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The shape of the argument by David Marr was followed up by the comentariat at the Webdiary notes: Hidden away in this excellent article is a small sentence which carries more weight than any other:
John Howard is the confrontation with Australia many Australians have been waiting to have.
The Sun Herald has an editorial which captures and sums up the election of 2004 rather well; Our Hearts Say Latham But Our Heads Say Howard. (no link yet 11 am Sydney time)

Eye on the Great Unreadable Election Artists call for truth in government
Hollywood director Phillip Noyce, actors Vince Colosimo, Barry Otto, Max Cullen and Chris Haywood and producer Margaret Fink are among 40 artists, actors, writers and film directors who have joined the call for truth in government.
In an open letter yesterday, they condemned the Government and called on leading politicians to stop being political clowns.
People in the arts strove to bring to the world, images and entertainment that reflect the integrity of the Australian community, the letter said.
But the deceitful behaviour of the Government, its commitment to an illegal war, misinformation about the behaviour of asylum seekers, and its disgraceful imprisonment of children had all greatly besmirched Australia's international image.
The outrageous scaremongering statements by the Foreign Minister have left us the laughing stock of our own region and in the international community...
• Bring on the clowns? Yes, the real ones ; [Miranda Wood and Alex Mitchell: For voters, it is the loneliest job in the electoral process. For pollies, it is a rare moment of truth On 9 October 2004 AD, almost 13 million people will march into polling booths across Australia and cast their secret ballot ]
• · Sunday Channel 9: By next week, we should know who will lead Australia for the next three years: The politics of pursuit
; Laurie Oakes Interview: John Howard ; Swinging voters: Last week; Ross Coulthart Class Warfare: Dr Hawkes tour of the facilities at King's School; Arnachist Joe Toscano
• · · Nathan Zamprogno is a member of an Assemblies of God Church, the church so (allegedly) linked to the Family First party ; Antony Loewensten of Counterspin highlighted this link
• · · · Hip pocket Matt Liddy's Poll Vault Weblog: Rolling the Barrel at the speed of light $6,945 a second ; [Can't stop the music of self-interest and money: MP's wife embroiled in police database leak ]
• · · · · Family First may be pivot in election preferences
• · · · · · Michael Gordon spoke to the Prime Minister and the contender Last Supper