And just when you start to wonder if it is fair that Kevin Rudd should take the rap for all the bungles of his first-term government, along comes the convenient leak this week that Julia Gillard and Lindsay Tanner – half his kitchen cabinet – had nothing to do with any of it. Oh sure.
As soon as Rudd’s personal popularity shield started to fall, we began to witness the unedifying spectacle of everyone piling on and kicking a man when he’s down. As armchair psychologists pick apart his failings as a human being, and his own brother declares that looking inside his head is a “scary thought”, you get the uncomfortable feeling it’s all gone a bit too far.
For one thing, if the amateur shrinks are correct about Rudd’s “angry heart” and petty nature, and if he is returned next election, as he is still favoured to do, the rage unleashed in vengeance attacks will simply consume the government’s second term.
