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Last updated on August 5th, 2017 at 03:59 pm
Labor leader Kevin Rudd, four years ago:
John Howard’s been used to being told by commentators what a clever politician he is …”
These days Howard is being told the same thing by Rudd and other Labor anti-cleverists:
• Kevin Rudd, October 2006: “Mr Howard is a clever politician …”
• Kevin Rudd, January 11 2007: “That’s part and parcel of Mr Howard’s clever leadership style, his clever political style … It’s time Mr Howard, who’s a very clever politician, stops playing games …”
• Labor’s Tony Burke, February 7: “John Howard is a very clever politician …”
• Labor’s Wayne Swan, February 12: “Elections are always close in this country and we know that John Howard is a clever politician and a vicious street fighter.”
• Kevin Rudd, February 26: “Mr Howard is the most clever politician I think this country has produced …”
• Labor’s Tanya Plibersek, March 5: “People have always said John Howard was a clever politician …”
• Kevin Rudd, April 10: “Mr Howard is the most clever politician that Australian politics has ever seen …”
• Labor deputy leader Julia Gillard, April 22: “When John Howard confronts a political problem he is a clever politician. “
• Labor senator Chris Evans, April 23: “John Howard’s a very clever politician …”
• Kevin Rudd, April 29: “Mr Howard is the most clever politician this country has seen in a generation …”
• Kevin Rudd, April 30: “I’m up against a very clever politician who is my opponent …”
• Julia Gillard, May 1: “Mr Howard of course is the clever politician.”
• Kevin Rudd, May 2: “We’re up against the most clever politician in the country.”
• Laborite Kim, May 2: “Let’s never forget, folks, Mr Howard is a clever politician.”
• And Chris Sheil, late to the party, May 4: “He’s a clever politician, our prime minister.”
So “clever” is bad now? It was good during Labor’s reign:
Bob Hawke opened the National Science and Technology Centre in Canberra in 1988 declaring the need for Australia to become the “clever country”.
Mission accomplished, then, if Howard’s critics are any guide. Last year Julia Gillard was challenged (by an animation) over her opposition to Howard’s cleverness:
Gillard: “He’s a clever politician, that’s not necessarily a compliment.”
Tench: “Why, are you a dumb one?”
- Gillard: Yes…err,no..I mean that Howard applies political pressure and manipulates the context of an issue in ways I can’t begin to understand. It’s not fair that he’s won 4 elections straight and looking good for a 5th, when I’m such a facile fool with delusions of grandeur.Posted by CB on 2007 05 05 at 02:35 PM • permalink
- This reminds me too much of the anti-Semitic use of the word clever.
- Yeah, “clever” seems always to have a less than honorable connotation when used by the left. Seems like the “diabolically” qualifier is always implied.Posted by Kyda Sylvester on 2007 05 05 at 05:37 PM • permalink
- Kevin Rudd, April 30: “I’m up against a very clever politician who is my opponent …”
…..I am also the manager of the Department of Redundancy Department.
Good job nobody seems to have accused Kevni of being clever.Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2007 05 05 at 05:55 PM • permalink
- When my Mum called me a “clever little bugger”, I knew from her tone that she was not praising me and I have avoided using the word unless I mean “tricky”. EG, as in clever dick.
AFAIK, clever was originally used exclusively as a pejorative word.
Included in its current meanings are:
4. superficially smart or bright; facile.
5. sly; cunning.
These meanings are probably hangovers from its original usage and no doubt the ones meant by the left when describing Howard.
It’s difficult to couple any adjective to the noun politician without creating a pejorative phrase.
- When I read this, I recall hearing the use of “clever” in ironical ways in Oz.Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2007 05 05 at 06:28 PM • permalink
- Obviously a campaign strategy by Rudd’s PR team. Say it enough times and eventually (they hope) the electorate equates Howard with clever=shifty, etc.Posted by Abu Chowdah on 2007 05 05 at 07:15 PM • permalink
- Perhaps pixie & butch are a tad jealous?Posted by surfmaster on 2007 05 05 at 07:35 PM • permalink
- Now there’s a winning promise for the election campaign.
“A federal Labor government will eliminate cleverness from politics – just as Labor governments have done at the state level.”
Yep, that’s going to swing with the voters for sure. Go Kevni!Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 05 05 at 07:54 PM • permalink
- Sounds like a great reccomendation to vote for JWH- WE NEED A VERY ‘CLEVER’ PM CONSIDERING ALL THE WILY BUZZARDS HE HAS TO DEAL WITH AT HOME AND ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE.
Just imagine for a second-Julia taking the reins for whatever reason, other than the toasting fork in Kevs back- Nope cannot imagine her dealing with world leaders.
- As Tim points out, this is a tactic Labor pollies have been using for a while. I’ve never understood it. The insinuation, of course, is that Howard is devious and dececeptive.
So why not just say that?
Sadly, this is further evidence of the non confrontational style of political to and fro these days. Pollies, fear saying anything with even a hint of invective for fear of an electoral backlash.
During the week Paul Keating described Howard as “lying his face off, every day of the week.” Not a bad way of attacking the integrity of a political opponent.
Instead Kevvy et al call Howard ‘clever’.
I really hate the crafted, considered way polticians speak these days. If it wasn’t for Bill Heffernan, we’d have all pollies calling a spade a metalic tool for use in excavations, utilised by but not limited to the construction and farming industries.
‘sake.
- The implication is: he’s clever because he can manipulate the dumb-arse masses.
That’s what they mean.Posted by daddy dave on 2007 05 05 at 10:16 PM • permalink
The implication is: he’s clever because he can manipulate the dumb-arse masses.
*grits teeth* “Lucky bastards…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2007 05 05 at 10:38 PM • permalink
- Ha ha, lucky Rudd isn’t up against the clueist (had to be a word) bloke around) Feminist ThrillerPosted by Jamie-Reardon on 2007 05 05 at 10:39 PM • permalink
Labor’s Wayne Swan… “Elections are always close in this country and we know that John Howard is a clever politician and a vicious street fighter.”
Yes, I believe Martin Scorsese has bought the rights to his life story.
No danger of Tanya Plibersek being labelled a clever politician.
- To bastardise Churchill:
“My dear lady, in the morning, I will still be clever, and unfortunately for you, you will still be a bloodnut”.
Posted by mr creosote on 2007 05 06 at 02:01 AM • permalink
- Since clever is apparently a bad thing now, I will henceforth refer to my cat as “ruddy” when he gets lost under the bedcovers from now on…Posted by richard mcenroe on 2007 05 06 at 04:48 PM • permalink
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