Borrowed from Cracker-

But hows this for a bit of fun.?


Dispirited Coalition figures, including ministers, are conceding the government has all but lost the election.

They are also incredulous that some senior Liberals are already, apparently, jockeying for the spoils of opposition and actively plotting leadership scenarios that are predicated on a resounding Coalition loss.

Some Liberals, especially loyalists of Treasurer Peter Costello, have been scathing about Malcolm Turnbull’s belated move to mitigate against Labor’s environmental credentials by lobbying his Cabinet colleagues to ratify the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.

The move was revealed in The Australian Financial Review on Saturday.

But others – including some who maintain Costello "rolled over" to John Howard by refusing to push the prime minister on climate change years ago when such a move was still "politically credible" – support Turnbull because ratification could help save his seat of Wentworth.

"More than a few think it would be good to have a wider range of contenders post-Howard if, as we all, let’s face it, expect now (there’s a Coalition) loss," a senior Liberal told The Bulletin.

"That means having Malcom around, so that’s (Turnbull’s Kyoto posturing) good . . . Costello is dreaming if he thinks he’ll get it (the leadership) uncontested, win or lose – more likely lose. There’s an awareness he’s a big part of the problem and renewal would be absolutely essential."

A Liberal minister said: "Cossie (Costello) could have had it (the leadership) given to him six weeks ago when the PM blinked. (That) can’t and won’t happen again. Even if Howard loses his seat, the party will make Costello work (for it)."

Asked if the Coalition was dead, the minister said: "Yeah, I think we are pretty dead. Unless he (opposition leader Kevin Rudd) makes a huge f**k-up. I doubt it."

Another senior Liberal said it was "ridiculous" that the party hierarchy was telling MPs that support in the marginal seats was "holding up" when all the publicly available research suggested the Coalition was "completely f**ked".

"These people, some ministers and Howard, are telling us the best case scenario is that we get 49% of the vote and win by one or two seats," the senior Liberal said.

"That’s the best case? They think we’re mushrooms – we know what’s going on out there."

Less than four weeks out from polling day, much can still happen.

There is still time for Rudd-Labor to implode.

Certainly, Rudd wants to stop grinning.

But more than a few Liberals are readying to hoist the white flag.

They are realistic. Politics is, of course, as much about planning for defeat as victory.

But first things must come first.

And that’s where the recriminations start.


http://thebulletinelection.ninemsn.com.au/paul_daley_national_affairs_editor.htm

Also posted in Cracker-


For no other reason than to pi$$ off the control freaks: (good one Amadd:) )

By Erin Tennant
ninemsn

The Australian Labor Party will romp to a landslide victory at the coming election, and Prime Minister John Howard will lose the seat of Bennelong, a ninemsn poll shows.

Ninemsn's Passion Pulse, the largest election poll of the 2007 campaign, forecasts an electoral bloodbath for the Coalition, including a loss in Wentworth, the seat held by Malcolm Turnbull.

After surveying more than 50,000 voters, ninemsn can reveal that as many as 20 seats will swing to the Opposition, leaving the ALP with at least 81 seats in the Lower House.

Among those is Bennelong — the seat Mr Howard has held since 1974 — set to fall to Labor's star recruit Maxine McKew in a 6.9 percent swing.

more here--


http://news.ninemsn.com.au/minisite/election_article.aspx?id=312287&sectionid=60...