Who won the news cycle? ‘Real Julia’ switch straight from the campaign handbook


I’m not privy these days to the inner sanctum of the Labor campaign but I would hope there are a few quiet and very private chuckles this morning as they analyse the success of the release of the so-called “Real Julia” switch in the campaign strategy.
The press has certainly swallowed the idea that this new approach is all her own work but I’ll take some convincing that the back room boys and girls did not plan the whole thing. It is, after all, straight out of the campaigners handbook — a technique regularly used when things are not going well and a divertisement is badly needed. If they did not come up with the idea then the current lot of Labor strategists are far more incompetent than I could imagine.
Whatever the origins of Julia Gillard’s promise to unleash her true self, it was stunningly successful yesterday. Don’t worry about what the pundits are calling it or the voice overs that accompanied last night’s television pictures. They are mere trifles that influence the vote of nobody. The pictures are the things that matter and the Prime Minister with schools as a background reinforces a definite government strong point. And just as importantly it relegated the return home from hospital of the ailing Kevin Rudd to the rear of the coverage.
That it was necessary to get journalists back concentrating on Julia rather than Kevin is shown clearly in these figures from Media Monitors reviewing the previous week:
2-08-2010 mediamonitorsissues
Having got the attention back on herself, Julia Gillard has to keep in there and the throw way line during a television interview about being prepared to have another debate with Tony Abbott, provided the economy was the subject, was a clever way of helping to do so. It at least starts the process of transferring to her opponent the mantle as champion of the slick campaign lacking in substance. Perhaps for her next trick the Prime Minister should start giving some serious speeches about policy matters to reinforce the contrast.
The Opposition Leader does not seem to be in any mood to talk in other than slogans. Yesterday for him was just another round of risk free photo opportunities. He clearly lost the day because his pictures were not as good as hers.
3-08-2010 dailywinner
The market as measured by the Crikey Election Indicator moved slightly back towards Labor.
3-08-2010 crikeyelectionindicator

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Is Scott Morrison getting ahead of Malcolm Turnbull in the GST debate?

Image
Michelle Grattan , University of Canberra Scott Morrison has become a true believer in the cause of raising the GST, determined to drive a major switch in the tax mix. The big question is whether Malcolm Turnbull will end up in the same place as his treasurer. Turnbull is keeping his options open. “Changes to the GST are certainly part of the tax debate and certainly being actively considered by the government,” he said on Friday. If Turnbull agrees with Morrison, all will be well and good between them. On the other hand if Turnbull eventually opts for caution and doesn’t walk down the GST road, or in the shorter term feels Morrison is getting ahead of the game, that would be awkward for the gung-ho minister, who would the need to manage his retreat. Morrison wants a high profile and he seeks the limelight. But that carries risks. There is always that salutary tale from Labor days. Paul Keating was passionate about introducing a broad-based consumption tax. Bob Hawke let
Read more

Prime Minister Scott Morrison under pressure as the question about knowledge of a rape gets embarrassing

Image
Any    day   of   the   week Five words by Scott Morrison that fired up social media commentators today. #NotMyPM pic.twitter.com/YiGTGzLNU5 — M🕯️cr💧ft ...... 🍥 🐒🚶......🧠 (@KaurnaCopia) March 18, 2021 They saw an angry and embarrassed Prime Minister. A politician under considerable pressure. Looking for a way out and not being able to see it. Hansard tells the story of how it came about: Members of Parliament: Staff  Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Leader of the Opposition) (14:33): My question is to the Prime Minister. Thirty days ago, the Prime Minister told this House that he asked his former chief of staff, one of the few people he's ever shown empathy for, to verify what his office knew about the reported sexual assault of Brittany Higgins only metres from where he works. Mr Gaetjens reported his findings on the Prime Minister's sports rorts within two weeks. Why is this report, about the Prime Minister's staff, taking so long, and will the Prime Minister release this
Read more

Making a mockery of Labor Party pre-selections

  The shenanigans of the SA branch of the Labor Party just gets worse and worse. The Federal Executive of the Party should intervene to stop this madness. What follows is a post I received this evening from my friend Maggie Dawkins about her daughter Alice's courageous decision to take on the power brokers and seek preselection for the seat of Spence. "Alice innocently exercised her right as an ordinary member of the Labor Party to nominate for Spence. What she may inadvertently have stumbled upon is a done deal agreed to by faceless power brokers of the Left and Right factions. Ordinary members have not been consulted, but it is all leaking out as Alice calls the SA Party office to account. It appears that many members may not be comfortable with this done deal, as they are contacting me, not only as Alice’s mum, but also as a board member of Whistle Blowers Australia. Is the deal correct? Who knows? Perhaps time will tell? We know that some of it is correct, for example, Ni
Read more