Watching Kevin Rudd go through a childish set-piece on ABC's 7.30 Report tonight, I was utterly dismayed.  This crash is beginning to hit the fan at levels that many have expected since its commencement, and meanwhile the PM's delivering a show that should be on air between Teletubbies and Sesame Street.

First off, Kevin's foisting of the situation onto Liberal economic mismanagement;  Sorry, Kev, this doesn't cut it now, especially when you trip over your own story by later saying that the crisis stems from the U.S.  If you don't believe your own spin,  then why should we?

And what was t about the lady in Bendigo buying new false teeth- a bedtime fable?  It might have been heartwarming if you'd started reintroducing a national dental program, but not now.  While the rest of the country is supposedly having a last fling at dalliances, luxuries, and a sense of financial well-being that they probably won't feel for some time, this poor granny was out buying something to chew her food with.  Still, at least she's not down the pub stocking up on flagons of sherry  and blowing the rest on the pokies, eh Kev?  Are you really sure that gran's new mashers aren't made in China, though?  Why worry about them being Australian made, when Gerry Harvey's smililng at all those Korean made plasma tellies walking out the front door.

I know I'm waffling, but I can't believe I'm hearing such rubbish when things are so obviously going from bad to worse.   Suprisingly to myself, the most insulting aspect of the spiel was the PM.s repeated use ot the contraction "gonna."     Do you reckon that Kev uses this around the office every day?  I doubt it.  Childish linguistic bonding exercises, Prime Minister, are really insulting, especially when being used as anaesthetic for the pain of your following statement:

My job as Prime Minister is to provide as rapid a response possible to the rapid global deterioration in the economy and to try and support growth and jobs. And this is the best instrument available to government at this stage.

This is tantamount to saying "After Christmas, it won't be only the turkey that's stuffed"

All and all, the interview didn't fill me with much faith in the man's ability to lead us along the "long and bumpy road" ahead.  Perhaps, Kevin, if you stopped treating us like primary school kids and talked to us as equals, and admitted the realities, we might get behind you and statr doing whatever needs to be done.  Until then though, you're gonna have to either drop the bullshit or try harder. I should be mentally picturing a tough, resolute leader carving a path out of trouble , but instead I've got an image of Kevin Rudd in an Andy Pandy costume.  If our PM keeps this sort of thing up, Andy will indeed be waving goodbye when he's voted out at the next election.  If the country thinks it needs tough leadership for tough times, then Turnbull is in like Flynn.

I'm gonna stop now.  Have a look at the transcript [1] and see what you reckon.