The joke's on you

The job of a journalist is to expose the differences between what those in power say, and what they do. Jase provides his own say-do gap here.

then the killjoys moved in to snuff out all the fun — those mirthless warriors in the war against wit who have succeeded in banning all humour, candour and plain speaking in politics.

Not that politicians are to blame. The funnier you are, the more you get beat up

Beat up by whom, Jase? By you, and people like you. You could break from the pack, become a real journalist and actually write a story on something other than POLITICIAN DEPARTS FROM OFFICIAL LINE SHOCK, but you don't. Because you don't, you don't really have any right to write (or even "pen") a story like this.

A likely consequence of Kevin Rudd winning this election is that he will turn the country into one giant Sunday school.

Who in a Rudd cabinet, one may ask, will be the minister responsible for cracking a joke?

Looking at Labor's front bench, the chuckles are unlikely to come thick and fast.

Well, if the politicians are going to be this dull there's nothing for it but to get off your backside and write some stories.

As for Peter Costello, if he is leading the Opposition, we can forget about any more jokes from him. He'll be so miserable the most he'll be able to muster is a wan smile. The minders have already told him to pull his head in on the gag front.

Yes, because Peter Costello is a politician and wants to maximise his vote, Jase. Very few people would rely on Peter Costello to bring the funny: fewer still among the Liberal MPs seeking an extension of their tenure in office. What Costello has done here is avoid the smart-alec image that turns off thousands of voters. He can't afford to be turning voters off, and it's your job to point that out - not demand that he perform like a seal for your bemusement.

Costello would have done much better if he'd taken the gloves off and given his opponent Wayne Swan an old-fashioned whacking with lashings of ridicule and invective.

No he wouldn't, you've botched it again. Swan would have looked like the responsible Treasurer and Costello like a self-satisfied tosser.

Tony Abbott was vilified last week for using the word "bullshit" but was anyone really offended?

Personally I wasn't by the word itself, and you probably weren't either Jase. The point is that this is a man who turns up late and, instead of apologising, swears. While it's true that the only people offended will be old ladies, consider how desperately the Coalition needs their votes.

Peter Garrett [has] ... also been accused of selling out his principles. Surely we should suspend judgement on this until Garrett has actually been a minister and made a few decisions.

People who are really angry at Garrett for selling out don't want him to be a minister if he's going to sell out. It's your job to explore that Jase, not defend politicians from your readers.

There is humour, anger, sadness and real satisfaction in public life, but you have to hunt for it and not just expect it to be served up to you by press secretaries, which is how Jase operates. Let us be rid of this appallingly inadequate "journalist".

Update: A regular PH reader just sent me the following:

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You could start your own blog any time you like, seeing as you have so much spare time in a campaign that is going absolutely nowhere. It's not my fault that you're going nowhere.