Mood:
caffeinatedTopic: election Oz 2007
Picture: Howard's attacks on Kevin Rudd's integrity suffer 1. from his own compromised past not least the real climate change threat, and 2. Rudd at the time of meeting a convicted ALP fraudster at a public event in a crowd of business and other people was a very busy Opposition Minister on Foreign Affairs to be worrying too much about domestic dirty laundry, indeed ever since Sept 11 2001. No wonder he was concentrating on Iraq, Iran, China, AWB scandal and stuff like that, than WA low rent crony culture. (Image lifted from Sydney Morning Herald graphic in 2006.)
General preface: Kevin Rudd ALP Leader is said to have ended his honeymoon, but this is vis a vis the Canberra media gallery, not necessarily the public as such. Losing shine with the gallery is significant but will the public follow the adverse coverage? Time will tell.
Note too, we at SAM began the references to doing deals with 'the devil', actually the word “Satan”, in relation to Cardinal Pell promoting nuclear reactors and denying dangerous climate change threat in his Sunday Telegraph columns this last month. (We broadcast an open letter to the Cardinal to federal MP’s amongst others.) Peter Costello soon after used the term “supping with the devil” to attack Rudd's moral stature for meeting (recidivist crook?) Brian Bourke.
Lastly by way of preface, just as The Greens candidate in 2004 federal election Andrew Wilkie experienced death threats for running against Howard in Bennelong, and famously Maxine McKew in the last few days has apparently suffered same, as noted by Ch10 coverage of the newspapers this morning: As a driver for the Not Happy John democratic exercise in Bennelong in 2004 we too experienced violent menaces - on the main road through Ryde: A hotted up car revved and flashed lights in slow traffic on the highway within inches of my rear bumper bar. It really was nerve wracking, though I do enjoy the odd dramatic thrill too.
I jammed the brakes on in my dumpy old car, knowing they had a lot more to lose with a front end collision to their pride and joy. Then in reaction the outraged aggressor drove alongside the passenger seat to swing at the panels at least 3 times before racing hard leftward towards Epping. I did report it to the police. On another occasion in West Ryde/Broadmeadow light industrial area one nice fellow delighted in tearing up my NHJ leaflet in my face aggressively. So yes there is an underbelly of menace in the PM’s electorate.
We wrote of this at the time on Sydney Indymedia self publishing site (around October 2004), which may or may not be available in their records, and copied it to top NHJ organizer John Valder, former President of the federal Liberal Party and signed up ‘Howard hater’ over the PM taking us into the Iraq war unlike say Canada. And I continued with the democratic work, as Maxine McKew can and must, and win the seat also.
Author’s general introductory note (skip this if you know this regular weekly column): This is not a well packaged story. It’s a contemporaneous traverse of the Sunday television free to air political talkies indicating the agenda of Establishment interests: Better to know ones rivals and allies in Big Politics and Big Media.
Indeed it’s the tv version monitoring task similar to what Nelson Mandela refers to here in his book Long Walk to Freedom (1994, Abacus) written in Robben Island prison (where he was meant to die like other African resister chiefs of history in the 19C), at page 208
"..newspapers are only a shadow of reality; their information is important to a freedom fighter not because it reveals the truth, but because it discloses the biases and perceptions of both those who produce the paper and those who read it.”
Just substitute ‘Sunday tv political talkie shows’ for "newspapers" in the quote above.
For actual transcripts go to web sites quoted below except with Riley Diary on 7. And note transcripts don’t really give you the image content value.
10 Meet the Press 8-8.30 am
Quality 2nd string network, good show, lower audience than 9 or 7, both low for Sundays anyway. Traverse of press headlines first. Features Sun Herald attack by PM on Rudd after his own minister Campbell quits [as entre to PM friendly guest, but it gets tough.]
Tony Abbott, Howard “attack dog” (per Albanese grab too) for Howard [Abbott subject of cutting speech by Nicola Roxon too interested in fitness regime than Health portfolio].
Pushes the desperate perception game Rudd is compromised by Bourke who at the time was not guilty of any illegal offence in the public’s knowledge.
