The Ironman is dead, long live the Bomber
As I'm sure you all know, Mark Latham has quit politics on the grounds that his health no longer up to the job, and he is therefore going to lead a more normal life outside politics. As sad as I am to see him go, staying around with something as bad as life-threatening pancreatitis was only going to have an adverse effect on the party, what with the damage that has been done already his departure could not have come too soon.
I remember when Crean was at the helm and each day watching the television in the hope that there would be a leadership challenge to topple what I saw as an indecisive, divisive, weak joke of a leader, entirely devoid of charisma and leading the ALP down a path that would doom them to spending another term in opposition. One coup failed and the dissenting voices offered to resign, but for some reason did not. I remember this failure greatly disappointing me. However not more than a few months later Crean was toppled, his reign reduced to the Trivial Pursuit question "who was the only Labor leader to not ever contest a federal election?"* But to my dismay it was the Iron Mark who came out on top, not Beazley - who I had always backed as a good choice for PM.
But I grew to love Mark, not as much as Beazley but more than any other ALP politician since Keating. Sure, his clichéd "ease the squeeze" and "ladder of opportunity" catch phrases did irritate me, but I felt he had a vision of sorts, and rather than Howard he was a real person, not just a politician - someone you could have a beer with and actually talk to. While Howard was on his ivory stage spewing out rhetoric, Latham was talking to people on an even level, seeing what they wanted from a government and how he could make their lives better. Latham was not a bad leader, and he did manage to distance himself from Howard and pull together some reasonable policies that far surpassed anything Howard came up with. Perhaps I give him too much credit, but he was everything Crean was not. He was colourful, charismatic, a skilled debater and a steadfast Maverick who wasn't afraid to call a spade a bloody shovel.
Now he is gone, and in my mind there is only one plausible replacement. Kim Beazley.
The other contenders, or at least those touted as possible contenders, simply don't measure up, physically or metaphorically. Around the blogosphere he is regarded as the man who will be the new leader, but not the man they want. I disagree. I want Beazley as leader on his own merits and it thrills me that this will most likely become a reality.
Julia Gillard is by no means an incompetent leader, she would do the job superbly I think. But in my mind she is not ready. She is the right person to take on Abbot, every time he opens his mouth she will simply stick a ball in.** With Abbot shut down and his partner Costello continuing to shoot himself in the foot the only man needing a counter is the rodent himself. No, Jules needs another couple of terms before she is ready to take the top job, and as Liam has pointed out, he factional allegiance makes her an impractical choice.
Kevin Rudd I have never liked. Despite Guy at wsacaucus giving him his full support, I can not give him mine. Rudd is just as uncharismatic as Crean was, and is unpopular with both the party and the electorate. He's a lame duck, forget it. He may be a very wiry, smart man who I believe will play a central role in the ALP front bench, he isn't cut out for the leadership.
Wayne Swan is suited fine where he is at the moment. Tanner I've hardly heard of, I can't imagine that would be a good move.
Kim is the best choice, in my mind he is the only choice. He is the only one I can see winning an election in 2007, which must be at the forefront of the ALP's minds when they choose a leader and move towards the election year. He was robbed by Tampa and 911 in the 2001 election, although his handing could have been better, and he had some policies, such as Knowledge Nation, that got me slightly excited. a large number of Perth's 96FM listeners may think he would get more votes if he slimmed down, but he’s charismatic and he will unite the ALP and he will lead them strongly, of that there is no doubt. He is the only one up to this large doubt. The Currency Lad also backs Kim.
Bring on the Bomber, enough of this needing two terms bollocks, we can win 2007 and Beazley is the way to do it.
Various blogosphere members have their own preferences. From what I can gather:
Nic White - Kim Beazley
Troppo - Julia Gillard
Robert Corr - Julia Gillard
The Currency Lad - Kim Beazley
Anonymous Lefty - Kim Beazley
Weezil - Never voting ALP again
Suki - Julia Gillard
Alex - Anyone but Beazley
John Quiggin - Kevin Rudd
Dave Murray - Julia Gillard
wsacaucus Naomi - Julia Gillard
wsacaucus Guy - Kevin Rudd
Tim Dunlop - Kim Beazley
Martin Pike - Kevin Rudd
The Great Shark Hunt - Julia Gillard
Manas - Chris Evans
Rank and Vile - Kim Beazley
Rowen - Kevin Rudd
Darlene Taylor - Kim Beazley
Adam - Kevin Rudd
Ron - Julia Gillard
Christopher Sheil - Kevin Rudd
Liam Hogan - Julia Gillard
* Yes, this is an actual question that I nailed to give my team a pie piece when I last played it.
