Why is Abbott so scared of Rudd?

[i-need-a-martini]

His overall dimeaner this past week has been interesting. He certainly looks anxious.

So why not take Rudd on in a debate as Rudd suggests? It might be a good opportunity for Abbott to promote his policies.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/abbott-ducks-rudds-call-for-economy-debate-20130630-2p4...

[i-need-a-martini]

I'd like to know your answer to that too pls.

Thanks icy.;-)

I am basing that on his response. Rather than address why he wouldn't or couldn't, he deflected. 

[catsnknots]

Rudd is an amazing story teller... he can talk through mud... he is a rock star politician.. not many pollies can match his style.. 

That is the problem... 

people are going to vote for him and forget about grocery watch, fuel watch, pink bats (good idea but very badly implemented and left many businesses to go broke when they stopped the program without notice), school halls (many schools didn't want halls but had no choice) ... he opened up the path for boats to smuggle people in... 

he made huge errors.. but he is so great at spinning yarns that he will spin his way out... 

I can understand Abbotts reluctance.   Very hard to beat a conman at their game... 😉

[newstart2380]

?:|?:|

What about when they travel around and meet and greet constituents? People ask questions then & the PM or Opposition leader have to answer those off the cuff...  like when TA made a big gaffe when he spoke to Australian soldiers overseas, with what he said about the soldiers who had died in service.

Does Tony Abbott understand how the economy works?, a lot of politicians don't.

I said debate not meet and greet and kissing baby outings.

If a politician does not want to answer a question whilst out doing a meet and greet they ignore it, they are ALL very good at that.

[cherry*135]

Other method used by TA to  communicate with voters.

May 31:

TONY Abbott is planning to hold virtual town hall-style forums in battleground seats ahead of the election after 8000 homes in the key Western Sydney seat of Lindsay tonight tuned into the Opposition Leader in the national capital from their own living rooms.

In what is believed to be a national first, Mr Abbott and Lindsay candidate Fiona Scott sat in Liberal Party headquarters in Canberra and held an hour-long forum run by the party for the crucial electorate, held by Labor Minister David Bradbury, some 300 kilometres away.

The move allows Mr Abbott to further sidestep curlier questions by the mainstream media and Canberra press gallery and talk directly to voters in an extension of the talkback radio format favoured by former prime minister John Howard.

Kevin Rudd visited Western Sydney himself yesterday, 2 million people there.

Asked by The Sunday Telegraph why he chose a town on the western Sydney outskirts for his first public appearance in his second term as PM, Kevin Rudd admitted the region was crucial to his chances of reelection.

"This is really important," Mr Rudd said.

"There is a couple of million people in Western Sydney, this is core business for any government of Australia.

[**meep**]

“I mean, Mr Rudd can recall Parliament if he wishes to have a debate. As soon as he names the election date, then the election debate will be in full swing,” he said.

So?  Whats the problem?

[watta*drama*queen]

 Very hard to beat a conman at their game... 😉

particularly a sociopath like rudd

[cherry*135]

I said debate not meet and greet and kissing baby outings.

If a politician does not want to answer a question whilst out doing a meet and greet they ignore it, they are ALL very good at that.

No, TA  does answers the questions when out meeting people in Australia, our armed forces oversease and makes big gaffes. Hence my suggestion that he doesn't want to debate anything live because he can't be trusted as to what comes out of his mouth.

Why doesn't he hold public forums when he travels that are open to the umm errr  public?

[newstart2380]

Rudd is an amazing story teller... he can talk through mud... he is a rock star politician.. not many pollies can match his style.. 

That is the problem... 

people are going to vote for him and forget about grocery watch, fuel watch, pink bats (good idea but very badly implemented and left many businesses to go broke when they stopped the program without notice), school halls (many schools didn't want halls but had no choice) ... he opened up the path for boats to smuggle people in... 

he made huge errors.. but he is so great at spinning yarns that he will spin his way out... 

I can understand Abbotts reluctance.   Very hard to beat a conman at their game... 😉

I would not be to worried about TA, the libs are waiting patiently for KR to self destruct so why do it for him. My daughter had a dinner with him not long ago and she said although he is very personable and attentive she found him very superficial.

He may ( as he said ) have learnt by past mistakes but not enough, he has been to consumed with the destruction of JG to worry about improving his image to much, it will be a learn as you go situation for him.

[i-need-a-martini]

cats - like Abbott you keep bringing up old history and most of it is irrelevent and requires another thread.

But surely you would want to know what policies the party you are planning to vote for are bringing to the election??

In only a few days, Rudd has already outlined his direction. 

But where are Abbotts policies? He promised he would produce some before the election. But so far nothing. When is he going to unveil his plans for the country? In the week before?

Whatever I think of Abbott I am still very interested to hear what his policies are going to be.

[newstart2380]

I said debate not meet and greet and kissing baby outings.

If a politician does not want to answer a question whilst out doing a meet and greet they ignore it, they are ALL very good at that.

No, TA  does answers the questions when out meeting people in Australia, our armed forces oversease and makes big gaffes. Hence my suggestion that he doesn't want to debate anything live because he can't be trusted as to what comes out of his mouth.

Why doesn't he hold public forums when he travels that are open to the umm errr  public?

JG tried that and got annihilated in the western suburbs of Sydney. Maybe he learned by her massive blunders.