RubySoho
Winston
He's Not The Deputy Sheriff, He's A Very Naughty Boy!
April 5th 2008 02:45
by RubySoho
Kevin Rudd is apparently in hot water again. It seems every time the little fellow sets foot overseas he does something stupid, or so his political foes think. Cast your minds back to pre-election 2007 when the Liberal Government thought they had Kevin over a barrel by revealing- shock horror- that he had visited a strip club when in New York City. Obviously, the Liberals had forgotten that Australia is not the 51st State, and that we as a people are generally not all that hung up about sex and naked, writhing bodies.
So the Liberals make this exciting, and they think fatal, revelation only to have it backfire spectacularly in their faces. Rather than destroy Rudd’s popularity, it actually seemed to increase it, for two reasons. 1. It made Rudd seem like a normal, average bloke who likes his regular fix of porn and thus made him more popular with other blokes who suddenly wanted to have a beer with Kevin. 2. He admitted that he had already told his wife about the incident, which made him seem more honest than the average politician and thus more popular with the ladies.
And now, Canberra has its collective knickers in a twist over Rudd’s latest foray onto the world stage with both the Liberals and the Greens, in an unprecedented show of solidarity, criticising him for “saluting” George Bush. According to Sky News Rudd has been “caught on camera” saluting the US President in a gesture that “screams deputy sheriff”.
The deputy sheriff tag is of course a reference to the outcry that ensued when Bush called his lapdog, John Howard, our honourable (cough, cough, clear throat), ex PM his ‘deputy Sheriff “ in Asia Pacific.
Rudd laughed off the accusations at a press conference, claiming “it was just a joke. I was saying hi to the President of the United States”.
But Liberal Opposition leader Brendan “7% approval rating“ Nelson and Greens leader Bob “lynch Peter Garrett” Brown are not buying Rudd’s story. Nelson claimed that the salute was “conduct unbecoming of an Australian Prime Minister” and Brown piped in with “"There is a streak of John Howard's deputy sheriff in Kevin Rudd's slip-up...Mr Rudd's salute carried a subservient connotation many Australians won't like."
All I can say is come on people. This Kevin Rudd we’re talking about. The Ruddster. Kevin ’07. The bloke that men want to be mates with and women want to have, well the bloke men want to be mates with. It was a simple, playful salute. It’s not like he has pledged to join Bush in an illegal and unjust war. It’s not like he is allowing Bush to unlawfully and unjustly incarcerate an Australian citizen in an overseas torture chamber for six years without charge. Relax a little; take a chill pill, it was a joke. Maybe not a funny joke, but a joke nonetheless. Let's not crucify the guy just because he has a poor sense of humour. And I can't help thinking that this is just going to make the little geek even more popular with the little people. For every kid who has ever saluted his parents backs, every office schlepper who has ever wanted to salute their managing director, every waitress that has ever yearned to salute the customers who think they are the only table in the whole damn restaurant, this one's for you! It wasn't a gesture of servitude. Kevin was taking the piss.
I'm well impressed. Jesus, I'd have a beer with the bloke now and I might even pay.
But is anyone else as disturbed as I am by Brendan Nelson and Bob Brown actually agreeing on something? That freaks me out, way, way more than Rudd’s silly salute. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I just saw a flock of sows flying past my window...
All quotes and references from news.com.au
Really Long Link
I'm just riding it out deputy, just riding it out...
Kevin Rudd is apparently in hot water again. It seems every time the little fellow sets foot overseas he does something stupid, or so his political foes think. Cast your minds back to pre-election 2007 when the Liberal Government thought they had Kevin over a barrel by revealing- shock horror- that he had visited a strip club when in New York City. Obviously, the Liberals had forgotten that Australia is not the 51st State, and that we as a people are generally not all that hung up about sex and naked, writhing bodies.
So the Liberals make this exciting, and they think fatal, revelation only to have it backfire spectacularly in their faces. Rather than destroy Rudd’s popularity, it actually seemed to increase it, for two reasons. 1. It made Rudd seem like a normal, average bloke who likes his regular fix of porn and thus made him more popular with other blokes who suddenly wanted to have a beer with Kevin. 2. He admitted that he had already told his wife about the incident, which made him seem more honest than the average politician and thus more popular with the ladies.
And now, Canberra has its collective knickers in a twist over Rudd’s latest foray onto the world stage with both the Liberals and the Greens, in an unprecedented show of solidarity, criticising him for “saluting” George Bush. According to Sky News Rudd has been “caught on camera” saluting the US President in a gesture that “screams deputy sheriff”.
The deputy sheriff tag is of course a reference to the outcry that ensued when Bush called his lapdog, John Howard, our honourable (cough, cough, clear throat), ex PM his ‘deputy Sheriff “ in Asia Pacific.
Rudd laughed off the accusations at a press conference, claiming “it was just a joke. I was saying hi to the President of the United States”.
