This point­less brouhaha over the Kevin Rudd video has once and for all decided the fact that polit­i­cal report­ing, and those that do it, in this coun­try are inca­pable of what should be polit­i­cal reporting’s very core – objec­tive pol­icy and pro­gram analy­sis of all sides.

It is indica­tive of two things, I think; the fact that the tra­di­tional media have abro­gated their respon­si­bil­ity for their actual job, the report­ing of actual news, and the fact that the politi­cians are so gov­erned by spin and man­u­fac­tured news and absent of actual pol­icy aimed at social bet­ter­ness that con­stant lead­er­ship spec­u­la­tion can become the news.

A pox on your col­lec­tive houses!

Media com­men­ta­tor, Stil­gher­rian, waxes lyri­cal (and jus­ti­fi­ably potty-​​mouthed) on the same sub­ject in his The 9PM Edict. If only the Press Gallery took notice.

I’m not hold­ing my breath.