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HITTING THE MARK
Reaction to today’s extract in The Bulletin from Bernard Lagan’s book on Mark Latham ...
The Daily Telegraph’s Malcolm Farr:
Former Labor leader Mark Latham has condemned his party as “beyond repair, beyond reform” and launched an extraordinary personal attack on Premier Bob Carr.
In explosive claims – printed in today’s edition of The Bulletin magazine – Mr Latham also says Labor deserves Kim Beazley because he is a “conservative, stand-for-nothing type of leader”.
The Age’s Michelle Grattan:
Yesterday Mr Beazley refused to be drawn into any broad response to Mr Latham’s remarks. “I’m absolutely not commenting on that book. I maintained my discipline yesterday and I maintain my discipline today,” he declared before extracts from the book published in the latest Bulletin magazine were released last night ...
Mr Latham, whose own diaries will be published later this year, told Lagan: “In the circumstances, things turned out quite well. People got to see a glimpse of how Carr, Beattie and Gallop are A-grade arseholes. All their provincial bluster and posturing made no difference to anything. Never does.”
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Mark Metherell:
After six months of silence, Mark Latham has released a stream of invective against the party he led, dismissing Labor as “beyond repair” and Kim Beazley as a “stand-for-nothing type of leader”.
The savage criticism infuses Loner: Inside a Labor Tragedy, which records Mr Latham’s bitter feelings towards Labor and its leaders and charts his last days as Opposition Leader, stricken with pancreatitis. He describes premiers Bob Carr, Peter Beattie and Geoff Gallop as “A-grade arseholes”, Labor as a conservative institution run by conservative machine men and Parliament as a place he was not sorry to leave ...
In warning those who see Labor as the best hope for social justice in Australia, he tells Lagan: “I’ve got to be honest about it. It’s a false hope.”
The blogosphere’s Brian O’Connell:
I was, I have to say, shocked by Mark Latham’s use of the a—-hole word, if I can put it like that, which I just thought was coarse and very ill-thought through and I think demeans the man and is one of the reasons why people are slightly sceptical of his motives and everything else.
The Australian’s Brad Norington:
This man, who was meant to be the alternative prime minister with the capability to lead Australia with vision and good sense, is remarkably self-centred, spiteful, angry, obsessive, coarse and remote. He acts as if the world revolves around him and that he is bigger than the party he led.
The Courier-Mail’s Matthew Franklin:
Last night, Mr Beattie stood by the comments he had made during confusion about the Labor leadership and said he felt sorry that Mr Latham was so bitter.
“I plead guilty to telling the truth,” Mr Beattie said. “He’s not the first person to call me that (an arsehole) and he won’t be the last. I just feel sorry for him and I hope this has been good therapy for him.”
The Age’s Shaun Carney:
Five months after resuming as Labor leader, Beazley - far from having to decide which diplomatic function he should attend in Washington - finds himself having to turn the other cheek as the media and the Howard Government have fun with Latham’s criticisms. Just how much weight should be given to what Latham has to say about other politicians, advisers and public affairs generally is an interesting question, in light of his spectacular, ill-tempered downfall.
Editorial in The Australian:
Mark Latham has confirmed the judgment of the Australian people – that he lacked the discipline to be prime minister. And he has also endorsed the majority opinion expressed at last year’s election of the party he led, and once professed to love, that the Australian Labor Party is a stalled political machine beyond starting. Mr Latham’s message is obviously considered, coming in quotes from his diary included in a book extract published yesterday. But it is also inflammatory and designed to do as much damage to Labor as possible.
The Internet’s Jim Geones:
I have to agree with the commenter in Chris Sheila’s blog on election day who said that Mark Latham was a saint. He sure is. Can you imagine sacrificing your career, and exposing your mental instability to endless public ridicule & humiliation, purely in order to ensure the Howard government was re-elected with absolute control of the senate?
The ALP’s Mark Latham:
I am retired, mate.
News.com.au’s Shane Wright:
Mr Latham ... reveals that he delayed his resignation in January so anti-Beazley forces could rally behind health spokeswoman Julia Gillard.
They failed, and Mr Beazley gained the leadership unchallenged.
The Herald Sun’s Michael Harvey:
In an ominous warning as Mr Beazley strives to reverse Labor’s fortunes, Mr Latham promises to say more about the ALP’s woes when his own diaries are published in October.
The Bradenton Herald’s Nick Mason reveals exclusive details of Latham’s new career:
Mosquito killers in Manatee County sprayed plenty of chemicals along the coast the past month, but they have found no sign of mosquito-borne disease here.
“We’ve been busy. It’s an early start to the season,” Mark Latham, director of the Manatee County Mosquito Control District, said Monday. “Last year, it didn’t start until mid-July. This year, it started the end of May.”
Larvatus Prodeo’s Mark Bahnisch:
I want a bumper sticker that says “Don’t Blame Me - I Never Wanted Latho for Leader”.
