Jerk of the Week: Mark Latham
In the context of my increased anxiety about the potential for Abbott to be elected at the next federal election, the recent actions of Mark Latham defy belief.
Not only did he lampoon Gillard, he made false accusations about the Labor Party having put in a complaint about him being out on the campaign trail for Channel 9. Fortunately, the train-wreck that is Latham became the story as the Channel 9 CEO, David Gyngell, had to unreservedly apologise to Gillard.
What is most frustrating is that Latham was probably one of the best thinkers that ALP has ever had as it’s leader. While I didn’t necessarily agree with his ideas, he was the first Labor Leader since Keating that had a true vision, and a pretty unique and well informed one at that. Margaret Simons’ Quarterly EssayLatham’s World: The New Politics of the Outsiders was a fascinating read about an impressive thinker.
What has grabbed everyone’s attention though, and turned Latham from a proper noun to an adjective, is his unwavering paranoia which renders him incapable of acting in a manner that vaguely resembles sanity.
So for being such wasted potential, you, Mark Latham, are: Jerk of the Week.