Posted on 12/18/2004 2:44:06 PM PST by naturalman1975
On Tuesday, John Howard will become Australia's second longest serving prime minister, defying many critics.
The editor of the Sunday Herald Sun warns that some readers may be offended by the language quoted in this column.
"How on Earth could we have put this scheming, mendacious little man and his miserable claque back in office for another three years?... John Howard, master illusionist and toad of a human being."
Sydney Morning Herald columnist Alan Ramsey
So, sue me. I do like John Howard and am glad that on Tuesday he will beat Bob Hawke to become our second longest-serving prime minister. But I must admit the cheeriest part of his success has been to watch the fury of the vindictive, foul-mouthed tribalists who tend to hate him most.
"An unflushable turd."
Journalist Mungo MacCallum in his new book, Run Johnny Run
Gosh, how I've loved their impotent rage. How relieved I am that the candidate of such haters, whoever it may be, isn't prime minister instead. And I doubt I'm alone.
"Arselicker."
Labor leader Mark Latham
"Cold-hearted prick."
Aboriginal campaigner Michael Long
In fact, Howard's best trick has been to enrage just the right kind of people -- people whose vomitous hatred makes the fair-minded support him even more.
"(Howard has a) pre-fascist fetish to attack minorities."
Fairfax writer Margo Kingston
Howard wins not only by feeding off the contempt that many Australians feel for an elite that has done much to deserve it, but by making his fans feel good. It's fun work to rescue a little nerd who never bungs on airs from a pack of savages.
"(Howard's Government) runs on little else but prejudice."
Merchant banker and former Liberal leader John Hewson
And it's uncanny just how Howard's popularity soars when a certain class of people -- usually the intelligentsia, but always journalists -- attack him most.
"(He is) filled with bitterness and bigotry" and is "far and away the worst prime minister in living memory."
ABC star and Australian columnist Phillip Adams
Indeed, whenever the Great and Good huff up a new petition denouncing Howard and his works -- as they did over Pauline Hanson, the republic referendum, illegal boat people and Iraq -- you can bet the Prime Minister is wind surfing to another win.
"He will just be remembered as the prime minister who broke this nation's heart."
Australian Republican Movement boss Malcolm Turnbull, now a loyal Howard Government backbencher
More of this abuse will surely just put so much more wind in Howard's sails that he could be prime minister not for eight years and nine months, but something closer to Robert Menzies' 18 years.
"War criminal."
Former Liberal president and Not Happy John founder John Valder
Howard is famously suspicious of revealing himself, so I have no idea how tough he's found the extraordinary vilification he's had to endure, often from folk who think themselves moral. Did he, years ago, bleed?
"I said: 'Howard. You're a... You haven't got my support, you never will have'."
Victoria's then Opposition Leader, Jeff Kennett, in a 1987 phone call to Andrew Peacock, soon to replace Howard as Liberal leader.
He must have, yet I don't recall him ever wincing. Another thing to admire. But, just before the 2001 election, Howard did seem to give us a rare and brief peek under his bandages, when he told The Australian's Paul Kelly: "I am scorned by the elites and held in such disdain." Kelly claims he said that "almost proudly". Almost.
"He just doesn't like Asians."
Then Labor frontbencher Craig Emerson
Nevertheless, Howard knows that the applause of the cultural elite is barely worth having -- not because he hates elites, but because he'd have to make deadly compromises to please them.
"I call John Howard a fool."
Age celebrity cartoonist Michael Leunig, who drew Howard gloating over the killing of Iraqi children.
To win that applause, Howard would have to disown many of his firmest beliefs -- that multiculturalism had gone mad, America is our most important ally, it's not our fault terrorists hate us, the economy needs freeing up, we shouldn't gag dissenters and more.
"I can't imagine you'd find an artist anywhere saying, 'I love working under the Howard Government'."
