Labor hopeless; Abbott a hollow man - Laura Tingle

Laura Tingle is right - the Federal political scene is rapidly spiralling into high farce.

Julia Gillard can't nail an issue even when she does have the right policy. She seems incapable of carrying the nation with her, of portraying vision and leadership and of clearly and simply explaining even the simplest of policies like pokie reform. Instead, she can't seem to open her mouth without talking about Tony Abbott. And any campaigner or marketer would tell you that's the last thing you do - acknowledge your competition and you bestow on them validity.

And validity is the last thing Tony Abbott warrants. As each week passes, he paints himself further into an unmanageable corner. If he is ever elected, the "mandate" he will have set up for himself will be utterly undeliverable. Farce will ensue the likes of which we have never seen in Australian federal politics.

Tingle is now saying so. Laurie Oakes has said so in an utterly scathing review. Far more journalists need to make it clear to the Australian populace that we are skidding down into a very ugly place.