** Please tell me you get this joke.
I remember when Crean was at the helm and each day watching the television in the hope that there would be a leadership challenge to topple what I saw as an indecisive, divisive, weak joke of a leader, entirely devoid of charisma and leading the ALP down a path that would doom them to spending another term in opposition. One coup failed and the dissenting voices offered to resign, but for some reason did not. I remember this failure greatly disappointing me. However not more than a few months later Crean was toppled, his reign reduced to the Trivial Pursuit question "who was the only Labor leader to not ever contest a federal election?"* But to my dismay it was the Iron Mark who came out on top, not Beazley - who I had always backed as a good choice for PM.
But I grew to love Mark, not as much as Beazley but more than any other ALP politician since Keating. Sure, his clichéd "ease the squeeze" and "ladder of opportunity" catch phrases did irritate me, but I felt he had a vision of sorts, and rather than Howard he was a real person, not just a politician - someone you could have a beer with and actually talk to. While Howard was on his ivory stage spewing out rhetoric, Latham was talking to people on an even level, seeing what they wanted from a government and how he could make their lives better. Latham was not a bad leader, and he did manage to distance himself from Howard and pull together some reasonable policies that far surpassed anything Howard came up with. Perhaps I give him too much credit, but he was everything Crean was not. He was colourful, charismatic, a skilled debater and a steadfast Maverick who wasn't afraid to call a spade a bloody shovel.
Now he is gone, and in my mind there is only one plausible replacement. Kim Beazley.
The other contenders, or at least those touted as possible contenders, simply don't measure up, physically or metaphorically. Around the blogosphere he is regarded as the man who will be the new leader, but not the man they want. I disagree. I want Beazley as leader on his own merits and it thrills me that this will most likely become a reality.
Julia Gillard is by no means an incompetent leader, she would do the job superbly I think. But in my mind she is not ready. She is the right person to take on Abbot, every time he opens his mouth she will simply stick a ball in.** With Abbot shut down and his partner Costello continuing to shoot himself in the foot the only man needing a counter is the rodent himself. No, Jules needs another couple of terms before she is ready to take the top job, and as Liam has pointed out, he factional allegiance makes her an impractical choice.
Kevin Rudd I have never liked. Despite Guy at wsacaucus giving him his full support, I can not give him mine. Rudd is just as uncharismatic as Crean was, and is unpopular with both the party and the electorate. He's a lame duck, forget it. He may be a very wiry, smart man who I believe will play a central role in the ALP front bench, he isn't cut out for the leadership.
Wayne Swan is suited fine where he is at the moment. Tanner I've hardly heard of, I can't imagine that would be a good move.
Kim is the best choice, in my mind he is the only choice. He is the only one I can see winning an election in 2007, which must be at the forefront of the ALP's minds when they choose a leader and move towards the election year. He was robbed by Tampa and 911 in the 2001 election, although his handing could have been better, and he had some policies, such as Knowledge Nation, that got me slightly excited. a large number of Perth's 96FM listeners may think he would get more votes if he slimmed down, but he’s charismatic and he will unite the ALP and he will lead them strongly, of that there is no doubt. He is the only one up to this large doubt. The Currency Lad also backs Kim.
Bring on the Bomber, enough of this needing two terms bollocks, we can win 2007 and Beazley is the way to do it.
Various blogosphere members have their own preferences. From what I can gather:
Nic White - Kim Beazley
Troppo - Julia Gillard
Robert Corr - Julia Gillard
The Currency Lad - Kim Beazley
Anonymous Lefty - Kim Beazley
Weezil - Never voting ALP again
Suki - Julia Gillard
Alex - Anyone but Beazley
John Quiggin - Kevin Rudd
Dave Murray - Julia Gillard
wsacaucus Naomi - Julia Gillard
wsacaucus Guy - Kevin Rudd
Tim Dunlop - Kim Beazley
Martin Pike - Kevin Rudd
The Great Shark Hunt - Julia Gillard
Manas - Chris Evans
Rank and Vile - Kim Beazley
Rowen - Kevin Rudd
Darlene Taylor - Kim Beazley
Adam - Kevin Rudd
Ron - Julia Gillard
Christopher Sheil - Kevin Rudd
Liam Hogan - Julia Gillard
* Yes, this is an actual question that I nailed to give my team a pie piece when I last played it.
** Please tell me you get this joke.
posted by Nic White at
11:55 AM
