This latest blow to the Coalition’s image follows Treasurer Peter Costello’s claims in a book by two academics that Mr Howard had conspired against him and that their relationship was flawed.

With the latest revelation only one of a string of distracting spot-fires breaking out all over the place, it looks more like the planets are aligning for Rudd and Labor.

I bet Rudd has to pinch himself pretty well every day to make sure he isn’t dreaming. The Coalition is his most potent electoral weapon at present.

ON July 16, after several disastrous opinion polls, Prime Minister John Howard stood before his Cabinet colleagues and asked: “Is the problem me?”

Either Mr Howard had not read the Liberal Party’s latest in-house research, or he was in denial.

For, as Herald Sun readers learned yesterday, party pollsters had delivered a bleak assessment on or around June 21: voters had lost faith in the PM, and his age would be a key factor in any election loss.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22200396-24218,00.html

You can bet your life that very few if any of the people present at that meeting would have had access to that report prior to the meeting.

Howard is too cunning to put such a question to them, knowing what Textor’s Report contained. I bet they feel as though an opportunity has passed them by, now. Serves the silly old bugger right.

Michael, it might have something to do with his advancing years. ie His hearing is deteriorating and he just doesn’t hear the bells clanging.

His eyesight is definitely on the way out because he doesn’t seem to be able to read what the commentariat is saying and he sure as hell can’t read any of the mainstream political bloggs.

I don’t thing a more powerful hearing aid or new glasses would help at this late stage.

[link]

Can anyone make any sense out of that?

Hi Mark, I just read that “commentary” by Colless and am gobsmacked at the mindless chatter he has put up for public consumption.

I think he should change his Doctor and see if he can get a better medication prescribed. They must be finding difficulty in recruiting proper journalists these days.

I know of a number of “Bloggers” that might be available to help out if they are truly stuck for talent.

Is he fooling himself? Asking the wrong people? Or is the comparison to Keating v Hewson apt? Trying to will himself to victory?

While the sustained and strong polling suggests “Kevin 07″ will get it up, I like many others won’t be satisfied until all the votes are counted…

m

Howard has on a number of occasions stated that “Australians have never had it so good” although he backed off from that yesterday. Maybe because of this;

Australians sinking further into debt: ABS.

Personal bankruptcies are close to the highest point in two decades, worse now than at the height of the last recession in the early 1990s, despite the longest period of continuous economic growth ever recorded in Australia and the lowest rate of recorded unemployment in 33 years. http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/07/1999152.htm?section=australia

CHOGM and the election. The next CHOGM is in Uganda on 21 November. Does this affect election timing predictions?

What’s the bet the Election will be in Early Dec, Ratty wouldn’t miss this for the world.