It Takes A Long Pole to Balance on the Political Tightrope    Kong Qiu

Brooks Atkinson's opening remark in his 1956 New York Times review of Samuel Beckett's 2 act tragicomedy Waiting for Godot. ... It is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. [E]xpect to be witness to the strange power this drama has to convey the impression of some melancholy truths about the hopeless destiny of the human race.

Vladimir and Estragon are with us once more, this time to ponder Labor's first six months in office with an old acquaintance.

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Vladimir: Well, look who approaches.

Estragon: Hmmm, sent by the editor to pick our brains no doubt.

V: I thought you liked her

E: Only for her intellect, Vladimir.

V: Come on Estragon, be fair we get a damn good lunch in return, and you enjoy the looks of amazement from our fellow diners.

The two tramps had eyed the Silver Blonde who, as Estragon surmised, had been sent by her editor to grill them on the first 180 days post the Howard reign.

SB: My editor says I'm to take you to lunch, he's run out of material and wants a quixotic view of life six months with Kevin 24/7.

E: Well, if it's a quixotic view he relishes what brings you to us?

SB: Ahh, I didn't say I wanted it, but as I got the corporate credit card and fancied a lunch with you two old reprobates -- come on, the light's changed -- let's hoof it over to the Cortile; its had a make over since I last enjoyed the pleasure of your company.

V: Yes, we do know, you're not the only one seeking our pearls of worldly wisdom.

SB: Do tell, an outgrowth of your fame derived from your association with TFW.

E: I see, you want a piece of the action.

SB: It's OK, Estragon, I'm still paying, this table suit you guys.

V: Fine, so are we gonna talk about what you want to talk about, or what we want to talk about?

SB: You two talk with one voice?

E: She makes jokes even before the water's put on the table, don't be silly, ours is a partnership conceived by Beckett.

SB: Point taken -- Now look, we've just published an Op-Ed by Harry Robinson; he looks on our new PM as a bureaucrat arrant with the ego and a strong desire to be up front rather than the power behind the throne.

V: Yeah, I'd go along with that, but I'd add that where John Howard was cunning (well at least until his hubris got the better of his political judgement) Rudd really is bright but lacks Howard's manipulative skills.

E: And that's a problem for Australia, not just the Labor Party.

SB: Meaning?

E: Well, that leak of cabinet documents regarding Rudd's FuelWatch program. As Andrew Podger said, leaks aren't uncommon under a new government, you're gonna have a fair number of public servants, particularly of the higher ranks, who owe their positions -- and feel an allegiance -- to their old benefactors. Kevin Rudd's going publically ballistic doesn't suit the image he's built up, and neither does his preening over his "burning the mid-night oil".

V: You know there's an element of the Jim Hacker - Sir Humphrey Appleby confrontations. It doesn't help Rudd to look as though he's losing it.

SB: You two sound as though it's a serious matter, I know Rudd says "suppose this was a leak that put Australia's security at risk and...

E: That's just grandstanding and he knows it. No, what is the worry is that the Howard legacy still blankets the federal Liberals and if Rudd is really going turn the intellectual fortunes of Australia toward the future, he'll need three terms in government to do it.

V: Look, let's just concentrate on one problem -- is Rudd going to use government to create a national education system so that it serves as the basis of the nation's prosperity, and I don't just mean in a mining and mercantile manner?

SB: Don't forget his 2020 Summit, he's just released the 400 page "Final Report", perhaps just a bit early to deflect interest from the "scintillating" events of the past week.

E: Good point, but what both Vlad and I are saying is that the opposition will latch on to anything it thinks is worth pursuing to diminish the standing of the governing party and in this case it's up to Kevin Rudd to keep his and his objectives firmly in mind and work the system to that end. If you're Rupert Murdoch you do it one way;  if you're Harry Robinson's "Super-bureaucrat", there's another methodology, and if you're a consummate political animal such as Franklin Roosevelt you've got yet another. Fact is Kevin/07's still got a lot to learn, and I don't think he's got much time in which to do it. After all there are sufficient ratbags in the parliamentary Labor Party that he'll have to keep in line.     

SB: Are you trying to tell me that Australia has to adopt a one party system to achieve a viable future for its citizenry?

V: No way, as Churchill put it, democracy may be a poor form of government, but any other is worse.

SB: Then what?

E: Let me enlighten her, Vlad. Look, history will judge John Howard to be one of the worst prime ministers Australians ever voted into office. The fact we kept him there for eleven years, eight months and 22 days doesn't say much for us as a discerning population. Both Vlad and I believe -- and if you ever catch up with Godot, check him out -- we believe that for the opposition to develop into party that can and will work effectively for the nation's well being will take more than two terms out of power.

V: So if there really is to be an education revolution in Australia and if it has any chance of surviving the next change in government, Kevin Rudd has to become a consummate political juggler and he'd better get cracking.

Alex Reisner

The Funneled Web