http://johnquiggin.com/index.php/archives/2009/07/06/fox-in-oz/

Much as I loathe Hockey his bogus bonhomie is easer to take than Abbot’s evasive caginess.

99% of which those polled wouldn’t have read.

The hubris is incredible.

Only a ‘journalist’ with another agenda or a serious deficit when it comes to analytical skills could manage to broadcast such tripe. I don’t know what criteria they use for employment in the ABC Canberra bureau, but the ability to analyse semi-complex information isn’t on the list.

Indeed, I’d suggest the employment criteria would go something like this:

- Ability to read, uncritically digest and disseminate material from News Limited publications highly regarded;
- Independent thought and ability to come to conclusions based on facts not required;
- Links to Liberal Party will be highly valued, as will be the ability to talk absolute bullshit while maintaining a straight face.

Annabel crab nailed him; Tony “People skills” Abbot.

For the record, the ‘people skills’ tag came from Tony when he was a candidate for the leadership after the election. Crab just picked up on it, as is her job, and made it her own.

But wait! I was told by an ABC journalist (Sabra Lane?) this morning that Tony performed brilliantly in parliament two weeks ago when all around him were falling in a heap. Funny, I recall him endlessly raising inane points of order in a vain attempt to flow the slaughter, and making even less sense than usual.

Given the standing orders being what they are, that is pretty much the job of the Manager of Opposition Business in QT. About the only other thing the opposition can do is to move motions of censure, something that was just not going to work from the Monday as the opposition had nothing worth saying (that would be picked up) once the email was declared a fake.

Mr Abbott also conceded he had a lot to learn before he could rise further up the party’s ranks. “I’ve made mistakes in parliament recently and that had made me realise I’ve got some work to do, some swatting up to do,” he said.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/turnbull-safe-as-leader-abbott/1553411.aspx

Mr Humble and Supportive spruiked that line in all the adoring interviews he made. As far as I know, no brave soul cared to ask him what mistakes they were. It’s getting harder and harder for him to publicly confess these days. Maybe that’s why he is writing his own book.

[Rudd],facing what appeared to be initially serious questions about his integrity, fought his way out of what looked like a tight corner with a disciplined ferocity acknowledged almost universally by commentators as an awesome display of tactical brilliance and temperament.

What part of “the accusations were entirely trumped-up and held no water” doesn’t Milne understand?

And then he repeats a litany of previous News Ltd. smears. Pathetic.

But now that Tony’s superior parliamentary skills and leadership ability has been reported as fact by an impartial ABC journalist, I have to believe that People Skills is the man for the job.