"Gillard`s main reason in announcing an election 7months plus away is paranoia.With the announcement out there it will be very hard for Labor to ditch her for a new jockey."
I would not bet on that...
An election announcement 8 mounths out doesnt mean very much and will probably have a media half-life of a day or so with business-as-usual resuming in a day or so...
I would guess that something significant was about to happen on the labor leadership front and Gillard is possibly using this "election in 8 months" annoucement as a distraction to buy her a few days time to head off whatever challenge was potentially planned, and of course to maybe get some Rudd supporters to re-consider their position due to the "announced" election...
Hence the secrecy prior to the announcement in order to catch her opponents in the labor party by surprise...
Just speculation of course, but it does seem likely to me...