Author and grant recipient Marion Halligan
It's an agenda Howard can't give up -- and many voters wouldn't want him to. And that's a key to his success -- in the end, Howard has gone for the support of the mass of anonymous Australians, rather than the elites who seem so often to despise and abuse them.
"What we have got is a dead carcass, swinging in the breeze, but nobody will cut it down to replace him."
Former Prime Minister Paul Keating, taunting then Opposition Leader Howard
And so Howard simply endures the insults, or, even better, triumphs by exploiting them in the most shameless way -- by never complaining and staying polite. That, too, I find admirable.
"The unkind might say he is the most successful liar in federal political history."
Financial Review writer Laura Tingle
Of course, his critics will say they simply call Howard as they see him -- a lying, small-minded bigot whose blunders cause every catastrophe from global warming to the Bali bombing.
"We are paying in blood for John Howard's arselicking, ignorance and xenophobic bigotry."
Labor speechwriter Bob Ellis
Strange, then, that so many voters still support such an evil man. But the violence of the abuse hurled at Howard suggests the problem doesn't lie in the Prime Minister, but in the hate-loving hearts of some of his worst critics, who often accuse him of the very sins they themselves display.
"A man with the heart of a caraway seed."
Sydney Morning Herald writer Mike Seccombe
This was demonstrated only last weekend when Clive Hamilton, head of the left-wing Australia Institute, told the Financial Review of his dreams. He wanted happy children, of course.
"(And I want to) dance on John Howard's grave: he's made Australia a more mean, selfish and vindictive nation. See, it's even affected me."
No, Clive, I think you were that way long before Howard became prime minister. That's what many voters sense in the Howard haters, and why they tend to shun them and the politicians they endorse. So hate Howard all you like -- it just makes him all the stronger.
At least not the arse part. ;-)
He is the mirror image of Bush in America. The intelligentsia and elitist hate them both...but the people love them.
LOLOLOL
..Do the Aussies have virulent Blue Staters?
Oh yes they do. The types like professional "fact investigators" aka journalists, intelligentsia, backpack travellers, or bureaucrats are such examples. They are evenly spread everywhere in Australia so they don't have obviously big blue metropolises and big red suburbia.
But general trends do exist. Sydney and its state, New South Wales (largest city in Australia and largest state in Australia), is moderate in leanings - the left party is by default in charge but it is the moderate Labor that governs and federally they vote Liberal Party there. Melbourne (second largest city) is liberal and thus Victoria is a blue state (it's not quite Upper West Side Manhattan or Santa Monica, but at least they do have their share of radical anti-globalization Seattle green-leftists/anarchists, and on daily politics the libs faction in the Labor Party are in charge - they are like Chicago, if not Boston, Democrats). Tasmania is deep blue (equivalent to Washington) but it is the smallest state in influence. Western Australia and Queensland (4th largest and 3rd largest respectively) are deep red - so red that will make it like a virtual hell on earth for fleeing American liberals. Not sure about South Australia (5th largest or second smallest state) though - many say it is another red state but it does elect Labor politicians frequently.
But overall, blue staters tend to be overshadowed by demographics in Australia.
Perth seems like a nice place, how are they politically ?
BTTT
Perth is definitely leaning conservative. In Australian states one large city dominates the whole state - Perth has around 78% of Western Australia's population and so it is impossible to have a blue large city for a red state.
And how are the women ?
No idea about this one mate. ;-) But many people often describe Perth as Australia's San Diego in terms of culture and lifestyle. I would guess it would be like Baywatch life over there. :-)
WOW, the left has gone completely nuts all over the world. What is going on that they are behaving in such a totally insane manner?
John Howard is a political survivor and for someone who outwardly seems so very unassuming and non-threatening this is a testimonial to his "man of steel" characterisation by President Bush.
Go Johnny Go!
FYI. See how our "rent-a-crowd" of nuts react to our Prime Minister. Sound familiar???
glad to hear. :)
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