Keating was a master of the finely tuned insult. The above being just one of the more memorable.
That was then Prime Minister of Australia, Paul Keating, in 1992, describing then leader of the opposition, John Hewson. The full quote is:
“This little flower, this delicate little beauty, this cream puff, is supposed to be beyond personal criticism… He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up.”
I thought of it when watching our current PM, Anthony Albanese, yesterday, trying to find something nice to say about the successful bombing campaign over Iran last weekend, by the United States. A decision taken by the president, Donald Trump.
But Albanese suffers such deep TDS that he came across as weak. As did his Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Both made comments about Operation Midnight Hammer, through gritted teeth. Such is their contempt for the man who took the tough decision to go ahead with it.
Pathetic, really. These two most senior reps of Australia. Unable to say something gracious about our most important ally. Which it is, without a doubt. No matter who the president. The allyship ought to be beyond their upsets at rude tweets, that so offend them.
Another Keating quote from a few years later is relevant, especially about Trump's decision to bomb the Iranian Nuke bunkers:
"Leadership is not about being nice. It's about being right and being strong."
Both Albanese and Wong deserve the Keating "shiver" taunt. Two shivers, looking for a spine to run up.
