PM of Austria more like it.

I've not heard the speech. I was just making light of the complaints. I have no problem with her accent or her earlobes. So I have nothing to get used to.

I wasn't embarassed either - she was playing to her audience, I just don't like her

There's always one that digs out the old 'get used to it' imperative isn't there. I think if Henry Kissinger had come out with the speech Ms Gillard delivered he would have gone down in history as a simpleton. It just portrayed Australia so badly. Where is Kevin? He could actually speak at least two languages rather than struggle with one.

washington post states that there was a very low turn out for her, and they had to bring in staffers to make the place look full

No.

Have you listened to Kissinger? I struggle to understand him far more than Gillard. No offence but you're not seeing and hearing her from the view point of the rest of the world.

Sad fact is that Australia isn't the world player it thinks it is, not yet anyway. The Yanks are getting friendly because they see a possibility of pissing on us and telling us it's raining.

It's what the yanks do, they have a 'special relationship' with whoever they can exploit

cynic pill kicking in nicely

Just when they need some cannon fodder for Libya.

Indeedy

But i don,t like you , that holds the same importance.......MM

Actually I think its because they want greater access to Australian port facilities for the Pacfic Fleet. They will be making it abundantly clear to China that they run this part of the Pacific... and that it will be staying that way.

It wasn't the best speech in the world.

But playing to American sentiment was quite a good idea and the 2001 Firefighter clearly resonated - this is precisely what will win over American hearts and minds..

Her afterdinner speech apparently got worse as she got tired...

I don't think that Australia sees itself as a world player. To be honest, they can't really win - they are either acused of having an inferiority complex or having a superiority complex whatever they do.

I see them as being a very close 'mate' of the UK and the UK due to past history and cultural ties - in a way many other countries will never be -but also a distant 'cousin' due to geographical location and a smaller economy.

Probably her speech writers didn't have any material to pinch from rock bands...