Those Liberals certainly are a pragmatic lot. Even carrying a leader along they privately (and lately openly) despise, they see that he is their best chance of retaining government. Prime Minister Costello is not quite palatable to the Liberals in the public sense yet, despite the deal having already been made, and some public frustrations by Costello himself at the slow baton change. Maybe he was recalling his own feigned outrage at the so-called 'Kirribilli accord' between Hawke and Keating? Best not make it too obvious about the 'arrangements' in place huh Pete? I must say though, his TV denials need a lot more polish to be convincing dont you think!? That is one thing he could learn from the master of evasion and obsfucation: The Prime Minature himself.
Personally I am no Costello fan, but I would think that he would be far preferable as a PM to Howard if the Liberals really cared about trying to woo in some new voters. Although the term 'Compassionate Conservative' is in itself a paradoxical term at the outset, (quite cycnically conceived to steal all us disenfranchised old lefties!) it does seem to have more applicability to Pete than - as Liberal Senator Brandis would refer to the incumbent leader - 'that lying rodent'.
I can't help wondering (and hoping) if they have miscalculated by rolling out the old bloke for another tour selection? His shot selection is not very wide, and it has been quite a while since he scored a boundary.
There are no new tricks forthcoming either - The old scare campaign tactics have even been taken out of the freezer like and old bit of fishbait and thawed out for another round. This time they are just a bit 'too' stinky though. Disinformation abounds once again about Labors record on the economy - no mention of the inherited bag of crap they got from 'treasurer Howard' in 1983.
If as many contributors here say, there is nothing to pick between the two major parties, why would you then encourage another term be given to a tired old bunch who care only about retaining power without any ideas how to usefully use it?
Trust Us they say - those that are willing to continue to sell out Australias reputation as an independant-thinking and morally sound member of the international community who once respected international standards on Human rights, but now gladly sheds it all in favour of local politics to win over a few rednecks?
What an embarrassment it has become to present my Australian Passport in Europe, Canada and Asia.
As former Liberal President John Valder would say: Not Happy John ( dot com)