Western Sydney forum participant Ben:
The ALP gave Latham everything: financial help to go to university, well-paid jobs, a plum Labor seat - and this is how he repays it? I’d expect that kind of feeling of entitlement from someone who grew up on the North Shore.
The Age’s Michelle Grattan:
He bitches about the media, but the media were kind to him before the poll, and in some cases dazzled by him.
The Government’s Peter Costello:
I’m waiting for the diaries, I reckon they’ll be a smashing read.
Unions NSW’s John Robertson:
The Labor Party’s had rats in its ranks going all the way back to Billy Hughes and Mark’s just joined the conga line of rats that have left the Labor Party.
Ex-Bulletin staffer Bob Carr:
Here’s what Mark Latham should have said to his biographer: ‘It’s been a great honour to lead the political party that I joined as a youngster. I’m terribly sorry I wasn’t able to produce a victory for the grand old party of Australian politics. I congratulate Mr Howard and I unreservedly accept the verdict, tough though it is, of the Australian people, who are always right. I’ll do anything to help Kim Beazley and the Australian Labor Party, which is always the party I look to, to provide leadership for this great country.’
I was, I have to say, shocked by Mark Latham’s use of the a—-hole word, if I can put it like that, which I just thought was coarse and very ill-thought through and I think demeans the man and is one of the reasons why people are slightly sceptical of his motives and everything else.
The issue really is largely, speaking as I understand it, he was treated well there. He says he was fed every day, and as such to turn around and use that kind of language I think is just insensitive.
Posted by Brian O'Connell on 2005 06 28 at 02:44 PM • permalinkToo bad most of these journo’s want to have a bit of both sides.
When Latham was elected Labor party leader the amount of column inches devoted to this ‘Messiah from the Left’ was extraordinary. Almost all was universal praise and undying love.
Most of it written too by these same journo’s who now feign contempt from the comfort and safety of the learned majority whose voice echoed what we knew to be true from Day One.
Fuck off back to BleedingHeartsville Mark and get some professional help.
Posted by Jay Santos on 2005 06 28 at 07:37 PM • permalinkWow. In all my years, I don’t remember having seen seen so many lunatics so high up in public life in all countries of the Anglosphere (but then, the Internet wasn’t yet a gleam in Al Gore’s eye back then). Where did they come from? Are they the result of Boomer drug experimenting? Did a supernova somewhere knock all the particles of the universe out of alignment? Are they sign of the End Times? More importantly, when will they go away?
Despite the efforts of the Fairfaxista’s, this quote sums it up;‘Mark Latham has confirmed the judgment of the Australian people – that he lacked the discipline to be prime minister’
People may have been looking for a change, though it was ‘that handshake’ that made all the spin about the bucks night, the taxi driver, fighting the old goat, etc, suddenly seem more and more likely to have happened as alleged. Bye bye Mark, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Carr, Beattie and Gallup - A-grade arseholes according to Mark. “arseholes who’ve won elections” they reply.
This whole Mark Latham thing is a bit like a train wreck. You know it’s not good to gawk, but you can’t help yourself. Actually no, it’s more like watching a monkey in a zoo throwing its own shit at the other monkeys.
Where’s your Messiah now, Ramsey? Narrrgh!
Posted by Richard_of_Oz on 2005 06 28 at 08:40 PM • permalinkCarr, Beattie and Gallop are A-grade arseholes
I wonder what he’d call them if they’d kidnapped him, kicked him in the head, and murdered his friends and business partners?
Posted by Art Vandelay on 2005 06 28 at 09:05 PM • permalinkJust as I suspected. Victorian Premier Steve Bracks isn’t good enough to make the ‘A’ list. There is absolutely no doubt that he is in fact an arsehole, he just lacks that “certain something” that qualifies him as an ‘A’ grader. Bloody typical!!
The question that now must be asked and answered is; Is Steve Bracks a ‘B’ grade arsehole?
Posted by TruthHandler on 2005 06 28 at 09:23 PM • permalinkSo Latham’s had a go at some ALP People, and at the party. Big deal. The cork’s insulted the ocean. Wow.
You know, as all the right-wing, triumphalist hornblowers love to remind us, the public thought so much of Latham’s judgement they thrashed him at the ballot box nine moths ago. Why is his judgement so valuable now?
You can’t have it both ways, dickheads.
This man ... is remarkably self-centred, spiteful, angry, obsessive, coarse and remote. He acts as if the world revolves around him and that he is bigger than the party he led.
You sound shocked, Brad dear. This surprises you because....?
Posted by Barbara Skolaut on 2005 06 28 at 10:07 PM • permalinkLuke we aren’t really that interesed in Latham’s opinions (he is unbalanced and the Australian public worked that out pre-election).
