I take your later comment “while GWB is seen as a bit of a fool ” as rather generous to George….and as for “recaliant” , well Paul smiled when he said it and th Mayalsian PM didn’t , so i assumed there was a PK insult somewhere in there

http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/jelly-balls-may-slow-global-warming/2008/11/16/1226770256757.html

They totally compare because both ar irrelevant to sensible Senior US eyes

Given that Howard is no longer around to be truly haunted by his comments, yes. Had he been still PM it may have been a very different story though. Obama is a much more ‘loved’ figure in Australia already, and is just starting out on his Presidency, while GWB is seen as a bit of a fool and is a lame duck on the wane.

Your argument deteriorates as you go , making a 12 months old grain of sand into half

You can see them now sitting in their backrooms cursing that Rudd who has obviously drugged and duped the public. They know they are better at everything and are infuriated that Rudd falsely holds his position. So they will further enraged swing even harder and more wildly hoping to get lucky.

The issue is that they won’t condemn an obvious inappropriate and deliberate attack on Obama. Howard was PM and leader of the LNP at the time of making the attack. His people at the time did not stand up and so that it was out of order. Those same people are there now leading the party and still refuse to.

Nobody believes that the LNP hold that view or that Howard actually honestly held his views either and know that it was simply an attack to help the Republican Party. Given the media’s obsession with trivial things to do with Rudd it is extraordinary that here we have a live serious issue that is still to be resolved. The media should be forcing the LNP to repudiate the Howard position. Can anybody imagine what the media would do if it was Rudd as PM making those comments? They would be demanding his resignation, as they should.

The media is deliberately soft on this issue because it is the LNP. However as it isn’t fully resolved, it can be used by Labor during the election year, especially if an Obama visit is in the offing. (one can hope).

It is also an indication of the weakness of Turnbull’s leadership. He knows what he should do, but that he doesn’t says a bit about his position.

any US POTUS in American eyes is far more serious

Given GWB’s approval numbers I’m not so sure that is the case. Regardless, I’m not quite sure how a documented insult vs an alleged and subsequently denied insult compares in any way.