Rudd unleashes inner bogan in Afghanistan
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A number of people who saw or heard Kevin Rudd’s speech to Australian troops in Afghanistan spotted that the Prime Minister’s normally careful phraseology lapsed into dropped Gs, gunnas and other rather relaxed forms of expression while he talked to our boys. Steve Leibman compared it to Rudd’s UN speech and asked “will the real Kevin Rudd stand up?” Well, the answer is, both are the real Rudd — or at least, both are equally real. Rudd’s hardly the first politician to speak differently depending on the circumstances. Most, rightly, adjust their delivery style and vocabulary (assuming they have a vocabulary to start with) to match their audiences. It’s called effective communication and, given the range of different roles politicians have to play, essential. Rudd, however, does it more than most and it has been a trademark of his rise to power. He adopts a different persona depending on the circumstances, an approach he honed to perfection on Sunrise, where he played a sort of down-to-earth wonk and all-round good bloke, entirely belying his background as a diplomat and former chief of staff. His distinctly D-demographic language to the soldiers was a slight variant on this, and indeed the only surprise was that he didn’t throw in a few f — ks and c — ts. The “real” Kevin Rudd is entirely out of sight, hidden by whatever guise he is wearing at the time, and things will probably remain that way for the rest of his political life. In this way, he’s vastly different to most of his recent predecessors, whom we all felt we knew reasonably well. The only comparison is probably Malcolm Fraser, who didn’t bother to adopt different guises but merely hid everything under that stony Easter Island face. |
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20 Comments
Cathy, why don’t you tell us what you really think? Just kidding, couldn’t agree more.
Who cares? Anything is preferable to his vile predecessor’s carefully crafted pretence of appealing to the “battlers,” while trying to deliver them helpless to the elite he faithfully represented.
James, at 23 we’ll forgive you your lack of worldly experience, but us old farts who remember life before Howard understand Bernard’s point about leadership style. Howard, Keating and Hawke had distinctly consistent personalities which came through in each public appearance they made. Rudd is all over the joint - clearly following committee-generated advice to suit each occasion. Again, this won’t make much sense to a 23 year old, but I’d go so far as to say that Rudd is more Bob Carr that Bob Carr. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, as a sitcom you’re too young to remember once noted.
Theres something slightly patronizing about the way KevinPM went all boganic to the troops. All he had to do was appear more relaxed but speak pretty much in his own voice; the one that we all know. Nevertheless he should have gone all the way & said a few f — ks & c — ts coz thats what many of us wanna say to him after his lame attempt at creating effective emission trading targets. Boo hiss!
“He adopts a different persona depending on the circumstances…”
We all do….. it’s normal…you do need to be a pollie.
Rudd’s manipulation of the media, however, is I believe excessive, cynical and dishonest.
However he could however hardly get away with it without the media’s cooperation.
The ‘4th estate’ is lamentably complicit and poor in this country. This was evidenced recently by the treatment of Rudd’s lamentably poor indiscretion with the ‘leaking’, dishonestly and with conspicuous self-aggrandisement of a version of the supposed contents a telephone call between himself and Bush.
But Australian journalistic standards seem lustrously independent compared to that demonstrated during the recent election in the US.
Kev is showing all the hallmarks of a bullsh#t artist. I’ve met several people in the army. Some are ocker and some are not. What they have in common is that they have enough confidence in themselves to be themselves.
Hmmm, of course, the more the likes of GetUp attack Rudd, the more successful he’ll be.
Rudd’s ‘speak’ to ‘the troops’ was patronizing. They’ve seen, read and heard enough of his speeches in three years to have some inkling of his persona. He should present as a statesman, whether it’s QT, in the UN, on the TV, at the retiree village up the road or at an army base.
James, when you and I communicate with various groups, they are usually in different locations - not altogether.
You, like the rest of us ordinary folks, have the luxury of wearing different hats if you choose.
We’re not in the public eye as such. …the PM, however, frequently reaches thousands of different people, en masse, at the one time, through his many TV appearances.
Some of these people would be Defense personnel.
Do you think they wouldn’t notice his silly ‘orstralyanese’ speak?
I know some of the army guys there “didn’t think that he was for real”. But of course they can’t say that publicly.
I swear I just noticed this on the Green Party list - Cohen MP waxing lyrical again on a religous theme which shows how deep the feeling runs amongst the ever energetic greenies:
“Rudd: the devil in climate change hell” : Ian Cohen MLC MEDIA ALERT 16th December 2008 [NSW MP]
Sure it’s the fundis versus the realos of the Green Party but dangerous climate change is like that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realo
The cracks are appearing now:
After broadcast emailing the images/video of those 300 year old massive old trees as wide as a house in East Gippsland being logged for woodchips to all federal and nsw parliamentarians last day of parliament, there is no doubt this ALP organisation is “evil” either systemically or deliberately. It’s as if the green movement in aggregate felt permission to say as much over the pathetic 5% emissions target a week later.
You can literally see, hear, and smell the green movement withdrawing Rudd’s “social license”. Just like we did to Keating in 1996.
So now we have shoes being thrown at his effigy in a brilliant piece of street theatre, even acknowledged as such by M Devine and Akerman, while doing their stale climate denial rants.
This is a PM who likes to be liked, in vainglorious Hawke dimensions, and has been soaking up the adulation a good 12 months. But he just got his backside caned on emissions trading scheme as the wimp policy it is, as Hartcher correctly identified in the SMH page 1. Middle road to nowhere. Bob Brown told him to his face the ETS target is a “failure”.
