‘Unbelievable’ footage of Anthony Albanese copying speech from film resurfaces
The most humiliating moment of Anthony Albanese’s political career is being recirculated as the election campaign gets underway.
The election campaign is only a day old and already Anthony Albanese is learning the stakes have been raised.
The Opposition leader can expect everything he has ever said or done in his political career to be gone over with a fine-tooth comb as he attempts to take down Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
On Sunday night footage of perhaps Mr Albanese’s most humiliating moment resurfaced — and if you’ve never seen it prepare for a belly laugh.
Back in 2012, the Member for Grayndler gave a speech to the National Press Club about the agenda of the then-Labor Government when his Liberal rivals noticed some familiar lines.
As Mr Albanese took shots at then Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, it became embarrassing clear his script writer had pinched some lines from the 1995 romantic comedy The American President starring Michael Douglas.
“In Australia we have serious challenges to solve and we need serious people to solve them,” Albanese said.
“Unfortunately, Tony Abbott is not the least bit interested in fixing anything. He is only interested in two things: making Australians afraid of it and telling them who’s to blame for it.’’
It was almost word perfect to this line from Douglas’ character President Andrew Shepherd.
“We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious men to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, Bob Rumson (played by Richard Dreyfuss) is not the least bit interested in solving it.
“He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who’s to blame for it.”
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The Liberals pounced before the day was out, sending out a press release headed “Albo, you’re no Michael Douglas”.
“Labor is now so unoriginal and devoid of ideas that the best Albo could do was to plagiarise his attack lines directly from an American movie,’’ Liberal federal director Brian Loughnane said.
“Taking lines from a romantic comedy and swapping some names around is really quite embarrassing for an Australian cabinet minister addressing the National Press Club,” added Christopher Pyne.
Mr Albanese, who reportedly did not know the material prepared for him came from the film, cut his losses and tweeted: “D’oh! Stuff up (for the record, that comes from another great American, Homer Simpson).”
The vision was shared on Instagram by Australian basketball legend Andrew Bogut on Sunday night and quickly went viral.
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“That’s actually unbelievable,” commented TV personality Tania Zaetta.
“Hahaha you can’t make this s*** up,” added Bill Goldsmith.
Let the games begin.
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