What the journos might say after November 10 2001
This is what might be expected of our leading
political journalists in the event, firstly, of
scenario 1: a very narrow
Coalition win, and scenario
2: a very narrow Labor victory.
Read what these journalists might say in each instance.
Paul Kelly
"This is the crucial point, Barrie: Howard has a
magnificent, instinctive affinity with the common man. He always has."
"This is the crucial point, Barrie: Howard's message
of voting for security in uncertain times failed to resonate with the voters.
His political antennae let him down. His so-called affinity with the common man
has always been overstated."
Denis Shanahan
"John Howard fought back, hard, and in doing so
secured a historic third term. If doubt existed before, none can now: Howard
is simply the most talented politician of his generation"
"Kim Beazley crashed through but he didn't crash.
His is the face of Australia for the
first decade of the millennium. Voters have resoundingly declared John Howard yesterday's man."
Laurie Oakes
"Labor was not ready to govern and was simply outclassed by the Government.
Labor has forgotten how to campaign, the Coalition has not."
"The Coalition was simply out-classed, and it
showed. Not only did they forget how to govern, they forgot how to campaign. Say
what you like about Labor, it never forgets this.
Glenn Milne
"The wily politician has been under-estimated yet
again. Once more the elites mis-read the man they love to hate. Labor was never
going to win, but let us not forget the
magnificent hugely underestimated contribution of Peter Costello, who put in an absolute
blinder."
"John Howard ran a frightful campaign; he looked
uncertain, fearful of the future, mean and tricky. By contrast Beazley had the
goods. Labor simply ran a superior campaign. The real disappointment, though,
was Peter Costello, who put in a sloppy, lazy
effort.
Alan Ramsey
"This was never in any doubt. Kim Beazley has
destroyed the ALP. They will now spend 6, if not 9, years in the
wilderness"
"The voters couldn't stomach Howard and Costello
for another three years. But Beazley just fell over the line. With Crean looking
over his shoulder, I can't see Beazley lasting out the year."
Michelle Grattan
"When the chips were down, the Australian people
voted for security over an untried, untested opposition. This has been a
textbook perfect campaign by the Coalition."
"When the chips were down, the Australian people
voted for the future. This was a textbook perfect campaign by the Labor."
Frank Devine
"Australians just won't vote for a party that is
patently not ready to govern. It's as simple as that"
"Our compulsory preferential voting system is
rotten to the core. It's as simple as that"
Fran Kelly
"In a time of crisis, the voters opted for the
devil they knew. It has always been thus."
"Voters showed they are not afraid of the future.
Australians embrace change, it has always been thus. "
Gerard Henderson
"I anticipated an outcome much like
this."
" I anticipated an outcome much like this."
Malcolm McGregor
"Privately, Labor strategists were saying in the
last week they feared this very outcome."
"Privately, Labor strategists were saying in the
last week they hoped for this very outcome."
Padraic P McGuinness
"Australia will continue to have the right to
repel from our shores those we deem undesirable. Despite their best efforts, the
"progressives" failed once again to get their agenda."
"By fitting Howard up as racist, their old play,
the ABC has managed to knock off two of its enemies (the other being, of
course, Jonathan Shier) in a
month. Prepare now for the rewriting of history. Hoaxes like the so-called
"stolen generations" (who were in the main part rescued), will now
become common currency."
Max Walsh
"This was the best result for Australia. It is now
time for Peter Costello to take charge and continue much-needed reforms."
"Prepare for Whitlamism, minus the excitement and humour"
Australian Financial Review editorial
"Australians have made a point and made it
clearly: now is not the time to pause on much needed economic reform."
"Australians have made a point and made it
clearly: now is the time to consolidate and move on. But it would be a mistake
to pause on much-needed economic reform.
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