dish up hook, line and sinker?

I understood that it is too much of a security risk for both PM and Opposition Leader to travel in the same aircraft to a war zone. Do you disagree with this?

Note there is no response to this question from Todster.

At the same time, it's a point Tony Abbott should have made when questioned about his non-appearance in Afghanistan.

It seems just too convenient to trash Abbott once again and make it appear that he couldn't be bothered.

It really seems that labor supporters fear Abbott and will go to any lengths to make him look terrible.

Ably supported by the news media, especially the ABC in cutting and pasting his comments, mentioning only the jet lag bit.

He has since apologised for any offence that may have unintentionally been caused by any suggestion that he was putting his own comfort ahead of visiting the ADF in Afghanistan.

He really badly needs a good publicity adviser. The opportunist beat-up by Labor that Mr Abbott was invited to join Ms Gillard could easily have been turned around by the Libs by saying it would have been unwise for both leaders to travel together, and then that he had already separately planned his own trip to Afghanistan.

Instead he has found himself in a media crapstorm.
So unnecessary.

Claiming 'Jet lag' is better then saying "I would rather clang my nuts between two bricks before I get on a plane with Julia for 8 hours"
He had actually scheduled ahead to go at a later date. The invite by the PM was a bit of a cheap shot for added spin. Both sides haven't changed much.

Thank heavens that some ASF posters are still capable of objectivity.

 

[sails]

If it was the other way round i wonder if you would of heard the whinning of the jet engine over the whinning of the ASF Abbott posse.

haha - spell check aside, if it were the other way around do you really think Gillard would have gone in Abbott's shadow and in the same aircraft? I can't imagine it.

And wouldn't Gillard have spun her way out of such a situation? Abbott doesn't have the gift of spin that Gillard has - and thankfully he offers an alternative without the spin.

Now Todster, you haven't answered my question whether you disagree that it is not usual for both PM and oposition leader to both travel in the same aircraft especially to a war zone for security reasons?

Maybe have another go at reading a post properly before you reply with just swiping the bits out that you want and ignore a question that is asked of you...lol

 

[todster]

Lets face it Rudds gone and you lost and your struggling to come to terms with it.
You get a bit back and all hell breaks loose,here comes the posse!
I dont think the Libs are alone in copping stick from the media,is Laurie Oakes on holiday.

 

[sails]

...
He really badly needs a good publicity adviser...

Agree Julia. This was all unnecessary and I also can't understand why the media have jumped all over this when their political correspondants should know the security rules. Obviously their news reports of portraying Abbott as uncaring have severely upset the families of soldiers who have died in the course of duty. Yes, all so unnecessary.

Worse still, Gillard should have also known the rules and yet apparently chose to use this as a point scoring exercise against Abbott without a thought for the potential hurt to the grieving families.

 

[todster]

haha - spell check aside, if it were the other way around do you really think Gillard would have gone in Abbott's shadow and in the same aircraft? I can't imagine it.

And wouldn't Gillard have spun her way out of such a situation? Abbott doesn't have the gift of spin that Gillard has - and thankfully he offers an alternative without the spin.

Now Todster, you haven't answered my question whether you disagree that it is not usual for both PM and oposition leader to both travel in the same aircraft especially to a war zone for security reasons?

Maybe have another go at reading a post properly before you reply with just swiping the bits out that you want and ignore a question that is asked of you...lol

I read that story this morning about the third line mentioned the security bit,but was of the impression Abbott didn't use it My bad.
If labor had won by landslide would it matter or is it because of the close result in the election enlighten me

 

[sails]

Lets face it Rudds gone and you lost and your struggling to come to terms with it.
You get a bit back and all hell breaks loose,here comes the posse!
I dont think the Libs are alone in copping stick from the media,is Laurie Oakes on holiday.

lol Todster, what on earth does this post have to do with the subject being discussed?

