Idiot box

For the purpose of having something to hang a new open thread off, I hereby present unilluminating 15-second ads for the Liberal candidates for Stirling and Cowan, which ran during Perth news bulletins this evening.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

352 thoughts on “Idiot box”

Comments Page 5 of 8
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  1. The longer the campaign the more senior moments for Ratso.im willing to bet a massive increase in the birth rate in 9 months traced back to the night Nov 24 2007.

  2. Glen 177

    Costello is yellow (and not the asian type). He shouldve taken the Rodent on, and if unsuccessful (as PJK), gone to the backbench, then hit him again and take the leadership. Instead he put his tail between his leg to cover the microscopic balls that he has, and because of that weakness, he will always be unelectable.

    BTW – Sorry about the ‘weasel’ comment earlier today… but you just pissed me off with your comment last night about my ethics 🙂

  3. Hmm.. less money.. working more.. higher divorce rates.. higher mortgage defaults?

    Oh hang on, you’re talking about Howard’s years in office 🙂

  4. There were indications in December/January when Howard was being interviewed on ABC TV – his manner had turned more to pleading with that rising inflection at the end of sentences rather than his usual assertive self. I noticed it straight away – talking defensively like a loser. I hoped he was going to keep it up.

  6. I thought Rudd looked ebullient and confident. May know something about the next round of polls.

    I thought Howard and Costello were tense and terse . May know something about the next round of polls.

  7. Boothby is a labor gain.

    Howard’s non-core apology is a huge issue. All the media – even the now-fawning SMH – ran real big with it today; because they know it was a huge f@#k-up by the great man. He simply can’t accept responsibility; he is pathological in that sense.

  8. # 140 It’s time Says:

    “Ok, about Wentworth. King split the Tory vote, yeah?

    So um.. what happened to King’s preferences? Did they go to Labor?

    heh”

    At least 4.3% voted for King and then preferenced ALP (out of 18%), maybe as much as 6%. It’s conceivable that those punters would repeat the performance with a high profile ALP candidate this time.

    The AEC’s site shows that King was the last candidate to be eliminated and his prefs flowed 57.18% to Turnbull. This contrasts with Green prefs which flowed very tightly to the ALP with Patch getting nearly 72% and Turnbull only 11%.

  9. The real point about Costello isn’t his failure to challenge. After all, in most walks of life loyalty would be regarded as a plus.
    The real point is that he was disloyal (the infamous dinner with Brissenden et al) but didn’t have the guts to do anything about it. Either be loyal and do nothing, or if you really want to talk about how cr*p the leader is, then do something about it.
    But he wanted to knife Howard without getting his hands bloody.

  10. Yes but Adam, this would have played into Beazley’s hands, he probably wouldn’t have been challenged by Rudd because of the disunity in the Libs and the further drop in the polls if Cossie had gone to the backbenches thus Rudd may not have become leader and it would have been a Howie v Kimie election. Adam, Peter put the party ahead of his political ambitions, that’s admirable in my book.

  11. Evan Says:

    Sorry Charles, but, ahem…… I know plenty of cretins with law degrees and practising certificates.

    They’re just bits of paper. They don’t make you sensible.

    Given the current front bench, I see your point, but bimbo’s don’t get them.

  12. Generic Liberal, Rudd has no “plan” to take over public hospitals, as you well know. He said that he would give the states an opportunity, in co-operation with the Commonwealth, and a large bucket of money, to get the hospitals right. ONLY if that didn’t work would he consider a takeover – and that point is not going to be reached for at least three years, if ever.

  13. Kina-Is that around the time when he said things like ‘if the australian people are kind eough to vote me back in as PM?’ and other such twaddle?

  14. It’s nice to see a bit of positivity for a change, however inaccurate and uninformative it might be.

    As some t-shirt once said “Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers.” In America they can have guns. In Australia they are required to vote. Someone in the Liberal party war room knows this: these ads were authorised because they might just work.

  15. Has it been confirmed beyond reasonable doubt that the Tele won’t be dishing any “dirt” on Rudd tomorrow? Or have they denied it to try and give the ALP a false sense of security?

