When Rudd is right, we have a problem
IF Kevin Rudd looks like the most balanced former Prime Minister then we really do have a problem in this country, writes Miranda Devine. Time for a Bex and good lie down.
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THERE are some people so addicted to Turnbull-bashing that they can’t let go of the sport, even though the ex-PM quit parliament six weeks ago.
He even quit the country, domiciled temporarily in Manhattan, the oddly preferred post-coup locale of two of his three predecessors, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.
The spittle-flecked rage has had little to feed off until a recording of a talk Malcolm Turnbull gave to a young leadership group in New York was broadcast by Channel Nine this week, about the same time as he put his Canberra penthouse on the market and ditched most of the followers on his Twitter account.
Turnbull told the youngsters, to much mirth, that he’d moved on: “When you stop being prime minister, that’s it.
“There is no way I’m going to be hanging around like an embittered Kevin Rudd or Tony Abbott — well, seriously, I mean, these people are just sort of like miserable, miserable ghosts.”
Cue outrage back home.
“Malcolm is a miserable, miserable ghost,” was a typical comment on social media.
“THIS BLOKE WOULD BE THE BIGGEST SOOK I’VE SEEN THIS YEAR,” was another.
“Malcolm was never a leader, showed his true colours when voted out just a big baby.”
“Even a ghost has more substance than Turnbull”
“Dirty maggoty cretin should be six feet under.”
“With every word he utters, he confirms why he was unworthy to be our PM.”
“What a sore loser Turnbull is. He was never deserving of being PM anyway!”
“You should keep your mouth shut turncoat because every time you open it you just confirm what an insect you really are.”
“I actually wonder if this guy has lost his marbles long ago, seems to have many personal issues”.
“He abandoned his constituents. He abandoned his party. He abandoned his nation… What a transparent grub he is.”
“What a sorry person he is. He deserves to go and be a ghost.”
“Mal has actually made Rudd look like a statesman!”
Speaking of which, Kevin Rudd had a shot back at Turnbull (the 29th Prime Minister) on Twitter.
“Dear Malcolm. A quick reality check on ‘miserable ghosts’: 1st, having told the world you’ve left politics behind, you seem to be in the media every day talking about it. 2nd, in case you didn’t notice, I left parliament for NYC 5 years ago. Why not come over for a cuppa?”
Actually, for an “embittered” “miserable, miserable ghost”, Rudd (Prime Minister 26A and B) sounds the most balanced of the lot.