Aug 27
Sure, election night 2010 was interesting enough and the ABC’s coverage was perfectly adequate … but in the absence of a result, this is all I was able to take out of it:
Now, something a little different. Faceless Groupthink powerbroker Campbell emailed me his interpretation of ABC News 24′s Michael Rowland during the week — and since there’s no way I’d be able to top it, here it is:
See you next in Bob Katter’s Australia.
May 13
Last night’s terse conversation between Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and 7.30 Report host Kerry O’Brien had many pundits conclude that the pressure is getting to the PM and what we saw was a meltdown comparible with that of former Labor leader Mark Latham.
To quote Lindsay Tanner, “if that was a meltdown you should see my three-year-old daughter”.
What we saw was not the real meltdown but a carefully edited version of a tirade by the PM which went to air. In a Groupthink Exclusive, we have obtained a transcript of the unedited exchange between Mr Rudd and Kerry O’Brien on ETS reversal, which makes for interesting reading.
You decide if indeed the Prime Minister has had a meltdown (contains course language).
KERRY O’BRIEN: I said brand Rudd, you said the Government. I’m talking about Kevin Rudd, I’m talking about your image, your credibility, your brand.
Whether some of those that appear to have been lost to you this year come back before the next election, or not, do you understand why so many people have turned against you now, Kevin Rudd, not just the Government, Kevin Rudd, and do you accept that they have judged your leadership and found you wanting?
KEVIN RUDD: Kerry, that is a question which, um, you should, um, put to other folk, political commentators like that pisshead Milne and the rest. My job is to get on with the business of …
KERRY O’BRIEN: No, I’m putting it to you…
KEVIN RUDD: …no, no…fuck off!
KERRY O’BRIEN: …because you can’t possibly suggest that this does not exercise your mind at all, that you are so focused, you’re so focused on Government that you’re not concerned about whether you’re losing support going into the next election?
KEVIN RUDD: I’d expect that sort of fuckin shit from a ranga! Kerry, look I’m human like anyone else and of course you’d, um. be, um, um, if you weren’t affected by developments from time to time, that’s just the truth of it. This business sucks shit at the best of time and the Australian public are a bunch of ungrateful cunts …