So Gillard whips out the trusty Education Report - she will respond to in 2 months - to buy some time. Rudd rushes off to Afghanistan and trowls on some knock about lingo. He wants them to love him and doesn’t it show. The irony is that a fake is a fake is a fake. He could have said exactly the same things with his Prime Ministerial voice. Everyone can see what it is. The guy was dux of his school, honours degree, Mandarin spearker for Godsake. He sounded totally like a guy trying to be bogan who isn’t.
He’s in trouble. Anyone can hear the neurosis. Before it was just flu. Now it’s in his brain. And this is why - he doesn’t believe in the ALP brand anymore even as he sells it, and he’s doing his best to sublimate the Lathamesque realisation with lame khaki theatre. Poor bastard.
@Dave: I definitely don’t disagree with the point that Rudd is void of personality. While I was (and I guess you’d say I still am) young, I still appreciated Hawke and Keating as a kid, and loved to hate Howard.
I guess Rudd’s lack of personality draws an interesting parallel with the Australian public’s lack of interest and engagement in politics.
@ Tom: It is clear you’re a greeny, and there is nothing wrong with that. I think you could communicate better and articulate some argument that relates to the article, instead of paraphrasing articles and posting 100000 times (ok 4) about how you hate Rudd and the ALP is evil. If the ALP is evil, politics is evil (and I’m not saying it isn’t)… get over it.
Get Up are calling for donations to an advert featuring John Howard as in “he’s back” in the form of ….Kevin Rudd on ETS. That’s serious political damage. Social license etc …..
Someone said ‘man does not live by bread alone but every word that comes from the mouth of God’ and in a round about way God’s creation as manifest by the natural environment (including us) is about as close to His words you are ever going to see in this life which makes climate change a religious duty as well as a political job. And Rudd is a religous man we are led to believe. Take note Chris Uhlmann, ex seminarian!
…. another thread to the theme: Kerry Ann Walsh’s Naked Eye column ran a snippet two weeks back Sydney SunHerald (Fairfax) that Rudd was heard referring to “rat f*ckers” in state government(s). This just doesn’t reconcile with his immensely crafted public brand. It’s either tatty discipline or preface to a damaging tantrum. Even if the sledge rings true in NSW case, and Tas, and WA etc. The fact is he lapsed by letting people hear him say it, using the same language of said rat breeders. Which means at some level he sees himself as of the same club.
Call me imaginative but it’s sort of like Jed Bartlett having trouble sleeping haunted by deep seated psychological identity issues regarding his cold father. He’s well past that phase now, but what does he replaced it with? The ALP is so riven and fraught it’s no surrogate parent one can remotely be proud of. Botox anyone?
And out they come ……those who lost……bitter & twisted….how great it is to see…I’m having a great Xmas already.
Australia moved so far to the right under Howard and lies became so commonplace aided by an unquestioning , compliant and fawning media who continuosly gushed about what a “brilliant politician” he was that everyone should thank their lucky stars that Rudd came along when he did. Given another term, God only knows what would have happened especially with the current financial meltdown. Imagine Work Choices in full pelt ! This stuff really is navel gazing at it’s worst and trying to find a story about a non-event. At least no-one threw their boots at him. I can’t recall a word being written about Howard’s speeches and having had the misfortune to sit through about 6 he was the most boring, dull speaker I’ve ever encountered.
As for claiming Rudd is “void of personality”-what the hell has this got to do with running the country ?. ( and compared to the last PM !!), Intelligence is what we need and the capacity to get things done ( with a hostile Senate.
Who cares how Rudd spoke to the troops in Afghanistan. From watching the vision it appears he was well received.
Modifying speech to suit the occasion is very sensible but I thought his “bugger that for a joke” was a bit over the top.
Chameleonic crap with lots of spin is Queensland’s political DNA so when Rudd dragged the deep north on to the national stage he had a choice of kicking the habit or succumbing to it. His address to the troops was immature arrogance - they know and he knows he’s not one the boys. Making a right goose of yourself with home-spun hokey memetic language is another annoying smokescreen in Rudd’s increasingly boring repertoire.
Give me Easter Island any day- enough of this cringeworthy yuk-yuk to the troops.
So what if he talks differently, depending on the circumstances.
I am 23 and work in marketing for a Credit Union. The way I talk here is very different to the way I write when communicating to our members, the way I talk to my friends when I’m riding my BMX at the skatepark, the way I talk to dealers of my clothing brand, the way I talk to my mother.
You’re exactly right, Bernard, it’s called effective communication. To be successful in life you need to have a firm grasp of communicating effectively…
Really Bernard……Steve Leibman ???!!!!!……this is the former cue reader from Nine…what a weak peg to hang your story on.
Who’s your next political peg coming from? Kerry Ann Kennerly…or how about Koko the Clown?
The silly season is clearly in full swing.
And lay off Malcolm…I spent 40 mins alone chatting with him in the Green Room at Channel 7 in South Melbourne in 1988, and went from disliking his public persona intensely to believing what a lovely bloke he is. You should have heard the howls of indignation I got from my fellow journos when I told them what had happened. Malcolm’s public persona had not been reconstructed at that stage. I’d love to tell the world what he told me about Wilson Tuckey, but of course can’t.