As cunning as a shit house rat.

I hope no-one writes that as an epitaph for my life. I could tolerate lazy and conceited and incompetent, but I hope I am not cunning - that would be too much to bear.

PM JohnHoward is possibly the best politician in the world today. He possibly even ranks up there with Tricky Dicky Nixon of the USA - in fact, he might even surpass him. Pres Bush of USA and PM Blair of UK are tarnished as a result of Iraq but Howard scrapes kudos for being seen over there. War time leader. That looks so good on the CV of political history. Even Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser could not claim War time leader on their CVs. Billy Hughes (WW1); John Curtin (WW2); Menzies (Korea); Wotsisname Holt, Gorton and MacMahon (Vietnam); Hawke (Iraq); and Howard (Iraq).

Best Politician is in the same category as best cheat, most successful thief, greatest con-man, biggest hypocrite, finest art fraud, cleverest forger.

The problem for Australia is that the bogans who control the political outcomes in Australian elections see superlatives as something to be admired. It is why they worship people like Ned Kelly. They can't distinguish between the superlative and the quality it is qualifying. They hear "best politician" and they think this must be an admirable quality. PM Howard, as cunning as a shit house rat, exploits them and they love it.