interesting how posters state Gallard is smart, you can be media/political smart but incompetent you know.... i think judging by her previous form theres some incompetence there as well, Rudd was a smooth talker too. john Howard was a smart politician as well hence he was in office as long as he was, i believe some of the posters on here lean toward labour.... fair enough thats your values and beliefs, but it was a smart Howard that kept the libs in power so long so the shoe fits the other foot with gilard If she comes across smart to the average punter, what matters is results as a minister and they speak for themselves , to me that's a fail but each to their own..

maybe i just wear rose colored glasses but i would rather take the bloke or girl that ums and ahhs a few times than someone that smooth talks.. seems its almost robotic to me more so than genuine, then again i never digged rudds form in 07 and thought back then he was all talk and little substance.

i didn't watch Q and A but i did watch for a little while simon crean and a lib opponent on another audience show , what struck me was the venom in simons crean demeanor toward his opponent , and how he totally misrepresented some policy facts, but it wasn't misrepresentation of lib policy facts so much as how he treated his opponent, i don't want someone like that in power/making decisions for Australians because you and i are no different in being to a politician ,if he can treat his opponent like that he can treat the person in the audience like that as well.... poor moral standings in my view. maybe simon crean isnt "smart" enough to be on tv?

i admit i lean toward more liberal values, I'm all for small government, free enterprise and values of - those that work hard gain and are rewarded the most.