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. View all posts by William Bowe
Here is the picture of the woman on the ground of the shopping centre.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22730013-2,00.html
ALP insiders, if you’re out there — can you tell me why Rudd’s campaign seems to be soft-pedalling global warming and Kyoto.
It seems to me that voters need reasons that are both *simple* and *compelling* elect Rudd. Surely this is one of the simplest and most compelling issues of all.
1. The human race is facing extinction.
2. Howard doesn’t care / is a skeptic
3. Rudd does care, will sign Kyoto.
4. Did I mention the bit about humans dying out??
OK, so I did see an ALP ad on YouTube about this (not sure if it got to TV) but it was very much an aspirational, soft-focus, feel-good message that I don’t feel made the choice clear for people.
Isn’t there room for a clear, simple, high-impact TVC that underscores this most clear of differences and compelling of reasons to vote ALP?
179
NB Says:
November 9th, 2007 at 10:09 am
172 RA
“Check out the rules of Haiku:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku
Much more satisfactory than a simple rhyme”
How about:
Sun casts Power
On the Panels
Wind blows gusts
Around the Farms.
Tide feeds Force
Along the beaches.
Howard turns his eyes
And creeps away
I don’t know that it’s Haiku, but it certainly is Kyoto
Betamax,
Don’t panic, these issues will be sorted out in due course.
However, apart from Garrett the campaign is lite on this important issue.
Don’t mean to be callous, but that photo of Howard and others looking down at the unfortunate woman on the ground is a classic “add your caption” opportunity.
It occurs to me also that if the photo had been of Howard kneeling down rendering comfort and assistance, it would have made up for a lot of his recent sins in the public eye. As it is, it merely shows him as stunned and impotent.
Betamax: “ALP insiders, if you’re out there — can you tell me why Rudd’s campaign seems to be soft-pedalling global warming and Kyoto.”
The election campaign is being run purely for the benefit of the 10% that might still change their mind. The campaign strategies of both parties are focused on winning over but not alienating those people.
There are no doubt a huge number of ALP voters who are passionate about climate change, human rights and civil liberties. But they’re not voting for Ratty, anyway.
Instead we get an unending diet of peurile scare campaigns and grocery tips. Because the party strategists believe that’s where the votes are. I absolutely despise democracy. Unfortunately, I’m not aware of any better system.
The police question you if you decide you don’t want to shake hands with a elderly, balding man in a shopping centre? I didn’t think that the sedition laws went quite that far.
How about “Sorry”?
Obvioulsy the Tele is having a joke. Read what they have on their own front page:
Woman knocked out at PM store
1:35pm: A WOMAN has been knocked out and a man was grilled by police during a John Howard appearance in Sydney, following Mark Latham’s Seinfeld rant.
A WOMAN was knocked out and a man stopped by police during a walkabout by John Howard in west Sydney today.
The drama came following former Labor leader Mark Latham’s outburst that the elction is a “Seinfeld” one.
What the….? So was Mark Latham at the store, made his rant and then a woman got knocked out….what’s the connection?
The Election Rival ‘Gay’ headline has now been scrubbed from all Daily Telegraph online pages, though it remains locked in Google News.
There’s before and after screen captures of the changing headline and interesting info from someone who claims to work at the Tele :
http://www.theorstrahyun.blogspot.com
You’re right Guido it is being treated as funny. But don’t you see the irony and humour of the confluence of Latham’s return to civilisation, John Howard, the non-handshake, the unconscious lady, the media and Sienfeld’s program about nothing?
Will from Kooyong,
I am Will from South Gippsland…….how are ya, mate?
I believe Labor should come out now and indicate it will be investigating a number of ministers including
Downer AWB
Vaile AWB
Reith Children Overboard
Woolridge Medicare
Can anyone think of anymore?
Do you think Howard should be investigated for Children Overboard as well. Tony Kevin sees this election as a race between good and evil……..I have read his SIEV X book and I think there needs to be a full investigation…….Tony Kevin is having an election party in Canberra
John of melbourne – re your link;
Were you attempting to make a point regarding average household wealth rising under Howard? As my old (national business hero) boss said to me once ‘..any fool can report good management numbers by blowing up a bubble…”
…and perhaps you should note this para from the news item you link to;
“And the report confirmed a small number of households hold the greatest wealth, while most households had relatively low worth.”
Stevet @ 535
Finally! You are the first to get it. Yes, it’s sinking the slipper. It’s a good spread. People here have confused an inept ONLINE headline with what is actually on the street. Makes me wonder about judgments here …
yes, derek – i’ve just had a look at the terror’s dead tree version (pgs 6-7) and the general feel is “putting the boot in”. i feel all flushed and perky now.
Howard. Downer. Ruddock. Reith. Siev X. Royal Commission, actually. A dirty episode. Justice must prevail.
As its a slow day on the news front – I’m referring people to an entertaining article over on the ABC by Bob Ellis that kicks off with:
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2085378.htm
Lib ad in my letterbox today says “Labor’s too inexperienced, there still learning” my response is Libs are experienced and but still have not learnt
passthepopcorn @567
So did I at around 5am this morning. Early bird catchee worm … as it were. This is not good for Rat. It will be noticed in the pubs, around the traps, in the scrub … the killer is the sub-head: “Mortagees don’t rate an apology.”
Think about construction workers, all workers, reading their paper of choice – the tele -during smoko. They have just been insulted by the Prime Minister. They will be stroppy.