PB compere rightly points out Rudd was guest of Edwards, and Bourke used that for PR self interest. [Pretty standard lobbyist manipulation. Rudd can’t control what he puts out. He didn’t sign it. Supping with the devil or facing down the devil, or researching the devil? Rudd says he had the compassionate view that he did his time. 2nd chance kind of guy. ]
Footage of Abbott name-calling Rudd as Dr Death/Pol Pot. Focus back on Abbott..
Panel: Brad Norrington of The Australian, Fran Kelly of abc Radio National. Nixon speech on dental care. Kelly getting chubby, [morning after Mardi Gras for her, a bit squinty] but smart as a diamond cutter.
Norrington on gay rights. Abbott talks human rights.
Kelly: No one in government lost their place over AWB scandal, but Campbell does resign over a 20 minute meeting with convicted felon? 40 to 50 companies including Geof Prosser federal Liberal MP (?) are they all “morally compromised”.
[Recall too not mentioned, Campbell was also demoted as environment minister, didn’t want his ‘Human Services’ ministerial job, probably supports Costello as future leader anyway, is not a climate change sceptic].
Norrington: Rudd didn’t know about the CCC (Criminal Conduct Commission) was investigating him or such behaviour.
Norrington – dangerous political territory [unrealistic] standards?
Rubbery Figures The Australian – on climate change lack of credibility of the Howard Govt and Minister McFarlane.
Ad break: Cool Aid channel 10 8.30 tonight. Cuts across Rubbery Figures damaging govt again. 2nd advert on same via sponsoer Sunday Telegraph (compare Tim Blair blog attack on climate change advocate Prof Flannery in Saturday Telegraph yesterday).
Grab from Al Gore: Nuke reactor too expensive – no silver bullets, silver buckshot, part of the solution, too expensive?
Prof Leslie Kemeny – one eyed supporter of reactors, presents like mad old bugger, missing several lower teeth? Start up subsidies in USA? Says not longer necessary. Ignores huge shut down decommission costs.
N asks reactors near coast as per Ziggy report for Federal Govt. Kemeny not essential . Gas cooled away from the coast. New reactors won’t need sea water.
15 years timeline? Yes like to see movement,
Your association with Ron Walker Liberal Party etc? No, academic only. Waffles on.
Reactor waste? Says compared with fossil fuels waste and toxic pollution is favourable. Buried here at 600 metres in his view, says not Fort Knox for 24,000 years.
Transcript in due course www.ten.com.au/meetthepress
7 Weekend Sunrise, 8.35-40 am Riley Diary
Humourous, quite edgy as usual. Correctly notes honeymoon comes to an end
[but only because the consensus of 2, 7, 9, SBS federal political affairs reporters] of the Press Gallery is that it has ended. Has it ended with the public? Doubt it.]
Good direct footage of question to Rudd re no knowledge of ban on dealing with Bourke. Rudd says it was “a fact”. This may be plausible as intensely involved in Foreign Affairs and off the domestic scene. It’s been a very busy time since at least Sept 11 2001. Plenty to keep an Opposition Foreign Affairs eye off the local ball here.
Q and A with Riley: Howard attacks Rudd honesty character. ALP call the bluff re election. A bit of mud sticks.Andrew OKeefe gutsy comments about irony of Howard record on Tampa, Iraq war, (ethanol?). His buddy stays stum on such risky politic. Riley himself says some mud will stick on Rudd.
Web page here but no transcript usually: http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend
2 Insiders (abc) 9-10 am, http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/
Rudd integrity discussed re “stench from the west” WA senior ALP federal MP Stephen Smith strongly defends Rudd, significant from Beazley camp but gutsy plausible defense. The difference with Campbell? Campbell meeting was “benign” by PM’s own admission.
Image: Kevin Rudd right is fighting some politcal wildfires of his own today, but they are somewhat "artificial" threats to his leadership to borrow a term from veteran reporter Laurie Oaks today.
Skip to Ch9.
Smith pushes proper perspective, admits met Grill and Fortescue metals.
Back to ch9 feature on Rudd. [tape on, watch later if can be bothered, rebroadcast at 11.10 am]
Panel Toohey, Akerman, Meglogenis.
