Photo via Grodscorp, where there’s a caption competion.
The reason why John Howard spoke to a Queensland Liberals fundraiser last night was actually to raise some dosh they need to stave off Lawrence “The Borg” Springborg’s “Pineapple Party” which is cashed up due to financial backing from mining magnate Clive Palmer.
But, really, Brendan Nelson needs this like a hole in the head, I’d have thought.
Mr Howard told the gathering, which included Dr Nelson and a number of his federal and Queensland colleagues, that he was there to help.
“Being in opposition is difficult,” Mr Howard said.
“Brendan does have a very difficult job as leader of the opposition.
“I will do everything I can in a quiet way to help you. I think former prime ministers should give quiet assistance.
“If there is any way that is consistent with that quiet role and quiet goodwill in which I can help you, I certainly will.”
I thought it was far too good to be true that the evil little bastard had gone forever. Under Howard’s back-room tuition we can be assured that there will be even more of the same oldf racism, scare-mongering, abuse of and cruelty towards the poor and disadvantaged within the Liberal Party. Not that I actually expected this lost army of right wing ding bats to change for the better. Bob Menzies is probably turning in his grave.
Then again, maybe this is just a desperate attempt by Howard to try and prove he’s still relevant.
Caption : “I know I’m bad news, but Brendan didn’t have to bring a vomit bag.”
No surprise. The party was bereft of ideas in 95 and they went to yesterday’s man (Lazarus with a triple bypass) in a last desperate move to avoid electoral oblivion. And he won. And then he stayed there for 11 years. Of course the party that is bereft of ideas is going to call on their messiah now to save them. Nothing else will.
Qld is a very cunning place for Ratty to reintroduce himself to Australian politics.
Compared with the political health of the Qld Branch of the Liberal Party, Howard’s political credibility is extraordinarily robust.
Standing among midgets, Wee Johnnie looks like a giant.
One can only hope the Australian people have moved on and anything this meddlesome little pr==k does will come to nought. Writing about Howard makes me so angry it spoils my whole day, so I’ll shut up now.
In a lot of ways, Howard losing his seat has robbed the Liberal party of the proper opportunity to knife him, Machiavellian style (in the original sense of the word). Here he is, wandering off without the party room giving him a proper kicking and drawn out public humiliation of having to face an election defeat by fronting up to parliament wearing the cloak of the loser. He got off relatively freely in my opinion, where Costello and Downer had to wear the embarrassment in full public view.
In some ways, it’s stopping the Liberals from moving on properly - ceremony is important I would suggest. Nelson was handed the leadership without much of a struggle and now has little weight as a leader because of it.
“STACKS ON THE MILL!”
True David.
The man was thrown a burning turd, and caught it. Not a guaranteed way to build respect.
Naah! Let Howard visit QLD (which he ignored until Kev from Qld looked like winning) and talk up the Liberal party (which couldn’t win a fight with the ghost of Hamlet’s father). The Borg probably can’t keep the grin off his face!!
Mind you, Libs in general, and WA’s Don Randall & NSW’s Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells in particular, weren’t doing QLD Libs any favours by choosing to whinge & whine about Kev Rudd’s choosing two other (OMG, that makes THREE!!!!!) QLDers for top positions - himself, Swann as treasurer and now (Shock Horror) the GG!! If he had to have a woman, it should have been NSW Governor Marie Bashir!
“We have got the Prime Minister, the Treasurer, the Governor General from Queensland - who’s next?” protests Concetta! Probably the next Chief Justice of the High Court will “be a Queenslander, if current form is any guide!” storms Don - all duly reported by Clinton Porteous in today’s CM.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23539966-953,00.html
That from a Party that gave us John Howard, Brendan Nelson, Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott, Joe Hockey, Bronwyn Bishop, Helen Coonan and so on, all from - Guess where, Concetta??
How many QLDers were in Howard’s cabinets over the 11 years? How many QLDers are Lib front-benchers?
Ever heard of a “lead balloon”?
Is anybody else here thinking of this Doctor Seuss classic?
Bald man on left.. “John, i can remember when your tool was that high”.
Nowhere man on right..”and i’m just left here picking up the old dogs turds”.
Justice Michsael Kirby as Chief Justice. Now wouldn’t that get up the Conservatives’ noses. I don’t care how many Qlders Rudd appoints so long as they can do the job. We’re all Aussies, aren’t we? And, um, the less attention on NSW the better for Labor at the moment. I mean if Marie Bashir had to be replaced, we’d probably get a developer as State Governor. (Not that Rudd’s untouched by all this crap down south - he used the money to get re-elected, didn’t he?)
Sorry,used NSW money to get elected as PM, is what I meant.
Incidentally, Howard is still alive and well in Centrelink. Despite their election promises the Rudd Government have not yet ended the eight week breach stoppage of unemployment benefits. Their respoonse is “We’re still looking at it.” Kev, bloody hurry up. Thousands of people are left to starve by a continuation of Howard’s punitive policies and you were elected to get rid of those policies. Too slow, Kev, too slow!
joe2 wrote:
INVISIBLE OFF SWITCH
we nearly choked on our muesli this morning: “that voice!!”
Ambigulous,
It gets worse. He was on last night as well as this morning. Spoilt my day it has.
Brendan: “You hold him, I’ll pull the bag over his head”
Kirby as chief justice won’t get up just the noses of conservatives. It will get up the nose of half of the people who voted for Rudd.
Rudd ain’t a confrontational type of guy.
Besides, he quite probably wishes to maximise his chances of re-election.
Yeah, David Rubie @5, it proves that ceremony and symbolism are important. I reckon they should still scruff him, outside Parliament House would be right, proper and loaded with symbolism and leave his naked and bleeding body on the doorstep or prop him on the doorbell for Hyacinth to find. I’m torn-I don’t know which scenario is more appealing. Sigh.
On the doorstep for Hyacinth to find with a Current Affair team waiting for the money shot. “Violence amongst the unemployed is the new scourge on Sydney’s streets”
Everyone:
Berlesconi made a come-back [poor Italians, they were far better off with Mussolini].
The Taliban are making a come back.
Wonder if any of the cerebrally-challenged in the Liberal Party are deluding themselves with fantasies about a John Howard come-back?
DeeCee [8}:
Wonder which shadow ministry will go to another QUEENSLANDER, Federal Member for Ryan, Michael Johnson?