“Planet America” is probably the most objective political analysis programme we will see on the ABC. That is partly due to the fact that the subject is on the other side of the world. Australia, being incredibly remote before the jet age, having a tiny population, and as nothing ever happened here, is relegated to the position of a window on the world.

Using the prefix “Planet” for an individual, or for that matter, a country, originates as a negative, and refers to a perspective that floats around in space. This implies that Americans are unrealistic  and reflects an often expressed ridicule of the US from Australians who have never spent any illuminating amount of time there.

However, you could take it as a comparison of the size and complexity of the US as compared to Australia, which would be more generous, but not as self-congratulatory as the “spacey” put down.

For a moment I thought Chas was channeling Steve Irwin when  he said of Ramaswamy, he was building his brand “to Billy-oh.” But my observation would probably go over most heads.

It is a shame the ABC doesn't cover Australian politics with the same fairness. As an example of the ABCs bias, take the 7.30 report interview with Morrison just before the last election. Sarah Ferguson covered the main issues, but left it until the show was out of time to ask Morrison about Corruption in his government. He had about 15 seconds to reject the idea, yet Laborites had been blowing that trumpet for months. I don't know what effect it had on the election, but the Labor government is still hiding its inaction behind the NACC.