Tony Abbott for PM

[shaunmp]

I say Hockey for PM!

 

[moXJO]

I say Hockey for PM!

And I say you need medication.

As for Abbott.... Well we have all been waiting for another foot in mouth moment. But seven seems to have jumped the gun with this one.

 

[brianwh]

Perhaps Tony Abbott needs to be reminded of the old saying "When you wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty.......... but the pig likes it!"

 

[sails]

Perhaps Tony Abbott needs to be reminded of the old saying "When you wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty.......... but the pig likes it!"

Who's the pig?

The story seems to be more of an ambush than wrestling...

 

[barney]

Who's the pig?

The story seems to be more of an ambush than wrestling...

Absolutely Sails ...... I am neither a liberal or labour advocate, but this latest manipulation by the media is at best, poor form.

I would suggest that anybody with any nous would see it for what it is.

Tony Abbot was having a man to man conversation with guys who put their lives on the line .... He was simply trying to talk in their language .... nothing more.

Poor journalism for mine

ps I haven't read any of this thread, so if I've come in half baked, forgive me .... but after seeing the news report on this, I have already made up my mind ..... I would be hanging the Editor of the story out to dry ... not Tony Abbott.

 

[IFocus]

Abbotts comments no big deal apparently except for the father of the fallen solder everyone else seems OK

"Ambush" now it gets bizarre or just the normal lies covering Abbott's response haven't we been here before.

3 months the Liberals fought the FOI
Channel 7 or Mark Riley gave two hours warning

Channel 7 running an agenda, get real try incompetent response 7 gave Abbott plenty of opportunity and more.

Phillip Coorey gives a good over view and more

But the "**** happens" dismissal is nonetheless a regrettable phrase in such circumstances. Certainly, Ian MacKinney, the father of the slain soldier did not appreciate it.

If it was Gillard?

Had Julia Gillard been caught on camera making the same remark, she would have been flayed by the conservatives. Consider the beating Rudd took over allegations he demanded a hairdryer when in Afghanistan. (By the way he never did.)

Everyone forgot about this

However, a key factor that has so far been overlooked is that the Coalition did politicise MacKinney's death at the time.

Leadership change?

His reaction of frozen fury when confronted by Channel Seven's Mark Riley has alarmed colleagues who last night likened it to the Latham handshake moment.

Abbott's office had been told well in advance what Riley wanted to speak him about. People in the Coalition should be asking who let their leader be filmed being shown the video in the first place when it could have been done in the privacy of his office and a response issued.

Its great we get to see the real Abbott

Several weeks ago, Abbott's senior minder, Claire Kimball left the office. It's a safe bet that, had she been around, she would not have let that happen.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/polit...-lingers-beyond-his-words-20110209-1am2n.html

 

[Sean K]

Channel 7 or Mark Riley gave two hours warning

They sent the video to him 2 hours before and told him what questions they were going to ask?

Geesh, he is a turkey.

 

[Sean K]

They sent the video to him 2 hours before and told him what questions they were going to ask?

Geesh, he is a turkey.

So, his 'minders' knew, but did he?

"I had spoken to his senior press secretary 2 ½ hours before that interview, to line up the interview," Riley told radio 3AW.

"I walked him through what the story was going to be. I read him a transcript of the exchange between the US Commander Jim Creighton and Mr Abbott and said: 'I'll be asking for Tony's response to why he said what he said.'

"I was quite surprised that he wasn't prepared to say anything after accusing me of taking him out of context."

Efforts by Abbott supporters to discredit the interview have been in full swing since it aired.

Frontbencher Christopher Pyne last night told the ABC's Lateline program that Mr Abbott's comments were "unexceptional" and "taken out of context".

"Tony Abbott would never make light of the death of an Australian soldier and any suggestion to the contrary is quite frankly insulting," he said.

If correct, the Press Secretary is toast!!

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

To any of you leotards who have not served in the ADF.

**** does happen.

And when it happens there is usually a bloody fan twirling.

gg

 

[drsmith]

Avoiding tricky questions from the media is standard fare for politicians, but the usual tactic is to try and change the subject.

