Bishop in box seat for PM with Lib deputy sounding like leadership challengers of yore
A journalist in Jerusalem hits Malcolm Turnbull with the big question, yesterday:
Do you ever feel you’ve had enough? You’d just like to — it’s all been too much? You’ve just had enough of the whole political scene?
Don’t worry, Prime Minister. Your job back home is already filled. Stay in the Holy Land and put your feet up. Graham Richardson in The Australian, Monday:
In the minds of voters, Turnbull is finished. Nobody, it seems, has the guts to declare him on. Come on, Julie (Bishop), how big is your heart?
Bishop is being very coy. The Acting Prime Minister on the ABC’s 7.30, Monday night:
I’m very happy with my role as Foreign Minister. I have much to do as Foreign Minister and I’m very happy in my role.
Foreign minister Kevin Rudd said something very similar outside a Sydney restaurant. Comments reported by Samantha Maiden in The Sunday Telegraph, April 10, 2011:
I am very, very happy being the foreign minister of Australia. I’ve got time to do stuff now …
Rudd had all that spare time to plot his prime minister’s political demise. The Australian, June 30, 2013:
After a dramatic day of political brinkmanship, Mr Rudd won back the leadership almost exactly three years after he was toppled as prime minister, securing 57 votes in the Labor caucus to Julia Gillard’s 45.
Bishop continues on 7.30, Monday:
Malcolm Turnbull will be leading the Coalition to the next election.
What’s the word of an ambitious foreign minister worth these days? Rudd in Canberra, February 1, 2012:
Journalist: Does she (Julia Gillard) continue to enjoy your full support?
Rudd: … The answer to your question, which you’ve just asked, is of course.
You’re being too cute by half, Julie. The Liberal Party’s other leading lady, Peta Credlin, on Sky News, Monday night:
Julie Bishop will absolutely make of her opportunity to be front and centre and showcase her political nous …
By the way, Turnbull says everything’s fine. Jerusalem, yesterday:
I have never had more fun in my life. Thank you very much.
Such fun. The Australian, Monday:
Malcolm Turnbull has taken a thumping from voters … with the government trailing Labor by 46 to 54 per cent as it fights a by-election to hold its majority.
Rudd himself doesn’t care much for Aussie politics now. The former prime minister on the ABC’s Q&A, Monday night:
Well, fortunately, I live out of the country. I don’t really know …
Oh, you don’t spend much time in Australia, Kevin? Q&A, Monday:
I’m the president of a think tank in New York.
A think tank? In America? Oh la la. Rudd on Q&A, continued:
I’m the president of an independent, not-for-profit American think tank.
We Aussie mortals are so lucky you’ve come all the way from New York to see us. Q&A, again:
I came back into the country this week …
Bill Shorten hopes Rudd doesn’t come back Down Under any time soon. Rudd on Q&A, one more time:
Shorten, who was part of the original assassination squad …