Just a quick one as I have a brain-freezing writer’s block and shooting pains across my foot and can’t stop whinging, but I wonder who at The Age gives politicians their identifying prefixes for news stories. Bill Shorten must’ve paid a few dollars for this beauty:
Labor factional warlord Bill Shorten has admitted he urged Julia Gillard to challenge Kevin Rudd for the prime ministership last week.
The federal parliamentary secretary from the ALP’s powerful Victorian right faction said he made the approach last Wednesday.
“I did speak to the then deputy prime minister and say she should think about this,” Mr Shorten told ABC Television’s Q&A program last night.
“She gave it a great deal of serious reflection.”
I want to be a factional warlord, but I don’t want to be a Labor factional warlord who crows about playing the part in a routing well *after* the event just to grandstand and look like a master power player. I want to be a classier factional warlord than that.
Crank-o-meter: just garden variety cranky
I do think the imagery in all this is interesting. From media & academic commentators we hear Stalinist / Nazi echos (at least they can report and discuss events in this country) and Mediaeval / SciFi / Fantasy labels.
I must admit that every time I see Mr Shorten I find myself speculating who will play him on the big screen? Tom Hanks?
How is the foot?
Interesting take, The Cat’s Mother. And you reminded me of when Bill Shorten was involved in the Beaconsfield mine disaster because he was lauded like a messiah and white knight at times! It could only be Tom Hanks to play the hardarse union boss turned pollie with the public heart of gold *laughs*.
The foot has been naughty, but finally worked out it swells quite a lot at night and I need to re-wrap the bandages more loosely. Much better. If all goes well, I’ll be moon boot-free in a week!!!
It was during the Beaconsfield saga that the casting question first arose. I’m trying to recall who were the other “stars” I had cast at the time.
Glad to hear the foot is getting better. (Remember: I did question the “gout” diagnosis!)
That’s not a bad game! How about Eddie McGuire played by Tom Cruise. Who would play poor old Richard Carleton? Who would want to play Naomi Robson? *giggles*
I remember you questioning the gout diagnosis! The funny thing is I stopped taking my gout pills and I’ve never had an attack that I know of. Strange.
“Who would want to play Naomi Robson? *giggles*”
Nicole Kidman!
Ricahrd Carlton?
Ed O’Neill – because it needs a yank. Him or Anthony Lapaglia if u need a Aussie/yank.
Playing toe-ball with anyone yet?
Glad zee foot iz gettink better. I’m so over politics!
Nicole Kidman for Naomi? Geeze, there’d be some serious hair and make-up transformations going on! But the catch-cry could be “Our Nicole plays Our Naomi.” Ed O’Neill would sail into the Richard Carleton part!
I’m glad you’re all housemoved, Fen! My big day is Wednesday when hopefully the surgeon prounces my foot bionic and I can take all the dressings and moon sandal off *fingers crossed*.
I just want to do a little shout-out to ThePurpleOwl, who was offered an awesome new job this week — rock on! She addressed selection criteria until her eyeballs were bleeding and fronted a panel of people who didn’t really seem to know the specifics of the job they were recruiting. Congratulations! The next chocolate fix is on me!
Of course, our Naomi could still play our Naomi.
After all, Tracy Grimshaw did a voice for Shark’s Tale.
And Naomi has been known to front a camera quite nicely before.
Or Tracy Grimshaw could play Naomi, like she does on that awful TV show at 6.30pm (if she’s still on it).