I say Hockey for PM!
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...
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.
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.)
However, a key factor that has so far been overlooked is that the Coalition did politicise MacKinney's death at the time.
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.
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.
They sent the video to him 2 hours before and told him what questions they were going to ask?Channel 7 or Mark Riley gave two hours warning
So, his 'minders' knew, but did he?They sent the video to him 2 hours before and told him what questions they were going to ask?
Geesh, he is a turkey.
"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.
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.
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 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!!
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?)
GG,Lets have an answer from the Left who only represent 21% of the Tax Paying Public.
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?)
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.
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.
"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."
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................
You as a female continue to follow the male focus on Gillards dress, body shape, general appearance, voice and yes tears.
I'll bite as someone who is socially left, economically right, and doesn't like either party.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?
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.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................
Pretty much my own approach.I'll bite as someone who is socially left, economically right, and doesn't like either party.
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 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.
This is not anything to do with Churchill. We are discussing Ms Gillard.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?
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