I read that story this morning about the third line mentioned the security bit,but was of the impression Abbott didn't use it My bad.
If labor had won by landslide would it matter or is it because of the close result in the election enlighten me

No, this isn't sour grapes about the election. It's all to do with how Gillard made a big fuss about Abbott declining her invitation to join her on the trip to Afghanistan when she should have known it couldn't happen for security reasons.

On the surface, it looks like a childish thing on her part simply to make Abbott look uncaring. And it worked. Media went along with her. Grieving families were hurt that should have never happened.

Abbott made one mistake in this and that was his reason of jetlag. We agree it wasn't a good answer. IMO, he fell right into the trap.

I heard about this earlier today and decided not to post anything on ASF so as not to cause a fight. But you posted, swiping at Abbott for something without finding out the facts first. Once provoked, the bees will come out in force...lol

 

[todster]

Facts? Politics? please dont throw in morals

 

[nulla nulla]

Good ole Tony didn't have the staying power to drop in on the troops in Afghanistan!
Seemed to have plenty of stamina prior to the election with double shifts and marathons.
Not enough votes there i spose.

Actually I was more surprised that Gillard "offered" Abbott a lift in the first place. Last time a sitting Labor Prime Minister (Gough) offered a lift to the Opposition Leader (Malcolm) on the Government Aircraft, it precipitated the changing of the government.

 

[Logique]

...yet apparently chose to use this as a point scoring exercise against Abbott without a thought for the potential hurt to the grieving families.

Well I guess I'll be accused of 'whinning' too. Not a good look for any pollie to use the armed forces and their families as political footballs. Unfair media on Abbott, but he dealt with it clumsily.

The new PM seems all charm and giggles over there at the UN, but when push comes to shove we look for character in leaders.

 

[nulla nulla]

Don't be sucked in by the "smiles and giggles". Always remember she is holding a knife behind her back and is wating for the moment you least expect it, to cut you down.

 

[joea]

This is the mind games of Gillard, attempting to show she can controll Abbott.
A slip of the tongue is major news.
While Swan's under estimate of the original mining tax by $12 billion was covered up with lack of transparency.
Well Gillard can probably get a position on "Days of our Lives" as her next job.

 

[awg]

lol at Tony Abbott..an accquaintance of mine once got mugged whilst innocently using a public urinal, by a fellow who king-hit him in the side of the head.

thats what just happened to Abbott, metaphorically speaking

 

[Mofra]

No, this isn't sour grapes about the election. It's all to do with how Gillard made a big fuss about Abbott declining her invitation to join her on the trip to Afghanistan when she should have known it couldn't happen for security reasons.

She hasn't gone as hard as an Abott or Howard would have if the shoe was on the other foot.
Abbott is Canberra's biggest headkicker and his supporters are sooking about getting a little of it back? Interesting.

 

[sails]

This reminds me of a child some friends fostered for a time. She'd had a pretty rough start in life and turned out she had some unpleasant sadistic traits. She would come up with a smile and slide her arm around her target's waist apparently for a cuddle however she would have a concealed opened pin in her hand which was then stuck into the unfortunate recipient. This happened on a few occasions until trust was lost and her hands were checked first!

IMO, Abbott will have to watch his back - Gillard obviously knows how to catch him unprepared. I just wish she could get on with trying to run the country instead of wasting her time giving the impression of pulling stunts like this and then giggling like a school kid.

The article below explains more of the security measures required for trips to war zones. Gillard would have known Abbott had a future trip planned which makes this all the more distasteful.

Gillard and Abbott at odds over trip to Afghanistan

Trips to war zones by political leaders are organised by the Australian Defence Force and subject to strict security. Journalists and officials are sworn to secrecy about such trips, which are not reported in the media until the leader is out of the war zone.

Sources confirmed yesterday that the ADF had arranged a trip for Mr Abbott weeks ago, before Ms Gillard organised her trip and invited him to join her.

Bold and underline is mine.