I very much doubt that “low-involvement” voters will read the online version.
well, no, the mortgagee certainly doesn’t rate an apology – that’s the lender!
you’re right, he’ll be on the nose with the “paper telly” readers – this sorry/non-apology c#@p will cost mr rattus dearly. oh, the joy!
I read Mark Latham’s article in the Review supplement of today’s Financial Review. It is a well reasoned opinion piece and I commend it to the punters. It is critical of both Labor and the Coalition that says that this is an election where the issues are puff pastry (Seinfeld election – about nothing). He has some good points to make.
But the piece now has spawned a debacle entirely irrelevant to the article’s content. So:
1. Peter Beattie comes out swinging and spouting rubbish. Shut up Pete, you are embarassing yourself.
2. Howard comes out saying that the Latham piece supports the contention that Labor, once in power, will “change everything” as presaged by Peter Garrett. The article never even remotely suggested anything of the kind. Latham is in no position to dictate policy to the ALP cabinet. Nobody in the right mind could possibly draw any such inference. This indicates that Howard, and his advisers that are left, are shellshocked and panicked. Howard’s spray is seriously off the wall. if anything, Latham is critical of the whole political environment, ALP included. This is the way the world ends for Howard, not with a bang but with imbecility.
Definitely I think a promise to hold a Royal Commission would go down extremely well in thinking Australia before the election.
It would blow the whole rotten house of cards apart and in my view lead to arrests for conspiracy and other crimes well into the first term of opposition. It is Australia’s Watergate.
Thaddeus @ 574
To which rotten house of cards are you referring to …
Royal Commissions are not to be taken lightly.
Howard rodent like
scampering fearfully bent
into oblivion
“This is the way the world ends for Howard, not with a bang but with imbecility.”
Puts a whole new twist on “Going The Rat”, I suppose.
Thaddeus asked:
The entire cabinet on War Crimes (crimes against POWs). A number of prominent lawyers including the former Commonwealth Solicitor-General, and the former ADF Judge Advocate-Genral have released an opinion that members of the government appear to have a case to answer. That does not require referal to the ICC, its also covered by section 286 of the Aust Crimes Act.
There would also seem to be an open and shut case for them having committed the ultimate war crime – Waging Aggressive War, or “Crimes Against Peace”, and depending how much they knew of the details covered in the ‘Downing Street Memo’ possibly also Conspiracy to Wage Aggressive War. Unfortunately, both would probably need to be prosecuted through the ICC and the UN has yet to rule on whether they will allow such prosecutions (See here for more). This is due to be debated in 2009, but I doubt they will. America, for one, would be unlikely to agree. Same for Russia.
BTW-Few people are aware of this, but the British military leaders initially refused to give the orders for the invasion of Iraq, delaying it by 5 days, because they feared ending up in a ICC cell. They only agreed when the UK A-G provided a legal opinion declaring the war legal. This was a 180 degree turn on the opinion he’d provided to parliament only a few days earlier! The UK foreign minister’s legal advisor subsequently resigned in protest.
MayoFeral
Thanks for that. Truth will out.
Swan – Howard not only has core and non core promises but core and non core apologies as well.
I just saw a new Liberal ad here in Melbourne. It mentioned something about Labor being soft on crime, then had a black-and-white photo of John Brumby, then a terrifyingly-red map of Australia with terrifyingly-red “WALL TO WALL LABOR” written across it, and ended with ‘only Liberals like FRAN BAILEY in McEwen are tough on crime”.
I guess McEwen is in trouble. Anyone seen any other seat-specific ads here in Victoria (or other states)? They’re clearly in damage control.
That Liberal ad just aired in Perth using Steve Irons, the candidate for Swan.
Michael @ 97 and othersI am sure but can’t get all through the thresd. Kelly’s line up on Radio National today was:
1.An ABC reporter (Lyndal Curtis) with Team Howard. Kelly and the reporter bounced off each other lines about the coalition winning the week, being on song and the rate rise as a triumph for Howard
2. Gerard Henderson
3. A panel of Glenn Milne, Michael Kroger and Michelle Grattan.
I thought this was beyond the limit and rang the ABC in Sydney. To my surprise I was put through to the breakfast show producer, the toffee voiced James Carlton. He assurred me that a fair view was being given by the two journalists. I replied that calling Glenn Milne a journalist was stretching the truth and perhaps they should get Alan Jones, who was also a journalist. He thanked me for my sarcasm and I reminded him that he was a public servant. He did give me details of how to make a formal complaint but I think I will try mediawatch instead.
Hi Charlie (# 581)
I am happy to report that here in Brisbane, only Liberals like Ross Vasta (Bonner) are tough on crime. At least that is what the TV ad said about 15 minutes ago. I was surprised that another Liberal wasn’t picked instead, but maybe there will be a rotation.
Same ads are being used in Brisbane,thus far the voice over tells us Ross Vasta will be tougher on crime(What the hell is HE going to do?????????)
The real panic and desperation is beginning to set in with these ads.To the lifeboats,Save yourselves!!!!!!!!
My wife and I were born in 1946 so we are among the original baby boomers. We object strenuosly to being counted as part of Howard’s generation. He is old, we are only 61.
We celebrated Whitlam and Hawke’s victories, not so much Keating as he was already in office. Look forward to celebrating Rudd’s win (Howard’s loss) on the 24th, especially if the Greens have balance of power in the Senate. But after manning a booth all day it will probably be an early night. Hope it is a landslide so we are not left waiting for late votes to come in to decide the last seats.