If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next election? (1 Viewer)

[whatashotbyseve]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

Basing that upon what? When should he have nominated for the leadership?Bearing in mind he was promised a hand over after one term in 1996.

That's speculation. Howard should have handed over to Costello some time in 05/06, he didn't, the nation got tired of the Libs. Who knows where this fable ends? It might have a happy ending for Costello.

To be brutally honest, I think Costello deep down would rather he be remembered as a damn fine treasurer and the self-styled best PM we never had, rather than work his way up to the top and somehow become PM and then to see it all go pear shaped. Always leave the public wanting more.

 

[The_highwayman]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

Costello is a distraction for the media whilst he is on the backbench.
He either needs to step up and lead or leave entirely.

 

[Lentern]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

That's speculation. Howard should have handed over to Costello some time in 05/06, he didn't, the nation got tired of the Libs. Who knows where this fable ends? It might have a happy ending for Costello.

To be brutally honest, I think Costello deep down would rather he be remembered as a damn fine treasurer and the self-styled best PM we never had, rather than work his way up to the top and somehow become PM and then to see it all go pear shaped. Always leave the public wanting more.

It is not, McLachlan wrote down the promise the very day it was made, he confided in over a dozen individuals throughout the course of Howard's government who all confirm they had been told of it before it swept through the press. Two of the three individuals who were at the meeting confirm it, both cabinet ministers, the one who denied it profitted greatly from doing so. His deal should have lead to a handover around 2000.

And in my opinion Costello wants and has allways wanted to be prime minister and has allways done what a reasonable man would have thought would give him the best chance of winning a federal election. Challening incumbent Howard would have been terribly damaging for the libs, if Costello had won he would have gone on to lose his one and only election. Had he takent he leadership shortly after Rudd was elected like Turnbull and Nelson he would have gotten chewn up and spat out as a direct consequence of bad timing, like Turnbull and Nelson.

For all those who think little of Costello for never nominating for the leadership please tell me when should he have done so? When was a sensible time?

 

[whatashotbyseve]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

I do not dispute anything of what you said there. I was pointing out that Costello should have been PM around 05/06. Howard simply held on for too long to the detriment of his party.

And yes, given how politically astute Costello is, if he wants to be PM, he is playing his cards right and biding his time. But what if Rudd calls an early election, say late this year, early next and Turnbull is still in charge, opinion polls turning slightly? Does Costello have the numbers, the time? Bear in mind Labor will be waiting for him, and I'm sure their dossier on Costello runs thick.

As I said, perhaps Costello would rather be remember as the best PM we never had, then to risk his reputation on something that wasn't anything less than certain. Fate cost him his shot at PM for whatever reason. You say that challenging Howard would have been damaging for the Libs. I would say that a Costello bid for PM would not have been any less damaging then the final 18 months of the Howard years. He would have had those 18 months to change the perception of the party and most importantly neutralise Rudd's 'New Labor' rhetoric which worked so well.

 

[Iron]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

I'd much prefer a Costello Liberal party at the next federal election, to properly slay the dragon. Turnbull is a massively attractive individual and he will take many Labor moderates. I still cant really explain his lack of popularity. I still have an instinct that Rudd's amazing approval ratings are very soft.

Fickle public, fickle public.

 

[katie tully]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

I love Costello.

I don't care how much of a petulant child he is making himself out to be, HE CAN DO NO WRONG.

 

[Iron]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

Nurse, I require a sponge bath
post haste

 

[Lentern]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

I'd much prefer a Costello Liberal party at the next federal election, to properly slay the dragon. Turnbull is a massively attractive individual and he will take many Labor moderates. I still cant really explain his lack of popularity. I still have an instinct that Rudd's amazing approval ratings are very soft.

Fickle public, fickle public.

I can explain it. But I won't tell you because you'd rather live in a state of blissfull ignorance. The sky is the limit when the limits are unknown.

 

[Iron]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

are you really the head of the quickiemart?

 

[Graney]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

I'd much prefer a Costello Liberal party at the next federal election, to properly slay the dragon. Turnbull is a massively attractive individual and he will take many Labor moderates. I still cant really explain his lack of popularity. I still have an instinct that Rudd's amazing approval ratings are very soft.

Fickle public, fickle public.

I''m hoping that Costello will undergo a mild stroke. That would help set the party's affairs in order.

 

[Lentern]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

are you really the head of the quickiemart?

If you insist, Turnbull is unpopular because he leads the liberal party in their first term in opposition. Beazley, Peacock, Whitlam, Snedden, Evatt, splendid chaps whom all lead the opposition in their first term, and from there on in never served as prime minister.

 

[Iron]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

Well I wasnt asking you, boy, but he represents little continuity with the former government. He was a vicious opponent of Howard, in many respects.
Your examples are just superstition. We're a very young country and such precedent is virtually meaningless

 

[Lentern]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

Well I wasnt asking you, boy, but he represents little continuity with the former government. He was a vicious opponent of Howard, in many respects.
Your examples are just superstition. We're a very young country and such precedent is virtually meaningless

His lack of continuity with Howard's policies is irrelevant, he leads his party, he lauds his legacy, Petro couldn't escape it let alone Turnbull. Timing trumps ability. Costello that lovely man in his book wrote that had Beazley come to the leadership for the first time in 2006 instead of 1996 he would have swept to government.

 

[Iron]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

Youre argument is based on the stupidity of the Australian people.
You are an elitist fuck

(love raggin on you Lentern. I used to use Slidey, but you'll do for now. It is meant affectionately)

 

[Lentern]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

Youre argument is based on the stupidity of the Australian people.
You are an elitist fuck

(love raggin on you Lentern. I used to use Slidey, but you'll do for now. It is meant affectionately)

The Australian people are stupid, Explain how Hawke beats Howard, Hewson beats Hawke, Keating beats Hewson but Howard beats Keating. It doesn't follow the if a beats b and b beats c then a must beat c rule at all.

 

[Iron]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

The Australian people have basically always got it right imo. You should have more faith in them, but you are alienated from them in your dark ivory computer room.

We know a tired government when we see it and we rebuff the greenhorns

 

[Lentern]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

The Australian people have basically always got it right imo. You should have more faith in them, but you are alienated from them in your dark ivory computer room.

We know a tired government when we see it and we rebuff the greenhorns

The Australian people only ever get it right by chance, they don't know what they're doing, most of them don't want to vote and spend a whole thirty seconds considering it as a result. We might as well just scrap the democratic part and say that coalition and labor get to serve eight year alternate terms.

 

[Iron]

Re: If Peter Costello became the leader of the opposition,could he win the next elect

youre wrong, youre so wrong
and truman will prove you wrong