Newspoll Op-Egg Edition
Posted by Possum Comitatus on June 2, 2008
Oh Dear
Newspoll comes in with a headline 57-43 to the ALP off primaries of 46/37.
Zero change from last time. Some will be surprised, some won’t be.
We were assured by miles – literally miles and miles and miles of Op Ed piffle this week that “The Honeymoon is officially over”.
Some even ventured as far as to say that Rudd could be a one term wonder – all over the the last weeks worth of political events, events that were seen by the Opinionistas through a prism of their own delusion; a gross misunderstanding of the actual political dynamics at work in this country.
Mind you, these dynamics arent new – they’ve been going on since December 2006 when Rudd rebooted domestic politics with his leadership. Maybe these opinion columnists are lazy, maybe they’re incompetent, maybe they live in a bubble – but for whatever reason or excuse they might have, the proof is in the eating.
They no longer understand how politics in Australia operates with the broader electorate. The 2007 Election demonstrated that, and little, it would seem, has changed since.
So let us all absorb the last week of media machinations, let us all throw it into perspective with the results of this Newspoll, and let us ponder the tenuous grasp of reality that these political stenographers on the Op Ed pages around our country possess.
And let us enjoy their pathetic excuses in tomorrows media cycle, and the inevitable focus on a 5% PPM movement against Rudd, down to ONLY 66%. When you’ve fluffed it this bad – anything works as a security blanket.
More later – once we’ve all pondered.
Mr Mumbles went all secret squirrel and has the good acorns over HERE and HERE
Possums Pollytics 
hp said
Laugh! I near wet mahself!
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Rx said
If that ridiculous (and pathetic) Shanahan wants to write Rudd off as a one-term wonder ..
.. then I dismiss the Liberals’ chances of ever getting into government again.
Local Identity said
What I don’t get is why Dennis keeps this stuff up.
I’ afraid I don’t believe that the mans an idiot, so I’m left wondering why
onimod said
4 Local Identity
Either he believes what he writes, or he doesn’t but he likes getting paid for it. In my book either one makes him an idiot.
Nick G said
My favourite part of today’s coverage of Newspoll by Dennis is the revamp of his ‘the only poll that really matters is …’. Rudd better get his game on, he only leads by 49 points on ‘Better PM’ and 20 points on ‘performance satisfaction’.
Dennis, editors, and the press who so desperately try and validate their existence and ‘influence’ seem to be forgetting a few things – the TV news and it’s audience are just not paying attention at the moment.
Nick G said
P.S. The Oz’s op-ed gives a neat little discussion of the “hidden messages” in today’s Newspoll. I think I need to go to The Australian’s school of statistical and political analysis, as it was certainly too hidden for my simple mind. Oh, and “Rudd’s honeymoon with voters is definately at an end”.
dawson said
I wish you would all bear in mind that ‘The Oz’ OWNS Newspoll and that this gives them a unique insight into the significance of the figures that we lesser beings are incapable of.
I’d listen to them if I was you, the rest of the electorate obviously is.
Kymbos said
Possum, do you not think that Rudd is running down capital by even engaging on the petrol price issue? People might not think pollies can do anything on petrol prices (and they’re right), but won’t the great unwashed be justified in a few years time in thinking Rudd told them he could do something about it? Won’t we have the same with grocery prices soon?
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Peter J. Nicol said
I think the idea that PPM was a leading indicator was demolished last year by, ummm… a certain species of marsupial.
So that leaves us with the only indicator that counts, 2PP.
I do not understand why the headlines in our traditional media are not devastating for Nelson and the liberals today.
Surely this is the message, that after a supposed ‘mauling’ that Kruddy took in the last coupla weeks, the liberals have not been able to translate any of this into any electoral capital whatsoeever
paul said
dawson Says:
June 3, 2008 at 7:31 am
I wish you would all bear in mind that ‘The Oz’ OWNS Newspoll and that this gives them a unique insight into the significance of the figures that we lesser beings are incapable of.
I’d listen to them if I was you, the rest of the electorate obviously is.
Wow! I did not know that Dennis is gospel.
Daniel said
I think its good to see the News poll this morning it showed the Greens back in double digits and now shows they are the true 3rd force in Australian politics.
How do Greens supporters though get out the great message of the Greens. Its like bashing your head against a wall.
dawson said
Well, Dennis says he is.
Given his track record, I think we’d be fools not to listen.
(Er…Paul…is your sarcasm filter on??)
David E said
Polls aside, neither party is really concentrating on the big picture here.
I know the hip pocket nerve is important, and no one enjoys paying more for fuel. However, the upward momentum of fuel prices is unstoppable – any fiddling pollies can do is just that – fiddling.
Why aren’t the gov or the opposition talking about doing something practical about it (albeit longer term) – chucking more resources at public transport, alternative fuels etc.
All this talk of 2c here or 5c there is all pathetic BS – trying to show they feel our pain. But is anyone listening?
dawson said
Rudd was talking about exactly that – reducing the reliance on petrol by investing in hybrid cars, public transport, etc – in QT on Thursday, as well as making it clear that petrol is going to get more expensive.
As for actions on the ground, the railine from Albury to Melbourne is going to be upgraded and standardised, creating a rail link from Queensland to Melbourne.
Local farmers are already looking forward to transporting cattle by rail rather than by road.
David Richards said
David E – yes, trying to keep petrol prices down is like building a perpetual motion machine – can’t be done. It’s a finite resource, with increasing demand from China and India. It’s not like they are making the stuff anytime soon – unless you care to bury an ocean under a mountain range and wait a 100M years or so. The whole insane fallacy of perpetual exponential economic and population growth in a closed system with finite resources is being exposed. Convincing people to live with that fact is a hard sell. Maybe The Gruen Transfer experts can sell the idea? We need to go full tilt at getting Public Transport up to scratch, and amending ADRs for passengermotor vehicles to ban engines over 3 litres. We should also progressively phase out roadworthiness for all passenger motor vehicles with engines over 3 litres.
David Richards said
On the poll results – so clawing above Simon Crean’s pre-Nelson record by one point is suddenly a victory?
Possum Comitatus said
Apparently it’s the little things Dave R, the very little things.
Max said
What’s all this ‘Honeymoon’ garbage?
What’s with the unprecedented low blows on Rudd and his family?
Where were these kinds of attacks when they were warrented under a corrupt Howard regime?
I’m mad damnit!
I voted for Rudd and continue to prefer him! Prefer him any day to the A-moral prostitutes of the coalition because he is relatively sincere and honest, because he’s intelligent and has a measure of intellectual integrity, and not merely cunning as Howard was. If Rudd is a one term wonder then those who care about this country, and not just the wealthy parasites on top, better start to worry…
Brendan as PM? Downer? Costello? Hockey?! Any of those lying, hypocritical Muppets of capital and rightwing extremists running this country and we will be America’s pet banana monarchy once again.
Get a clue people. This week has been nothing but filler in federal politics. Rudd is engaging on the fuel joke because most voters know government can do bugger all about fuel prices and wont blame Rudd, the opposition are on a loser and are too dense and disorganised to recognise it.
Possum Comitatus said
Don’t you hold back now Max!
Rx said
Well said, Max. I agree with every word.