Why Tony didn't try that as a minimum, I am at a loss.

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Avoiding tricky questions from the media is standard fare for politicians, but the usual tactic is to try and change the subject.

Why Tony didn't try that as a minimum, I am at a loss.

Because he is not a product of the Victorian ALP Left. He is human.

Not a Dalek.

gg

 

[Julia]

I am not a fan of either Gillard or Bligh, however I thought Anna Bligh showed real leadership during the queensland crises, and her "We are Queenslanders" speech was heartfelt and displayed genuine emotion. I felt that Julia Gillard's display of 'emotion' was so fake I wanted to vomit!!

The usual defenders of the government have been silent about Ms Gillard's performance. So cynical and IFocus: what did you think? do you believe Ms Gillard, following her inability to show any empathy amongst all her visits with the flood victims, was actually suddenly moved to uncontrollable emotion in the parliament?

Not to mention that this followed multiple media comments about how poorly she contrasted with the genuine empathy shown by Anna Bligh.

Would be interested in your honest assessment.
(Maybe that's asking too much?)

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Because he is not a product of the Victorian ALP Left. He is human.

Not a Dalek.

gg

The usual defenders of the government have been silent about Ms Gillard's performance. So cynical and IFocus: what did you think? do you believe Ms Gillard, following her inability to show any empathy amongst all her visits with the flood victims, was actually suddenly moved to uncontrollable emotion in the parliament?

Not to mention that this followed multiple media comments about how poorly she contrasted with the genuine empathy shown by Anna Bligh.

Would be interested in your honest assessment.
(Maybe that's asking too much?)

Lets have an answer from the Left who only represent 21% of the Tax Paying Public.

They won't answer Julia, because they have no answer.

gg

 

[drsmith]

Lets have an answer from the Left who only represent 21% of the Tax Paying Public.

GG,

You should know by now, the Left only answer with their hand out.

Sorry.

Couldn't resist.

Coopers will do that.

 

[IFocus]

The usual defenders of the government have been silent about Ms Gillard's performance. So cynical and IFocus: what did you think? do you believe Ms Gillard, following her inability to show any empathy amongst all her visits with the flood victims, was actually suddenly moved to uncontrollable emotion in the parliament?

Not to mention that this followed multiple media comments about how poorly she contrasted with the genuine empathy shown by Anna Bligh.

Would be interested in your honest assessment.
(Maybe that's asking too much?)

Interesting bait

You as a female continue to follow the male focus on Gillards dress, body shape, general appearance, voice and yes tears.

Think about it................

 

[IFocus]

Apparently some in the party can think through to the consequences past the stupid Xenophobic appealing politics.


"Liberal leaders split over foreign cuts"

A BITTER split has opened between Tony Abbott and his deputy, Julie Bishop, after the Opposition Leader's decision to divert $448 million in aid for an education program in Indonesia aimed at countering Islamic radicalism in schools to Queensland's flood rebuilding.

Abbott shafts Ms Bishop

Ms Bishop believed that, when she won a heated debate in shadow cabinet this week against taking the axe to aid in Africa, alternative savings would be found. She is understood to have become embroiled in an intense late-night argument with Mr Abbott in which he insisted on deferring the Indonesian schools program for four years, instead of two.

Mr Briggs, who took over Alexander Downer's seat, said yesterday he didn't want to see the program terminated.

"In this respect, the Indonesian schools program actually was a very effective program and something that Alexander Downer . . . implemented," Mr Briggs told the ABC. "I would be cautious about proceeding down the line of getting rid of it, because it actually is a very important program in terms of Australia's domestic security."

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...ver-foreign-cuts/story-fn59niix-1226003307797

 

[trainspotter]

Interesting bait

You as a female continue to follow the male focus on Gillards dress, body shape, general appearance, voice and yes tears.

Think about it................

Careful not to swallow the sinker in your haste to answer the question posed.

