If you weren't moved by Prime Minister Julia Gillard's tears as she introduced legislation to help fund the national disability insurance scheme you don't have a heart. Which immediately brings to mind certain commentators on the other side of the political fence, some earning luxurious livings by tearing down one side of politics solely in the interests of the proprietors they work for. The puffed up clown, Alan Jones, and the propagandising ideologue, Andrew Bolt, come to mind.
Ms Gillard's emotional speech displayed her heart to the entire nation. More than this (hopefully) it put an end to the lie that she's a career politician whose only interest is power. It's no secret that the prime minister has always had a special interest in the areas of education and health, so it's understandable that she might get emotional while introducing this landmark legislation. But one couldn't help get the feeling the weight of the past two and a half years had finally descended, a weight she could bear no more.
With the polls telling the nation her government is doomed come the September election, and after having to endure remorseless carping criticism and personal insults, campaign after campaign to destabilise her government, attacks on her character and even her personal honesty, it all seemed to come to a head.
For the cold blooded cynics in the press and the fools known as shock jocks, her outpouring of emotion will probably occupy their minds for a nanosecond, but hopefully the public will meditate on it a little longer and perhaps realize they just glimpsed the REAL Julia - the one who puts it on the line day after day in the interests of the country. How many of us can say the same thing?