Tony Abbott; Proving that politics isn't just about being trustworthy

On the day of his appointment as leader of a struggling Coalition, one could be forgiven for thinking that Tony Abbott would be a direct, straightforward and focused leader, capable of steering the Liberals through the turbulent waters of a talent vaccuum. However, this perception can be seen to have ran aground on the rocks of trepidation, recently, with Abbott's experimental form of presenting a strong leadership alternative; weak minded incompetence, failing to appeal. I'm struggling to work out why too.

When you see Rudd's answer to his numerous policy backflips and broken promises, it becomes clear that Labor are in a serious slump, with popular opinion. What could he say? He did what every textbook politician would do: use language with implications that are inversely proportionate to his mood (address Kerry as 'mate' while you indignantly tell him why he could be seen to be wrong) and limit your losses. Based on his recent performance, this is not how our closet maverick does it. When you're Tony Abbott, you take a cigarette lighter to the textbook, get out your 16th century printing press (Abbott probably doesn't believe in laptops) and write your own.

Who said you had to save face and make apologetic excuses to the Australian people, why not make it their fault for not picking up on the fact that you were exaggerating and can't be taken seriously when you're not scripted. If we extrapolate upon this mantra of Abbott's what do we get? Scripted daily conversations? Certainly. "Uh, son, ah, can you, umm, take the rubbish out for, ah, collection", to which his son can respond promptly, safe in the knowledge that this instruction was not made in the heat of daily household conversation, but rather well thought out and spoken accurately.

Abbott's new method is extremely interesting indeed: do away with appearing credible in off the cuff comments altogether, by admitting yourself that in unscripted circumstances, nothing that you say has any founding nor any bearing on what you may do in future. Someone would want to shut this guy up before he gives away all the secrets in political speech techniques and ruins it for every politician devoid of integrity. Or maybe he's saying that integrity should only be used in specific circumstances rather than implicitly. The word 'maverick' comes to mind.

Perhaps the bottom line is that Abbott didn't think out his response to O'Brien's questions very carefully. But why should we have the right to scrutinise his lack of trustworthiness in general conversation, all he wants to do is run the country, let him think up his next sentence in peace.

-W