What we are interested in is
1. how unbalanced Latham actually is; and
2. secondly how the ALP throw up someone that unbalanced.I think the answers to those questions are:
1. Very
2. Partially the rabid factionalism.Thank Christ we didnt get him,
Dear Diary
All this fuss today about Lagan’s book! Still it’s great to see me back on the front pages again, which of course is where I belong and would be if it wasn’t for fat slob and allround grade A arsehole, bumbling Bomber Beazley. And as Bob Carr, that unctous (need to spellcheck that one)scumbag, suggesting I should have written something congratulating the Libs on winning the election, its enough to make you puke. Fuck me, how far can he get his tongue up John Howard’s arse!
It was good to see Julia speaking up for me. A pity I didn’t give her one while I had the chance.
Anyway, the whole lot of them can go fuck themselves. I’m sitting pretty on my super and with the royalties from all the books,
I don’t have to worry about a thing. Nah, Nah Nah !PS: Musn’t forget to put out garbage tonight.
ML
Michelle Grattan: He bitches about the media, but the media were kind to him before the poll, and in some cases dazzled by him.
I think most forget exactly how enthusiastically the MSM cheered ML on. ML is a great example of the Australian people making a sensible judgement despite being virtually harangued by the MSM during his entire tenure. The MSM saw an anti-Howard ratbag…a ratbag yes, but at least he’s not Howard. The Australian people simple saw a loony. Not my words BTW but a lifelong ALP voting friend of mine.
Posted by Dean McAskil on 2005 06 29 at 12:06 AM • permalinkThe whole thing with Latham is as follows:
The ALP and those that voted for him saw him as the next Prime Minister.
All the lefty media gushing over him are now quickly back peddling away from their own comments because it’s now obvious to even them that the man is insane. That’s what makes it so damn funny, the government, the people, even other countries knew what the ALP and a good chunk of the media didn’t.
I see by your blog Luke, you aren’t allowed post here anymore, though I somehow doubt that as Andrea usually announces such things I’ll make a counter point for you.
Latham didn’t have support from the ALP rather a whole lot of faction politics got him into the leadership. Well how could this have happened when choosing what they’re meant to believe to be the next PM? That actually adds weight to Latham’s rabblings that the ALP is a spent force if their leaders are people they can’t even stand.
Posted by Aging Gamer on 2005 06 29 at 12:13 AM • permalinkMr Latham also says Labor deserves Kim Beazley because he is a “conservative, stand-for-nothing type of leader”.
Funny, Beazley seems to be standing for a lot from Mr. Furious…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2005 06 29 at 12:14 AM • permalinkWhat is most bizarre and indicative of the closed, time-warped, claustrophobic tribalism Labor lives in is that its leaders think they are effectively abusing and denigration Latham by likening him to Billy Hughes.
Hughes left the Labor Party in 1916, so this is like Putin nursing a raging grievance about Kerensky splitting from the Bolsheviks, and in any case most Australians if aware of history would regard Hughes as an able and patriotic leader.
Posted by Susan Norton on 2005 06 29 at 05:08 AM • permalinkBeing labelled a Labor Rat should be a complement - three Australian PMs (Cook, Hughes and Lyons) “ratted” from the party before becoming PM.
One thing Labor historians gloss over is that the first of their PMs - Chris Watson - actually sided with Hughes over the Conscription defection.
Chalk up another for the rats!
Posted by Quentin George on 2005 06 29 at 05:17 AM • permalinkSteady on you blokes. You are obfuscating ALP legends with historical facts. History is very important to the ALP, well the legends are anyway. That’s why it is very important to them no one examine the facts too closely.
The ALP has always considered the Liberals lack of interest in their own history an indicator of a soulless conservative machine. I think it is because the Libs are generally more interested in what they are going to do and take what they’ve done as read.
Posted by Dean McAskil on 2005 06 29 at 05:32 AM • permalinkRa Ro! Gettin’ too deep here people - keep it light and bright ok? Mark mark!!! (dog with a hair lip).
Posted by Lucky Nutsacks on 2005 06 29 at 06:15 AM • permalinkThank you, Deo Vindice. How often in Australia we can reply on someone like reducing an attempt at a serious discussion to a level of fucking idiocy.
Posted by Susan Norton on 2005 06 29 at 06:48 AM • permalinkLOL at the Marilyn quote Nic found…
All I saw in Mark’s eyes - madness.
Posted by Quentin George on 2005 06 29 at 08:24 AM • permalinkPity the eyes weren’t his, that poor taxi driver.
Posted by Aging Gamer on 2005 06 29 at 08:44 AM • permalink
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What little men the antiwar candidates turn out to be. To think that this bundle of neuroses and spite came that close to being your PM, and the posturing peacock and gigolo John Kerry came so close to being our president. God protects fools and the Anglosphere, I guess.
(For the latest on the posturing peacock and consort to the Queen of Ketchup, see Belgravia Dispatch’s dismantling of his NY Times op-ed. He’s like the deposed king of Albania commenting on how he’d tell Stalin what for.)