But Liberal Opposition leader Brendan “7% approval rating“ Nelson and Greens leader Bob “lynch Peter Garrett” Brown are not buying Rudd’s story. Nelson claimed that the salute was “conduct unbecoming of an Australian Prime Minister” and Brown piped in with “"There is a streak of John Howard's deputy sheriff in Kevin Rudd's slip-up...Mr Rudd's salute carried a subservient connotation many Australians won't like."
All I can say is come on people. This Kevin Rudd we’re talking about. The Ruddster. Kevin ’07. The bloke that men want to be mates with and women want to have, well the bloke men want to be mates with. It was a simple, playful salute. It’s not like he has pledged to join Bush in an illegal and unjust war. It’s not like he is allowing Bush to unlawfully and unjustly incarcerate an Australian citizen in an overseas torture chamber for six years without charge. Relax a little; take a chill pill, it was a joke. Maybe not a funny joke, but a joke nonetheless. Let's not crucify the guy just because he has a poor sense of humour. And I can't help thinking that this is just going to make the little geek even more popular with the little people. For every kid who has ever saluted his parents backs, every office schlepper who has ever wanted to salute their managing director, every waitress that has ever yearned to salute the customers who think they are the only table in the whole damn restaurant, this one's for you! It wasn't a gesture of servitude. Kevin was taking the piss.
I'm well impressed. Jesus, I'd have a beer with the bloke now and I might even pay.
But is anyone else as disturbed as I am by Brendan Nelson and Bob Brown actually agreeing on something? That freaks me out, way, way more than Rudd’s silly salute. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I just saw a flock of sows flying past my window...
All quotes and references from news.com.au
Really Long Link
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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Comment by Nomad
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Comment by Mountain Fog
I don't agree that Rudd is the same as the others, but in litmus test fashion, I am waiting to see what he does about the ludicrous and completely unnecessary 'terror laws', in fact, I wrote to him about that quite some time ago, and still no reply!
I may make a snail mail attempt, complete with dire warnings of losing my vote if he continues to ignore me....and I can just see how worried that will make them!
I think there is a lot more going on behind the scenes actually, particularly at the moment...regarding the welfare of the people of Earth, in the short term future.
However, as I continue to research that area, I am left wondering whether Rudd has a backbone at all.
However, we must remember, Howard pushed the idea that Australia is on the "world stage" and that the international community listens to what we have to say, and of course the media drooled over this self-aggrandizement, however, the reality is the rest of the world just never hears what we have to say...EVER!
Unless it is in a pre-packaged forum, (NATO like) but our voice still gets buried by the attention to all the real "world leaders". What reportage we see in Oz, of our 'fearless leader' overseas , is specific for Australia, that is not, or VERY rarely shown in other countries.
So let us grow up and see things the way they are!
We have to survive economically as best we can, while the BIG DOGS of commerce and war, carve out new "communities", new trading/military pacts of allegedly autonomous countries.
Look out everyone, Orwell may have been more soothsayer than novelist afterall.
cheers
fog
Comment by RubySoho
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I think the problem is they look kinda similar. I don't think Kev o Sev is our saviour but so far he has not annoyed or angered me the way Howard did. Early days, I know. We shall see...
Nomad- I'm with you, I think Kev was being sarcastic, that whole "I love you, you love me" farce in Washington, oh please, who really believed that? There's no way Bush can be pleased about the withdrawal from Iraq.
Fog- Thanks it was fun to write. I just think it's a big hoopla over nothing. As the eminently quotable Keating once said Australia is the arse end of the Earth. Who cares what we think about anything?
And yes, I too am waiting and watching Rudd. I don't think he is the same as Howard. Oh I'm not naive, I know he's not fabulous but we'll see.
Good luck with those letters.
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Comment by Mountain Fog
I mean, really, a baby salute, American style...please...actually, if Kevin had any wit, he would have used our proper military salute, flat underside of hand facing outwards, and it is to 'spring', once snapped to the forehead, like it is on a spring...small vibration for a second...umm...well I was in cadets at skeeewwwlll, so there you go.
By the way Ruby-licious, if Kevin 07 doesn't live up to our collective expectations, then we will have to rename him, KRUDD 08!
cheers
fog
Comment by Winston
Small Thoughts on Big Questions
I will say, though, that it appears your media/politicians are as bored as ours. Why should they bother to discuss a real issue when they can create one?
Comment by Mountain Fog
bugger all Down Under have a clue either!
besides, the nlightened ones down here all knwo the rest of the world could give a ruddy toss about Australia!
However, our own folk, really the majority, all they care about is footy, petrol and food prices and their mortgage, and frankly who could blame them?
I care about that stuff too, but what annoys me is, they can't be bothered trying to figure out "who, how and why" the financial system is being screwed.
The elite super-rich look like getting away with it yet again!
cheers
fog
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Winston, you have hit the nail on the head! No -one knows and no-one cares. Oh sure, bin Laden, gave us an inflated sense of self when he fleetingly condemned our participation in Iraq, and vaguely suggested we might be on his hit list. But even that didn't last long.
A gesture that "screams deputy sheriff''. Sigh. It ain't no Watergate or Haliburton.
Comment by Troy McNaughton
God's Advocate
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie... WE FUCKED UP!
Comment by RubySoho
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