He probably should have. If he'd left a year ago, he would have bowed out at the top of his game, given Costello time to stamp his authority on the Prime Ministership, and (perhaps) given his party a better run into the election.
As it stands, there must be many Liberals who'd wished he'd done just that.
To my surprise, the disdain in the electorate toward the government has not abated. Not even the action to protect indigenous children has had any effect. I expect party discipline to hold for now, but if by September the polls still predict a rout, private misgivings will become public.
It's not beyond possibility that a panicking party may be temped to depose the illustrious leader. The election can be delayed til early next year, perhaps enough time for the new leader to turn things around.
An even more enticing thought is that the great leader finds the idea of losing so unpalatable that he does what he should have done a year ago.
Really, I should try to hold these fantasies in check!
"An even more enticing thought is that the great leader finds the idea of losing so unpalatable that he does what he should have done a year ago. "
I second that.
heh, i did a toon tonight with a similar idea (in my post called "go howard")...
Ah I wish, I wish too.
The electorate of Bennelong is faced with an interesting dilemma I think, especially as Howard is so much on the nose. If they vote for him and he gets in they know that he won't stay the full term - and there's no way Howard will meekly retreat to the back bench to do out his time. So faced with a bye-election will they decide they might as well let him go now? What's the feeling there Tony?
The trouble is, his oft repeated statement of 'I'll stay as long as the party wants me too' is a direct challenge to anyone contemplating mutiny to come up with the numbers and beat him and so far, no one's had the temerity.
He wasn't going to go without kicking and screaming before APEC - that was obvious a long time ago. But once that's over they just might decide to give it a go.
I believe he's almost mean enough to hang on until the last moment to give his successor the least chance of a win so as to preserve his own personal glory by comparison.
Whatever, I think he's messed up his place in history by not retiring last year and that pleases me no end. I too am amazed by the range of people who can't wait to see the back of him - and good solid country conservative types are included in that.
I just love how all the mud they keep trying to sling at Rudd is failing to stick at all. They must have imagined that they'd have him on toast by now.
The feeling's pretty negative, Sue, judging from a poll of the electorate held some weeks ago. From that, the PM's in a bit of a pickle.
Incidentally, I was one of the respondents!