9 Sunday 9-10.30am (to follow) http://sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/
Oakes interview is centerpiece of the morning re interview with Rudd?? [No, the feature before is.] Rudd in bit of trouble says Oaks. Similar to hard attack by Oakes on Ch9 tv news last night.
Rudd feature is pre package not fresh interview, Oakes has another talent subject.
Ch9 audition for PM job. Albert Rudd (father’s) death car crash, drink drive case internal injuries, infections killed him and or medical limitations. Wouldn’t have died if he’d been rich? War veteran.
Does folksy naturally like most country people (as per the Jed Bartlett character.)
Clearly most sensitive topic, testing Rudd’s personal psychological strength. Pretty harsh Big Media personalized trawling. Kevin Rudd talks about compassion for those who get a bad deal in life/brick walls.
Presents as guy who is emotionally secure with a strong successful wife with real emotional commitment and happy kids. Who doesn’t live in the past or is defined by his parents life for all time. A guy who has transcended profound sadness and living his own life. That’s healthy.
Goss has substituted for Kevin Rudd’s dad’s empty psychological place in the cast of his life. His career in DFAT then into politics via Qld not the normal approach journey to PM, is flattery to Wayne Goss for reforming Qld politics after corruption of Bjelke Petersen era. That’s quite a compliment to Wayne, survivor of brain surgery himself.
(That’s how deep psychology works just like how I see now dead Milo Dunphy as more of a father figure in my career than my own alcoholic father.)
“would be the smartest young prime minister we’ve ever had” quote from one worthy (DFAT veteran?)
……………………
Ray Martin interview with latest expose’ of outsourcing torture by CIA “at the orders of the White House …. don’t hand suspects to FBI, don’t read them their rights”: Stephen Grey (Gray?), Ghost Planes
Rendition started under Clinton, says author. Before Sept 11 2001.
[The whole interview effect is favourable to Rudd, that we as a country need to get out of this business and start afresh. To distance our country from Howard’s past. ]
Author talks about fear of doing this work about grim and dark world. Total hypocrisy of allies on torture.
Vote question to the effect of: Do you believe the Australian Government endorses the USA use of torture?
(63% of 9’s internet poll says don’t follow British example of withdraw from Iraq (?). Counter intuitive.)
Interview with Julie Bishop, federal education minister, who presents like a female SS officer with deep set eyes beset with strident fascist dogma. A real nasty skinny whippet like driven woman pushing ideology regardless of weight of evidence.
Any evidence of deals done or favours sought? Got nothing.
Iraq war, porkies over children overboard? This is such a big deal? Only got 2 votes in the leadership vote. …..Bourke close friend of Kim Beazley.
She says great inexperience by Rudd [Either Rudd was dishonest or inexperienced, can’t be both, almost certainly the latter because out of the country so much doing stuff like China relations.]
Oaks goes into Bishop’s own relations with sleazy numbers man Noel Crichton Brown in the WA Libs and says no connection. Oaks pauses as if he has other research on this point but is holding it. She continues the steely smile taken aback by the pressure back at her. [It’s a dangerous genie that can land on anyone in this blood sport, she didn’t quite realize it could happen, re establishes with unprompted exclusive.]
[Oaks is decidedly less aggressive to Rudd’s character and integrity between the 9.05 am prelude and the main interview commencing at 10 am quite possibly informed by ch10 and Insiders 2 evidentiary coverage.]
Announces nuke physicist traineeships at Lucas Heights at Opal Reactor – uses cover of medical research when its really “national interest” dual use as per Hugh White story in Sydney Morning Herald 1/3/07 p17
“Who could suspect Australia of wanting nuclear weapons? Well, anyone with a sense of history. In the 1950’s and 1960’s Australia actively, if sporadically, tried to acquire nuclear weapons. And we were amongst the last and most reluctant adherents to the the [sic] [Non Proliferation] treaty when it was concluded in the early 1970s. …Professor Hugh White is a visiting fellow at the Lowy Institute and professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University.”
Feature on Indonesian poverty. 30,000 deaths from polluted water per year for under 5s.
