THE new Oz PM and his good wife managed to appear in glowing colour on a number of US-based internet sites yesterday. But it may take Mr Rudd some time to replace the Little Aussie Battler image in the American psyche.
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MR Rudd’s opposition to the Oz presence in Iraq seems certain to distance him from Mr Bush. It’s interesting to watch the steady erosion of support for the American leader’s Iraq policies; Tony Blair has retired as UK leader and John Howard no longer leads what had become one of Mr Bush’s staunchest allies.
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EVEN Mr Blair’s successor as UK PM George Brown appears to be losing his grip on that country’s prime ministership; alarmingly from the Bush point of view, a third party once famously known as the Liberals in the UK seems to be gaining strength daily.
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NOW there’s a phenomenon not well understood by the Americans – the possibility of a long established political party once again leading a nation, side-lining two others that have played badminton with political power for three quarters of a century. Its long been a case of Republicans or Democrats leading the States, with no third party mounting a realistic challenge.
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THEN there is the coming US elections that might well see the whole American policy towards the Middle East change dramatically. What’s in store for us all? Will perfume waft through the air of the Oval Office as President Hilary holds the future of the globe in her well-manicured hands? Or will that famous room host a Giuliani or an Obama?
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WE do regret the following error in The National yesterday: we very much doubt that the Duke of Gloucester will be unleashing a “plague” upon an unwary East Sepik when he visits Wewak on Thursday. The plaque he will unveil is in memory of those who fought and died in the Pacific theatre of WWII.
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AND in answer to the endless stream of callers grumbling about the déjà vu nature of yesterday’s comics page – our humblest apologies. When will MJ see through … shudder … Kraven? And what’s on the menu tonight at Le Cesspool …? Catch!
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– Dee Nesenolis