Tapping (in Australia, not MN)
Has he been given ‘the tap on the shoulder’? Will he make it to even calling the election, much less running in it?
While it’s kind of fun to watch the Howard government implode, I’m so intensely distrustful of the man that I’m afraid to see this as actual good news, and not some ‘LOOK OVER HERE’ strategy. Refugees will probably be throwing children from the top of Parliament House any day now.
For non-Australians - PM Howard has to call an election before the end of the year. He can, however, step aside and allow another MP, probably Treasurer Peter Costello, to go to bat for the Liberals. This move would have been unthinkable even a month ago. But while Howard’s been behind in (as far as I know) every poll this year, APEC, which was supposed to be his shining moment, turned into a disaster that has destabilized his leadership.
In previous elections, he’s managed to pull some crazy, fear-mongering stunt that’s helped him get back in. Australia is more or less waiting for the election to be called, so we can know what the stunt is - hopefully armed refugees storming the beaches of Manly (which would make such an amazing special double episode of Border Patrol and Sea Patrol) .
Will he call the election? Will he run? The anticipation is killing me.
From an American perspective, it’s crazy to watch the whole thing play out in the media. We pick our leaders so early and are locked in to them; it’d be like Democrats saying to John Kerry in late-September 2004, ‘Look, we don’t think you can win. Let John Edwards have a go.’ The Age today is reporting that even Downer might be against him - he was the guy who’ll ‘give Howard the tap on the shoulder’ if need be.
Man, even the terminology is great! The entire dramatic political process involved in selecting a PM that can successfully build the largest coalition is displayed as a casual, ‘Look, mate…’ And Howard has said that he’d have to be ‘blasted’ from the PMship.
But I mean, maybe they’re just trying to throw Rudd, who’d be PM in a Labor Government, off balance, refusing to give him a clear enemy to fight. Maybe this is the stunt. Howard emerges as the strife-torn battler? Seems like a bad move that would just vilify guys like Downer more (and really, they’re doing fine on their own).
Moving here was the best idea ever - now I get elections in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
I can’t handle the suspense! I have to go to class!
PM stares down revolt [Age]
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