paul keating..., page-6

and if I ran into him I'd vomit.

His wife and kids a huge publicity advantage - until he was no longer a Leader.

And a vicous, nasty, sarcastic, scalding tongue.

Trouble is, with such alleged "men of vision" - the vision mainly concerns themselves, and their own ego, and hunger for power.

Yes, Keating was not a mundane plodder - and yes he had some innovative periods some would class brilliant - but he always loved himself more than he loved the common good, or the average Joe battler.

And the gargantuan interest rates soaring into the 17%'s under his reign - well - they ruined many a life! Many a marriage. Many peoples' hopes for the future. Many people's hopes of ever being home owners. Broke many a businessman.

17 percenter nightmare years no-one will ever forget! Or forgive.

"Beauty" is always, as the saying goes, in the eye of the beholder.

"Greatness" - has to be achieved, and earned. Keating was by no stretch of imagination, or wishful thinking, "the
greatest Prime Minister ever." The annals of Australia history will not shwo him so.. John Curtin, to me, was far greater on the Labor side.

Howard, in comparison, ran rings around him. As Costello would have, had he stayed on.

Menzies was a rock of a man - perhaps THE greatest.

Above all, Menzies HATED Communism. How right he was to recognise it's threat - and dangers, still evident today.