Maybe Rudd is just getting back at what Howard said last week:
Howard attacks PM on economy, climate change Posted Wed Jul 9, 2008 10:00am AEST ABC News
Former prime minister John Howard has attacked the Federal Government for what he says is a lack of conviction.
At a Liberal Party fundraiser in Perth last night, Mr Howard told the Liberal faithful he had detected a change in the public mood.
He said the swing against Labor in the Gippsland by-election showed there were doubts about the Government.
"The absolutely dishonest and pathetic attempt by Mr Swan and Mr Tanner and Mr Rudd to somehow or other, demonstrate to the Australian people that they had inherited an economic mess, from the former Coalition, that they had inherited high inflation and runaway spending, I mean, they have no shame," he said.
Mr Howard said that when Labor came to power, Australia's fiscal position was the envy of the world, but when his government was first elected, it had to deal with a budget deficit. He also said the Prime Minister did not have a coherent plan.
"Politics is about conviction, you sometimes get the impression that my successor is more interested in the process of government than the opportunity of leadership that government provides," he said.
