The whiff of nuclear annihilation brings us together

Bill Shorten yesterday:

Journalist: Can we start off with this letter that you’d like the PM to co-sign on the same-sex marriage vote?

Shorten: … I invite Malcolm Turnbull to co-sign with me a letter to every Australian, stating that we both support marriage equality and encouraging every Australian to say “yes” to marriage equality.

Over on 3AW:

Neil Mitchell: Would you co-sign a letter with Bill Shorten urging people to vote yes?

Malcolm Turnbull: ... Now this is typical of the way Shorten plays the politics of this, right. I have been a supporter of gay marriage much longer than him, for a start.

But they’ll always have Pyongyang. Shorten yesterday:

Australians should be reassured that on this matter of North Korea and our national security, the politics of Labor and Liberal are working absolutely together.

The other menace. Back to 3AW:

Turnbull: Australians expect their leaders to stick to their promises. You know, you’ve seen what happens to leaders who don’t.

Mitchell: Prime Minister, thank you very — so Tony Abbott?

Turnbull: Beg your pardon?

Mitchell: Is that Tony Abbott?

Turnbull: I’m sorry I didn’t …

Mitchell: What happens to leaders who don’t stick to their promises?

Turnbull: Oh look, I was thinking of Julia Gillard ...

Fair leather friend. Bonnie Malkin in the Guardian Australia yesterday:

(Tony) Abbott was photographed by the ABC leaning against his desk, eyes staring straight into the camera, a small smile playing on his lips, tight white T-shirt and crisp suit pants, the whole ensemble topped off by a jet black leather jacket.

Nine’s Today show yesterday:

Lisa Wilkinson: Can I just read you something that Michael McCormack, who is the minister in charge of this postal vote, once said about gay people: “A week never goes by any more that homosexuals and their sordid behaviour don’t become further entrenched in society. Unfortunately gays are here, and if the disease their unnatural acts helped spread doesn’t wipe out humanity, they’re here to stay.” Christopher, is this man fit to be put in charge of this postal vote when he is capable of comments like that?

Christopher Pyne: Well first of all, Michael is not the minister responsible for the plebiscite. The Special Minister of State Mathias Cormann is. Regardless of that, though, those comments are obviously unacceptable. …

McCormack yesterday:

I wrote (that) editorial nearly 25 years ago ... my views have changed quite significantly since the time of publication. I have grown and learnt not only to tolerate, but to accept all people regardless of their sexual orientation or any other trait or feature which makes each of us different and unique. I apologised wholeheartedly for the comments at the time and many times since, but I am making this statement to unreservedly apologise again today.

Unity ticket. The Hill yesterday:

More than 60 House Democrats are urging Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to rein in President Trump’s rhetoric on North Korea. “We write to express our profound concern over the statements made by President Trump that dramatically increased tensions with North Korea and raised the spectre of nuclear war,” the politicians wrote in a letter to Tillerson on Thursday.

Britain’s Telegraph in April 2016:

President Barack Obama delivered a stern warning to North Korea on Tuesday, reminding its “erratic” and “irresponsible” leader that America’s nuclear arsenal could “destroy” his country.