September 7, 2007
So APEC offered Howard, as the man of steel, the big chance to define himself on foreign policy and climate change and find points on which to land some good punches on Rudd and ring him him to knees. Would this save Howard?

Leak
The domestic narrative has shifted. The Coalition is no longer just 'in trouble.' It is now looking as if it 'might lose.' The body language has changed, along with the framing, as the shift a shift in opinion away from the coalition continues. Morale and momentum within Liberal ranks are disintegrating in the face of persistent poor polling.
In his opinion piece in yesterday’s Australian Paul Kelly stated that:
The Howard Government faces the prospect of political annihilation and the most serious defeat since the Liberal Party was created by Robert Menzies... The sense of frustration within sections of the Howard Government is undisguised as senior ministers confront their likely obliteration while convinced that they remain a good government ... That Howard faces a more serious defeat than Billy McMahon or Malcolm Fraser is a sobering prospect, once seen as impossible.
Janet Albrechtsen in The Australian writes that Howard must go. She says:
It may not be rational. It may not be fair. It's not about Howard's age. He is fit, capable and, like that Energizer bunny, he could stay on to fight another fight. But voters appear to have turned off Howard. They appear to have stopped listening. Each new initiative that was meant to deliver a electoral bounce has failed to do so. The Howard factor is there. Where once it meant success, now it presages defeat. A defeat that perhaps can only be avoided if Howard steps aside. What makes it so depressing is that so many conservatives and senior Liberals remain in denial. The last rabbit Howard should pull out of the hat is Peter Costello... the coronation of Australia's longstanding heir apparent could represent the best chance the Coalition has of staying in power, too....The appeal of a young and fresh Costello could change the media narrative and work wonders for a tiring Government that is seen as out of touch...having the highest respect for Howard means providing fearless opinions. It's time to hang up the pads.
The Coalition is haunted by the spectre of defeat. The authoritarian conservatives are sounding desperate. The Wilson Tucky option is up and running, even though Costello is soiled goods.
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Things are so bad that there's a rumour circulating that Julie Bishop is a possible replacement.
APEC didn't really leave Rudd or Howard much elbow room as this week's proceedings must have been settled on ages ago. So it strikes me as very significant that two of Howard's biggest spruikers have chosen right now to abandon him. Right now when he can't do much about it.
Rather cowardly of Kelly and Albrechtson. Morale must be bottoming out at Liberal Central.