Ignoring the lessons of Bill and Bertie

The latest descent into the gutter attributed to the Liberal party 'dirt unit' demonstrates yet again the spectacular stupidity of launching personal attacks on the character of politicians. The allegation that Julia Gillard was somehow involved in some kind of union fraud exercise are no more likely to garner voter support than 'Strippergate' or any other pile of dirt. Whoever is pedalling this and Strippergate has clearly failed to understand that recent character accusations have created public sympathy for the accused and been counterproductive for the accusors. In short, they have not learnt the lessons of Bill and Bertie.

Bill Clinton and Bertie Ahern come from opposite sides of politics. One was US President and as most of the known universe knows was subject to the most tawdry investigation in political history owing to his penchant for a certain intern. After initally denying the whole affair, Clinton admitted involvement with Monica Leewinsky then ran a technical argument over the issue of 'relations'. The net result was that Clinton received public sympathy. It was however, very useful in galvanising the Republican vote at the following election.

Bertie Ahern is the Irish PM who seems to have been involved in everything from signing blank cheques for his party leader to rather shady dealings with wealthy businessmen. Ahern was confronted with evidence of donations he had received and apologised to the parliament and repaid monies. When the opposition Fine Gael party tried to make capital out of the situation, the opinion polls showed a rise in Ahern's support earning a lecture from the Irish media. The dodgy dealings of the so-called Teflon Taoiseach were immaterial to the election outcome, if anything garnering public sympathy for the embattled leader who subsequently won the election.

It should by now be clear that unless an accusation comes with hard evidence of gross misfeasance by a public official, it is likely to backfire on the accusor. Enter Kevin Rudd and Strippergate. Rudd's wonkish image was feared in some quarters to be off-putting to the electorate, but when details of his inadvertent strip club visit became known, plus his public apology, the result was a surge in popularity.

Apart from effectively conceding that Rudd is untouchable by not concentrating their policy attacks on him, the attack on Gillard is extraordinarily stupid as there are valid policy reasons which should engender concern among some conservative voters. Gillard was intimately associated with Latham's uncosted Medicare Gold policy. This big ticket item seems to have been erased from the collective political memory. Couple that with her membership of the Left faction (which unofficially makes her ineligble to be Treasurer) and there is sufficient ground to instil doubt in voters.

Instead we have the bizarre strategy of treating her like some kind of Antipodean Hillary Clinton, complete with murky dealings during her legal career. I suspect Labor is quite happy to see her image as the Australian Boudicea, standing up to the evil empire of muck-raking journalists and unreconstructed misogynists such as Bill Heffernan get further support from such unfounded allegations.

Politics of 'smear and fear' may have some utility to galvanise one's (extremist) base, but they are unlikely to endear the accusor to the public at large. Unless someone does have some evidence that compelling ties an official to a heinous crime, then in the current climate they would be best advised to concentrate on policy.