Anyhoooooooooooo ........ just watched the FULL LENGTH Tony Abbott head shaking, 24 seconds of stunned silence interview of "**** happens" for the first time. LOLOL ...... I thought something was wrong with the laptop as it seemed to go on forever and the video link was stuck on pause. You could actually see the gears grinding in his tiny brain and the bile fill the back of his throat. If it wasn't for Mark Riley jabbing him with his verbosity trying to invoke a response I would have thought the internet had crashed and forever more the Libs Leader would be stuck for an answer.

It would appear that "**** is about to happen" to Tony Abbott over his inability to articulate the most simplest of responses when asked a typical Mark Riley question. The story has become more of Tony's death freeze then it is about what was actually said. Interesting to note Channel 7 is ramping it for all it is worth yet Channel 9 is leaving it alone like a poisoned chalice. Labor Party have shown some discretion by choosing to make limited retorts when they could be ramming it home that he is unfit to lead the Opposition. Me thinks they will get a LOT of mileage out of this one come election time comrades.

 

[Calliope]

You as a female continue to follow the male focus on Gillards dress, body shape, general appearance, voice and yes tears.

Perhaps we ultra right wing extremists were too quick to rubbish Gillard's acting abilities.

Some MPs, Labor and Liberal openly cried, and even that fascist pig Tony Abbott, acknowledged that she "has a decent heart".

 

[Mofra]

The usual defenders of the government have been silent about Ms Gillard's performance. So cynical and IFocus: what did you think? do you believe Ms Gillard, following her inability to show any empathy amongst all her visits with the flood victims, was actually suddenly moved to uncontrollable emotion in the parliament?

I'll bite as someone who is socially left, economically right, and doesn't like either party.

I want a leader who will make decisions about what to do due to the floods. Plain and simple - the jury is still out because we haven't seen how the package will take effect or how the long term economic damage caused by the floods will be assuaged.

It is sad that the story is whether someone is showing enough emotion or not - I suppose Abbott's supporters consider the British lost WW2 because Chrruchill never cried over the radio?
Do Gillard's disciples hanging on Abbott's private comments in the field consider he doesn't care about Australian troops?

Right now, given the non-stories that are dominating the headlines, we have to wonder whether the vacuum in leadership at Federal level is something we actually deserve as an electorate.

 

[Julia]

Interesting bait

You as a female continue to follow the male focus on Gillards dress, body shape, general appearance, voice and yes tears.

Think about it................

Notable that you've failed to answer the question. I don't think I've ever particularly commented on Ms Gillard's body shape or general appearance but yes I do think her voice with its robotic drone is dreadful. And I've also suggested some help with dress could be a good idea.

I'll bite as someone who is socially left, economically right, and doesn't like either party.

Pretty much my own approach.

I want a leader who will make decisions about what to do due to the floods. Plain and simple - the jury is still out because we haven't seen how the package will take effect or how the long term economic damage caused by the floods will be assuaged.

Fair enough. We saw Anna Bligh show leadership throughout both the floods and the cyclone. She still managed to show empathy. She didn't stand in front of the cameras in tears. If Julia Gillard had shown even the slightest touch of genuine feeling in her contacts with the flood victims, then her tears would have perhaps been more believable.

I'm not making any comment about the flood levy: I feel ambivalent about it in that I want that small contribution from many to go to fixing infrastructure, but I resent that it should be necessary because of all the funds Labor has so wastefully thrown away.

It is sad that the story is whether someone is showing enough emotion or not - I suppose Abbott's supporters consider the British lost WW2 because Chrruchill never cried over the radio?

This is not anything to do with Churchill. We are discussing Ms Gillard.
And the discussion is relevant because it goes to whether she is a genuine person or not, or just another hypocritical politician.
If, as some of us believe, she was just turning on the faux tears in order to ramp up her ratings in the wake of such widespread media commentary about how wooden and robotic her behaviour was during the floods, imo that's relevant.

And please, Mofra, just stop labelling anyone who criticises Ms Gillard as automatically a supporter of Mr Abbott. It just ain't so!
?