Posted on 03/01/2007 9:35:04 PM PST by naturalman1975
TODAY, John Howard has been Prime Minister of Australia for 11 years. In about three weeks he will become, at 67 years and nine months, Australia's second-oldest serving prime minister.
These two facts are of a piece with Labor's plan to run former ABC presenter and journalist Maxine McKew against Howard in his Sydney seat of Bennelong.
There is a perceived benefit for the ALP nationally to run a younger, female, high-profile and personable candidate in Bennelong, one who will magnify and broadcast the messages from a local seat campaign at a federal level.
McKew's contest with Howard will not be just about Bennelong but will add another facet and personality to the national campaign against Howard being run by the Labor team of Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Wayne Swan and Peter Garrett. As a yet-to-be elected Labor MP McKew will, like AWU boss Bill Shorten, get disproportionate national media coverage, which will assist Labor to cover the shortage of talent in its elected team.
If McKew had run in another marginal seat against a lesser Liberal light the publicity and her ability to carry a national message in the campaign would have been muted. A contest in the western suburbs of Sydney may have given McKew a better chance of winning a seat, but it wouldn't have been given the prominence Bennelong will be afforded.
Nor would the message of a younger, fresher team being pitted against a long-term government led by the oldest prime minister since Robert Menzies (who retired at the age of 71 years and one month) have been as stark.
Labor promotes and highlights Howard's age at every opportunity.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
Hey I got question NM how John Howard doing in the polls right now
I seem to remember a certain U.S. president who had to deal with similar age-related comments.
Let's hope that the outcome is equally happy. Of course, I don't know the electoral process of Australia. Are there term limits, or is it based on party control?
John Howard has more spunk and venom than most people half of his age. I probably admire him more than any other on the world stage.
And oh yeah, the Aussie economy ain't doing all that bad, either.
I spellchecked and corrected the typos, and it posted it that way anyway. Oh, well, it's the thought that counts. :)
He took time out of his busy schedule to b***hslap Demo little b***h Osmara Barek
No term limits. Basically the Prime Minister can remain in office as long as his party (or the coalition in this case) has a majority in Parliament, and wants him there, if that is what he chooses to do.
Howard has been in office eleven years as of today. That makes him easily the second longest serving Prime Minister, but the record is held by Sir Robert Menzies who served eighteen and a half years.
Not so great. My understanding is that Rudd and Labor have about a 10 point lead nationally over Howard. But the elections aren't likely for a while, and Howard has a knack for political survival.
Yes, and Rudd has had a few bad days that are exposing how inexperienced he is. No new polls though to say if that's changed anything.
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