Here we go again. Back to the ALP’s old habit of running down the own country and it has only taken them eighteen months to get started. Rudd’s desperate attempts to appeal to every audience is well known. Like a classic Cleon styled demagogue, Rudd will say whatever he feels he needs to say in order to be loved by his audience. Gerard Henderson:
Over time political spin loses its clout. The democratic leaders who make an impact are rarely loved while in office and demonstrate little sensitivity to criticism. In the past, Rudd had adapted his persona to meet new challenges. There is unfinished business here.
As a small example of Rudd’s everyone man tendencies – this is what he had to say to a gathering of Italians in Australia before his trip to Italy:
HAYDEN COOPER: At a fundraiser for earthquake victims, Kevin Rudd even admitted that his own country falls short in comparison to Italy.
KEVIN RUDD, PRIME MINISTER: The most beautiful country on Earth.
I wonder what Tourism Australia or the Minister for Tourism would say in response to Rudd’s claim? I can just see the Italians running a great tourism advertisement in Australia quoting or own PM about Italy. One could never imagine Howard saying such a thing, and it probably indicates that Labor in opposition never lost its love hate relationship with the country. By the time Paul Keating left office he had made running down Australia a party trick to amuse and win over Labor party faithful, the Canberra Press gallery and associated mandarins. Looks like Rudd intends to continue this ALP tradition.