Comments on: Howard’s submissive body language

By: Stilgherrian · Rudd’s +2 charisma roll: thanks, Al!

Stilgherrian · Rudd’s +2 charisma roll: thanks, Al! — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 08:34:37 +0000

[...] then we have the Man of Steel and his submissive relationship with the Lame Duck President, digging up coal and uranium and oil and gas and whatever else they can find and selling it as fast [...]

By: jason

jason — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 22:45:17 +0000

Yes he’s never *claimed* to be capable of being PM. But what if his public need him?

By: Zhasper

Zhasper — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 22:01:51 +0000

Dear Patrick,

Please note that Stilgherrian has never claimed to be capable of being Australia’s PM.

I would expect people who have the gall to run for that job to be able to stand up to bush a little better than little old Stilgherrian.

Mrmm… I’d love to see a press conference with Stilgherrian and Bush - I suspect one of them would be running verbal rings around the other…

By: Stilgherrian

Stilgherrian — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:51:16 +0000

@patrick: Ah, very insightful. Not.

By “shut up” I figure you mean you agree with my point, you just don’t like what I’m saying so you’re resorting to schoolyard “debate”. Tough.

And “like you could do any better”? Two points. First, I’m not putting myself up as PM, so I don’t have to be able to do better. I just don’t think Howard’s up for the job. And secondly, I think I could handle my body language better when talking to world leaders. I certainly did OK when I worked at the ABC.

Then again, I’m not fighting to retain my job and my whole government in the face of plummeting opinion polls.

Higher-quality commentary next time, please. That’s the last time you get even close to making it a personal attack. Your comments are now being moderated.

By: patrick

patrick — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:54:25 +0000

oh shut up. like you could do any better.

By: Stilgherrian

Stilgherrian — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 07:48:01 +0000

@jason: Well, for starters, thanks for the disturbing image of going down on Malcolm Turnbull. A good thing I’m trying to lose weight…

As Snarky Platypus pointed out, Turnbull is a small-l liberal, certainly a major contrast. And with a business background he’s used to making bold, effective decisions. I’m astounded at myself that I think he’d be a good choice when I really don’t know much.

There’s really no difference between the US or China if “sucking up to them” is our approach. Both, well, suck. Australia is the 15th largest world economy, and we should act like a grown-up. Howard’s subservience and sycophancy to the US and his discomfort dealing with any country that isn’t white, English-speaking and cricket-playing has always been a liability and certainly has no place in the 21st century.

At least Rudd would be trying to talk as an equal.

By: jason

jason — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:54:10 +0000

Malcolm Turnbull is probably the only person I’d vote for. He has that gentlemanly quality. I don’t especially know his broader political standing, but does that matter? He’s someone I could believe in, or at least sleep with, or go down on, or something.

Why can Rudd suck up to China but not Howard to America? Is the dollar the only thing that matters? Do we support China’s policies blindly while it’s forking over the money?

What’s Mandarin for “oil money sponsoring genocide in Sudan”.

But yes, Howards bodylanguage is increasingly unsure. The back foot really doesn’t suit him.