Bombshell: Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd Resigns, now for the Death Match..!

[jackovesk]

'Ugly' leadership saga over - PM

27th Feb 2012



JULIAR Gillard has received the strongest backing ever given to a leadership contender in the history of Labor and the vanquished Kevin Rudd has only mustered the most meagre support in the party's history.

Giving the lie to the inflated numbers the Rudd forces, the Caucus has plumped for Gillard by a winning margin more than two to one giving the former Foreign Minister support from just 30 per cent of his colleagues.

This is not a springboard for Rudd to fight another day and he would do well to adopt the kind of emphatic language used by former US President Lyndon Johnson who delivered a memorable ``will not seek and will not accept'' speech relinquishing any pretence to the leadership of his party.

The most amazing thing about this result is Rudd was unable to garner even one additional vote from where he was not just two weeks ago, but 20 months ago when he was dumped as Prime Minister.

It's been an ugly week, says Gillard.

JULIA Gillard admits the past week has been ugly and promises to now return the Australian people to centre stage after winning the ALP leadership ballot.

While Rudd's life is about to become both much quieter and lonlier, Gillard has a challenge of existential proportions. She needs to regroup and get back in control of her government's agenda.

Today's Newspoll, putting Labor in the best - but still losing - position it's been in for about six months, was welcome news for Labor and Gillard but this trend needs to be confirmed and improved upon if the Prime Minister is to feel entirely comfortable and safe.

Senior government figures geuinely believe she can do just that and, if she's given a few months of relatively clear air, she will be able to establish the authority and leadership credentials she has struggle to demonstrate since the August, 2010 election.

Certainly in the months ahead members of the federal Parliamentary Labor Party will be watching colleagues like hawks for any sign of leadership rumbling and corridor talk. There might be plenty of open wounds and some bruised egos among Labor MPs, but there is no stomach for a rerun of the events seen in the last 10 days.

The immediate task for the Prime Minister is to reshuffle her ministry, something she is likely to use caution and sensitivity in bringing about.

Despite some urging for a bold reshuffle, Gillard is likely to keep changes minimal and without a hint of payback or punishment for the handful of Rudd supporters.



http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/o...-1226282555680

PS - Nothings Changed...!

[Cjay]

I'm glad it's over for KRudd. What a circus!

Now let's see how long it takes for JuLIAR to commit political suicide or for her supporters to knife her in the back.

God, I hate politics!

[Cjay]

Some thoughts upon reflection...

The Labour Party is not doing a good job of running Australia and their poularity is at an all time low.
They are not running the country in the interests of the people, they are running the country DOWN.
The people are angry. VERY ANGRY.

The faceless men have a solution - dump Rudd and install the first ever Woman Prime Minister.
Yeah, that will distract the people from what is really going on.
The people are jubilant. Isn't this a wonderful country?!
Anything is possible. A poor migrant, lesbian communist can become leader in a freedom-loving democracy.
Reminds me of the initial rush of excitement when Obama became President of the United States.

Knowing Labour's popularity will decline further, JuLIAR calls an early election before it's too late.
In the closest election in the history of Australia, there is a "hung" parliament - that is, no clear majority.
Three Independents hold the balance of power. They are seduced by JuLIAR's team. JuLIAR forms government.

The Labour Party are only pretending to run the country as the Greens are really calling the shots.
JuLIAR breaks her election promise by announcing a tax on Carbon Dioxide emissions.
The people are OUTRAGED. Labour's popularity plummets to an all time low.

No reasonable person gives JuLIAR SHILLard a snowball's chance in hell of winning the next election.
The media have been baying for JuLIAR's blood for months.
When the general public are asked if they prefer Gillard or Rudd, they say they prefer Rudd.
Have the public really forgotton how bad Rudd was as Prime Minister? No. Rudd is the lesser of two evils.

Problem, reaction, solution.

Convince Kevie that it is in the best interests of the Party and the nation to sacrifice himself on the altar.
KRudd resigns.
KRudd challenges JuLIAR in a totally farcical, stage-managed challenge.
The Labour Party knows they would be worse off under Rudd's leadership. It would be seen as a backward step.
Had Rudd won, his honeymoon would not have been a celebration of his return but a celebration of getting rid of JuLIAR.
After Rudd's honeymoon period - 5 minutes - people would remember how bad Rudd was as Prime Minister.

Rudd predictably loses the challenge and JuLIAR is victorious.
No one predicted that JuLIAR would win by biggest margin in the history of the Labour Party.

WO-O-O-OAH NELLIE! Back up a bit.

The LEAST POULAR leader wins by the BIGGEST MARGIN in the history of the Labour Party.

Chew on that for a minute. Do not swallow it. You WILL choke.

I am now convinced, more than ever, that the entire media circus was pre-planned and carefully stage-managed from start to finish.
There is no democracy in the Labour Party.
There is only a smoking skeleton of democracy in Australia.

This is what THEY (the PTW) think of Democracy:




This is what WE think of the PTW: