Howard acknowledges "Schultz" comparison; hopes it will go away

Brilliant Tandberg cartoon today summing up the revelations that the PM was warned of the kickback demands, despite claiming he knew nothing about kickbacks or anything of the sort:



Exactly! This one needs to be passed around until those people who keep voting for him finally understand how things work under this Prime Minister. (Such a pity that cartoon wasn't published where Hun readers would see it, really.)



I KNOW NOTHING! And when I say that, it's not in a Sgt Schultz way. Will people please stop talking about Sgt Schultz? My never knowing anything that's going on is completely different from Sgt Schultz never knowing anything that's going on! Honestly! Sgt Schultz, indeed. In fact, I don't even know who Sgt Schultz is. Never heard of him. STOP ASKING ME ABOUT SGT SCHULTZ! I KNOW NOTHING!

Of course, Howard's real defence isn't "hey, even though I'm the Prime Minister, you can't expect me to take responsibility for bad things that happen on my watch if I make sure no-one tells me about them". It's "look over there! A strong global economy!"

And, depressingly, it turns out to be a "defence" that people keep buying.

Sigh.

ps I can certainly see why the man responsible for this horrible tragedy elected not to apply for bail. (Apart from there being an AWB man in New York's chance in hell of him getting it anyway.)

I think he's probably very grateful for the thick walls and security gates between him and the grieving Mildura community.

That last photo, staring out from the cover of today's Age... *shudder*

UPDATE: James Wall has written a darkly ironic post on the continuing, over-the-top media coverage of the dead teenagers who are, their many positive qualities notwithstanding, fairly certain to stay that way.

While stopping short of categorically ruling out the possibility of the six deceased, viciously maimed teenagers suddenly returning to life, possibly after a lightning storm or some sort of meteor shower, or maybe Jesus, police have strongly suggested that it would be “very odd indeed”.

Quite. Although, of course, there is something to be said for trying to commemorate lives cut short. Even if it is done in a cynically manipulative way.

UPDATE #2 Rowen has a brilliant post on Howard's refusal to heed warnings - when his house burns down.