then this clearly must be treated with the same political correctness. In the interests of balance and fair reporting of course! Brad : airy nosed wombat : 09 Feb 2010 3:38:24pm Untimately i feel a little sorry for Barnaby. He is kinda likeable in some respects. He just isn't very bright and lacking in insight. You can get away with being "good ole Barnaby" on the peripheries, but the spotlight is going to be very hard on him. And he is lining up against one of the governments best performers in Lindsay Tanner, whilst simultaneously drowning out one of the oppositions best assets in Joe Hockey. Ultimately, he is going to have to go to open up any chance of attack for the opposition on the government's finances. But i think it will be a bit of a car wreck on the way there. Marilyn : Alice : 09 Feb 2010 3:33:16pm I find it amusing that you use Hawke as a measure for Abbott. A heavy drinker and womaniser. Is there something you are not telling us? Point is Hawke had substance. Abbott's inconsistencies and contradictions make it impossible to know who the real Abbott is. So when you, as a former Liberal advisor attack Rudd's authenticity, and then ignore Abbott's it demonstrates the hypocrisy surrounding your opinion piece.. Wise cracking one liners, playing the fool and acting the part of a 'man's man',is not enough. Barnaby is just a reflection of Abbott's way out there ideas which he