Today's spectacularly peculiar episode in the ongoing Rudd Wars just goes to show what serious damage can happen in political parties when personality based civil wars get entrenched.
Although I can't remember much of the detail now, this all reminded me of the interminable years of the Peacock/Howard rivalry in the 1980's: the big difference being that it all went on while their party was in Opposition, and helped keep it there. I have trouble remembering when a party that was in government has had such a protracted internal division.
I suppose it is hard to know how active Rudd has been in encouraging the undermining of Gillard in the last month or two; it is possible that the journalistic backgrounding has been mainly initiated by his supporters off their own bat. However, what is surely clear is that he has never got on the phone to call them off, telling them, for example, that he really did not want the job and they were only hurting the government.
Here's a suggestion for Kevin: you are (puzzlingly) popular in Queensland. The Labor Party here desperately needs a high profile leader in State Parliament. Resign from Federal Parliament, take a year or two off, get some sleep, work your way into State Parliament, and you'll soon have a good crack at being a long term Queensland Premier.
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