Rudd Overtakes Howard as Preferred PM.

[Matilda]

The latest Newspoll, out today, has Kevin Rudd overtaking Howard as preferred PM, by 47% to 37%.
That's a good healthy margin.

Good news that Rudd continues to climb in the polls and he hasn't yet put a foot wrong, but of course
these figures aren't likely to hold coming into the election unless Howard trips over his own feet.

The economy is still Howard's strongest point, and it remains to be seen whether the bozoes out there
are going to vote for their mortgages again. Although Rudd is economically conservative, he hasn't
put his message out yet, and Howard's strength is that he's presided over an economic boom.

I think Rudd can do it, but this election is going to be a real cliffhanger I think, however it pans
out. My stomach already gets in a knot when I think about it.

[Esra Star]

1. John Howard defended his party's decision to get involved in the

Vietnam war. Now Kevin is rubbing his face in it at appropriate times.
I think eventually Mr Howard is going to have to back away from that position. Given that the Americans got their arse thoroughly kicked
in that little adventure.
The similarity to the Iraq debacle will become more obvious sooner
rather than later.
Go Kevvy.

[gemini_liberal]

2. This has got to have Howard upset

Although he'll probably dismiss this as an outlier, it's obvious what it means when the Coalition regains a little ground in the polls, yet the PM slips dramatically: that the Liberal's biggest liability is John Howard.

I know I have said this a couple of times here, but these conditions are similar to what Hawke and Thatcher were both facing in the early 90s - that is, becoming an unpopular leader of a party, ripe for a mutiny. While I'd like to see John Howard face the embarrassment of an election loss, the possibility of his Henchmen stabbing him in the back and throwing him in the trash is ever increasing...

[Violet_Crumble]

3. People couldn't be that stupid, could they?

The economy is still Howard's strongest point, and it remains to be seen whether the bozoes out there
are going to vote for their mortgages again.

He can't use the same 'Labor controls the interest rates' bullshit again, especially after a few interest rate hikes in the past few months. And they'd be doubly stupid if they haven't worked out that under WorkChoices, many of their rights in the workplace have been stripped from them...

I'm hoping Kevin Rudd can keep up the momentum and not let the poo-flinging that's so typical from the Liberals derail him. He was the correct choice for the leadership of the ALP and I'll be going back to voting for the ALP next election because of him...

[Matilda]

4. The personal insults are starting to fly.

That's not a bad sign - it means the Libs are rattled, and it's not really a good look for them.

From Howard yesterday about Rudd: "I think he's getting a bit full of himself".

From Downer: "...flouncing around like a celebrity".

Funny how conservaties always attack people instead of debating the issues. Howard has gagged debate
with Rudd on Iraq in Parliament, and refused to meet him in debate outside.