  18. Glen, all year I was worried the Libs would get smart and dump Howard for Costello.

    Rudd has got Howard worked out. If Costello was in charge, the Libs would have been revitilised. The front bench would be changed, and anyhting slightly unpoopular get jettisoned as Howard’s policy.

    Costello could have ratified Kyoto.
    Costello could have made the same announcement Howard made about Iraq during the debate, but it actually would have registered.
    Costello could have brought in the “safety net” and all the sh*t stuff with work choices could be heaped on Howard.

    I have no doubt you would have won with Costello. He could have spent the entire year talking only about social issues. He would have got 85% of the “doctors wives”, so at the very least all this worry about Wentworth and other such normally safe LIb seats would be gone.

  21. Anyway taking over all the hospitals is at least a coherent strategy. Taking over ONE hospital, in a marginal seat, for reasons of immediate political advantage, is nothing less than corrupt – and then they botched it anyway. Sid Sidebottom cannot believe his luck, I can tell you.

  24. Thus, Adam his plan is just a slogan as there is no substance behind his policy on hospitals?

    Um, no. He said the federal government will fund them 100%, but not run them. It’s misleading Liberal hacks that say the policy is something different than what it is.

    The longer the campaign the more senior moments for Ratso.im willing to bet a massive increase in the birth rate in 9 months traced back to the night Nov 24 2007.

    Next he will saying WorkChoices increases the fertility rate, because it meant so many workers got f#$@ed.

  26. JWH did not apologise, he was just “expressing sympathy” to people hit with another mortgage rate interest rise- he could not give a damn about them.

    This is our PM saying this crap: forget about Party politics: What a lying, sleezy, pathetic, uncaring, insensitive, slug he has turned out to be, even in the public eye now he does not care who knows anymore.

    I once thought a Rudd slide would be bad news for an accountable, democratic state of affairs…screw that idea now:

    I hope Rudd gets up by a freakin Rudd slide now and sends a strong message to JWH that he has been assessed as no political stateman but a slug; a pathetic little rodent..the WORST PM in Australian political history.no wonder young people are cynical about politics are growing up with that slug as our PM. He is pathetic.

  29. Glen, Peter put the Party first only if you think short term. A real leader would have looked ahead and said I’m the man to lead this country, so get out of the f*cking way.

    His putting the party first is a convenient way of saying he doubted himself.

    And thus he doesn’t deserve to be PM.

    Whatever you say about Howard or Rudd, everyone knows that they both think that they are the best man for the job.

  31. Grog @ 218,
    The bottom line is Howard’s seen as too old and as having been there too long.
    Two disadvantages Costello wouldn’t have had if he’d become PM a year ago.

  33. Sorrygate is going to play out very bad for the Libs tomorrow, after it all sinks in with (as Evan says) Joe & Mary Bogan. The Rodent basically said in bogan language ‘Not sorry about the rates, and in fact you are a bunch of ungrateful pricks because I gave you tax cuts’

  35. But, Diogenes 219, does it matter?

    At least she doesn’t belong to a dreaded UNION.

    I know you don’t like it, I don’t like it, the Greens bloke doesn’t like it, said Labor persons had come over to Greens as a result.

    I will be handing out for Greens on the great day, but my interest is the Senate.

  37. Not to mention Labor, HOR.

    As I have instructed my neice, who is awaiting her next interview. And a few of my siblings and a number of friends. Who ask me.

  38. Glen, I thought you were all about equal coverage. How come you haven’t said anything about THIS thread?

    And can anyone tell me which CPI figure we’re looking at for the Sawford formula? The result hinges on it.

  46. Diogenes Says:

    Charles@166. No she hasn’t. She’s still studying for one. And there are plenty of brain-dead lawyers.

    I stand corrected. Labor party blurb:

    Nicole has a strong background in small business, having owned and run a successful small business. She is currently completing a Law degree at Flinders University, Bedford Park, and for several years has been a regular columnist for the Sunday Mail.

  48. Generic Person Says:
    November 8th, 2007 at 11:56 pm

    Maybe the repulsive nature of Rudd’s ear wax escapade was enough dirt to change votes. 😉

    Lasted for about a day, now it just increases my disgust at what the Liberal party has become.

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