Gillard has made error after obvious error.
1. She should have stuck to her guns and told the plotters that it was too close to an election to change the party's leadership. She should have put the plotters' lame political strategy to the same critical scrutiny she used for pension increases and paid parental leave. Strong leaders know when to say no.
2. She should have appointed Rudd as foreign minister and been photographed with him as soon as possible after the leadership change. She should have then sent him off to talk to our neighbours about a regional processing centre ("take as long as you need Kevin"). Strong leaders are magnanimous and use this trait to keep their enemies close.
3. She should have moved into the Lodge. Not doing so just emphasised the fact that she is not the incumbent and underscored doubts about her 'legitimacy'. It just added to the sense that this election is between two opposition leaders. Strong leaders press their advantages as hard as they can.
4. She should have held the election in October, allowing her time to do a reshuffle, changed some government priorities and put her stamp on the 'new' government. Strong leaders show why they are different, they don't just talk.
5. She should have told women's weekly to forget the photo shoot. Why do female political leaders complain about the focus on their hair and clothes and then go off and do these lame celebrity photo profiles. The magazine came out at the same time as she was going tough over the 'leaks'. Message confusion.
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