Filed under: Cultural Cringe, International relations, Politicians | Tags: G20, Kevin Rudd, RAAF
Revelations that Kevin Rudd made a flight attendant cry drew mixed responses from readers of the Sydney Morning Herald.
“In an eight- or nine-year-old, this behaviour would be acknowledged as that of a spoilt brat. In a prime minister it is inexcusable,” argued Elizabeth Chandler of Mount Victoria.
“Let the man eat meat,” suggested Allan Gibson of Cherrybrook.
Vicki Stewart Forster wondered why anyone was worrying about the story in the first place:
“The world has been in financial meltdown for a couple of years and we have troops fighting on two war fronts, but what do our news headline focus on? A cabin attendant with hurt feelings.
Isn’t elephant-hide skin a prerequisite for this job?”
Gordon Drennan of Burton, South Australia, argued: “Kevin Rudd’s pattern of behaviour reflects very poorly on his real character. The way he expected his staff to work hours far beyond what was reasonable. Multiple instances of abuse of subordinates. A reputation for dummy spits.”
While Mike Reddy of Vincentia was unimpressed that the question had been asked in the first place:
“The journalist who quizzed Mr Rudd about an alleged example of his bad temper was plainly trying to embarrass the Prime Minister in front of a London press conference.
Undoubtedly this was a success. But I think the reputation of the Australian media suffered greater damage. Serious journalists of the world must have been scratching their heads that on the day the G20 summit passed resolutions that may help the world recover from its greatest economic challenge in 75 years, the Australian media dredged up gossip from months ago.
Australia has often struggled against perceptions of it being a colonial backwater and cultural desert populated by uncouth people with funny accents. Tabloid journalism of this sort can only underline those unfortunate perceptions.”
Filed under: Cultural Cringe, International relations, Politicians | Tags: Kevin Rudd, Washington
Two responses to Kevin Rudd’s visit to Barack Obama in Washington, in the Sydney Morning Herald:
”
Australian PMs should be banned by law from going to Washington (“New best friends have a great meeting of the minds”, March 26). It doesn’t matter which side of politics. All the obsequious forelock-tugging from our side and the condescending head-patting from theirs is sickening. It makes us look foolish and it’s embarrassing. It seems as if we haven’t grown up from the colony we were; we’ve just changed our masters.”
Gordon Drennan Burton (SA)
“President Tinkerbell tells the world that everything will be OK if only we believe that he will take away all the bad and only leave the good, and that all our debts can be solved by just printing magic money. Doesn’t really sound like a long-term plan, does it?”
Glenn Meeves Kings Park
And one in The Australian:
“Praise of Kevin Rudd’s handling of the financial crisis by US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is like Eddie the Eagle praising Rudd’s skiing.”
Rod Bates
Beckley, West Virginia, US
“How dare Frank Scahill (Letters, March 24) assert that the Opera House is Sydney’s Big Prawn. First, the Opera House doesn’t sell fuel. Second, the acoustics of the Prawn are far superior.”
David Grant Ballina
Filed under: Cultural Cringe, International relations, Sport | Tags: Beijing Olympics
“So we British stole our medals and our coaches. When are you guys going to lose gracefully? And we are supposed to be the biggest whingers. At least when England or Great Britain lose they admit they were beatn by better teams on the day.”
Keith of the UK writes to the Daily Telegraph in response to moans about how Australians who trained or coached other Olympic teams were “traitors”. Lily Murray of Glebe agrees;
“Were Australian coahes pressganged into coaching the Brits? On loettery funding and gambling addiction – this coming from a nation that has 20% of the world’s poker machines. Show some Australian class and generosity and just say “well done Brits but we’ll beat you next time”.
Peter Flyyn of Dapto has a different viewpoint:
“The fact that the most notorious British tabloid is crowing about taking more gold medals than Australia, shows a cultural cringe on their part. That they feel such a thrill at passing a nation with a third the number of people is an enormous compliment (albeit inintended). “
