Michael Kroger on Alan Jones 2GB this morning, said that both Rudd and Gillard would struggle to make parliamentary secretaries in a Hawke-Keating government. Graham Richardson didn’t disagree with the comment during the same interview. Kroger is predicting a third candidate, as I have been predicting as well. Both Rudd and Gillard are duds. If the ALP persist with both of them, then ALP as a political brand will be dead across the country. The ALP have lost NSW, Victoria, WA and are about to lose QLD and are behind in the polls in TAS and NT. The ALP have also been behind on 2PP in SA, but because of a electoral gerrymander the ALP remain in government.

Tony Abbott said this morning, “this is the best country in the world with the worst possible government ‘, or words to that effect. The whole situation is ridiculous. Some people may not like Tony Abbott, but unlike Ruddllard Abbott is a competent grown up.

UPDATE

Alan Jones was also banging on again about coal seam gas. The Australian had an editorial that was not too kind to Jones’ anti-CSG stance. I think we need food security but we also need energy security and I don’t see the two as necessarily being mutually exclusive.

MORE

Rudd is shocked that he is publicly getting a taste of his own medicine from Crean, Swan, Burke, Conroy, Roxon, et al….

Pretty remarkable that senior ALP colleagues are criticising Rudd so openly and harshly. Rudd detailed all the issues that he was rolled on by Gillard, including the green car fund and HECS breaks for hard science and engineering students.

Interesting Martin Ferguson has kept his head down. If Rudd wins a ballot, which seems unlikely, I don’t know how the ALP could rally around Rudd after all the personal attacks against him by so many senior ALP colleagues. We are also getting a small open glimpse into how dysfunctional the ALP have been behind closed doors.

Chris Uhlmann on ABC 24 just described Abbott as the most effective opposition leader in Australian history! Abbott just needs to call for an election to let the people sort out the mess and contrast himself with the immature ALP mess.

A good deal of tooting in the background during Gillard’s press conference. Gillard talking about courage and personal strength during adversity. Well, she showed none when she stab Rudd in the back to seize the leadership in 2010. And then there are all the lies she told because she was unwilling to tell the truth during the election to allow people to make their own judgement.

I have more or less reached the conclusion that Gillard is just not that bright. Does she seriously think anyone honestly believes her spin? She seems incapable of communicating with the public in a mature and honest fashion.

Gillard claims Rudd sabotaged the 2010 election. Sabotage because someone in the ALP told the truth.

Gillard telling us all the good work she did as a minister. Uh um…like the education ‘revolution’, Fair Work Australia, illegal immigration reform that has led to the deaths of hundreds of people….? Gee…then there are the lies told about the carbon and mining tax and pokie reform. She even managed to get Bob Brown offside over promised forestry reform that have never materialised. She destroyed the live cattle trade. Then there are the crazy election promises she made like the citizens assembly, cash for clunkers programme, etc… I could go on and on about how hopeless she has been as both minister and as PM.

OTHER

Bowen has come out in support of Rudd. No surprises given the way Gillard steamed rolled him on offering Abbott Nauru in return for supporting East Timor.

“I’m encouraging him to run,” the Immigration Minister told ABC TV today.

“I think that would be the best thing for the Labor party. I do believe Kevin Rudd has a lot to continue to offer.”

Mr Bowen also took aim at critics of Mr Rudd, saying they were trashing the reputation of the former prime minister who deserved to be able to put his case to return to the leadership “with respect”.

Kim Carr and Martin Ferguson have come out in support for Rudd:

The Manufacturing Minister, who was demoted in a Cabinet reshuffle in December, says Mr Rudd is the victim of a “campaign of vilification” by senior members of the Government.

Senator Carr has indicated he has also been threatened with retribution for his support of the former prime minister.

“I’m not going to be intimidated,” he told ABC Radio’s The World Today.

Robert McClelland has also endorsed Rudd. The ALP is very much publicly divided.

Kevin or Julia, it is still Ruddllard. Nothing changes, the policies are still the same and the lies remain:

ONE way or another the choice will now have to be made. Between Australia’s worst-ever prime minister and our second worst.

But whichever one emerges in the job next week, he or she will still be presiding over a disastrously inept government in an utterly dysfunctional parliament.

A lot of good could come of this in-fighting.

The ALP tearing itself apart may help precipitate an early election. Rudd’s resignation as minister will only make things worse for the ALP, since he will be free to speak out. If Rudd loses a ballot, which seems likely, he may retire early and force a by-election. I can’t imagine Rudd would stick around to serve out his full term. The ALP forced him to resign as PM when the ALP primary vote was at 40 per cent. Under Gillard it regularly falls below 30 per cent, yet she looks set to stay on. Winning a by-election would be a challenge for Gillard while a Coalition victory would help build momentum.

Rudd’s memoirs, as short and incoherent as they are likely to be, will make for juicy reading. Rudd could even become a Latham figure; an angry outcast minus the taxi and Hungary Jacks fighting. There is still hope.