Watching Question Time, one of my favourite parts has been the back and forth banter between the two men of numbers, Treasurer Peter Costello and Shadow Treasurer Wayne Swan. When I first started to take notice Wayne Swan was jibbing Costello about the dinner he had with some press gallery journalists three years ago (see my previous post)
Yesterday, however, Mr Swan was having a go at the Treasurer for not giving the Prime Minister his public backing. In response, the Treasurer brought up the point that Mr Swan didn't back Mr Rudd when voting for the new Labour leader. I believe there were a few rooster calls in there somewhere as well...
It just became obvious to me that Question Time isn't a space to get any real answers (it's not called Answer Time)... it's more of an arena for politician to try to bring up dirt on their opponent and see how well that opponent can swing it back round on the person who asked the question in the first place.
From my point of view Mr Costello is much better at this than Mr Swan (this is probably due to the fact that the Treasurer has had more experience). It's actually quite a good example for budding PR professionals, to see how the big fish play the game. It reminds me of the film Thank You For Smoking... As Nick Naylor says in the film, "Michael Jordan plays ball. Charles Manson kills people. I talk. Everyone has a talent."
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
All that meat seems to have gone to his head...
As John Howard introduced George W Bush at this morning's press conference, Mr Bush announced, "I'm looking forward to you buying me lunch... I like meat". Now, is that John Howard buying lunch or the Australian tax payer?? Hmm...
I'm quite sure Mr Bush does like meat - coming from Texas and all. It just seems that all that meat has gone to his head... He seemed quite convincing in his opening address; obviously, it was clearly scripted and pre-rehearsed. The US President actually made sense and I could actually follow his train of thought. Yet when the floor was opened up to questions, a large porterhouse must have plonked itself firmly upon Mr Bush's brain. I couldn't follow anything he was saying! He'd begin to answer the question and then jump to another thought, while in the middle of the previous thought. In answering Mark Riley's question, Mr Bush began to talk about not pre-empting the results of the Federal election by saying, "I don't trust the Australian people", was that meant to be "I don't want to misjudge the Australian people"...?? In responding to claims the Chinese government hacked into the Pentagon, Mr Bush said that the relationship with China was complex, yet open and candid... and then there was tension and mistrust... and that he wanted the Chinese to spend more... but then trade levels with China have increased dramatically.
This kind of meat head dialect seems to be contagious, because as I read my above paragraph I can't even decipher my observations of the US President...
It is quite amusing to note that George Bush brought with him 650 support staff - including a chef! Why? He's staying at one of Sydney's top hotels! The Australian tax payers are paying good money for him to receive 5-Star service and he brings his own bloody chef! Obviously he's a bit picky about how he takes his steak...
Any thoughts?
I'm quite sure Mr Bush does like meat - coming from Texas and all. It just seems that all that meat has gone to his head... He seemed quite convincing in his opening address; obviously, it was clearly scripted and pre-rehearsed. The US President actually made sense and I could actually follow his train of thought. Yet when the floor was opened up to questions, a large porterhouse must have plonked itself firmly upon Mr Bush's brain. I couldn't follow anything he was saying! He'd begin to answer the question and then jump to another thought, while in the middle of the previous thought. In answering Mark Riley's question, Mr Bush began to talk about not pre-empting the results of the Federal election by saying, "I don't trust the Australian people", was that meant to be "I don't want to misjudge the Australian people"...?? In responding to claims the Chinese government hacked into the Pentagon, Mr Bush said that the relationship with China was complex, yet open and candid... and then there was tension and mistrust... and that he wanted the Chinese to spend more... but then trade levels with China have increased dramatically.
This kind of meat head dialect seems to be contagious, because as I read my above paragraph I can't even decipher my observations of the US President...
It is quite amusing to note that George Bush brought with him 650 support staff - including a chef! Why? He's staying at one of Sydney's top hotels! The Australian tax payers are paying good money for him to receive 5-Star service and he brings his own bloody chef! Obviously he's a bit picky about how he takes his steak...
Any thoughts?
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