Well, "Biffo" (Australian Labor Party leader Mark Latham) gave a gracious concession speech -- which was a tribute both to him and to Australian democracy. John Howard's speech stressed how humbled he felt by his victory. A TV commentator noted the contrast with how Paul Keating (a former Labor party leader) responded to his victory -- by saying "How sweet it is" or some such. Keating was not re-elected. Howard has now been re-elected three times. Leftist arrogance does trip Leftists up in the end.


I can't help noting that, like Spain, Australians were attacked by Muslim terrorists just before the election. The attacks were not exactly comparable in that the attack on the Australian embassy in nearby Jakarta mainly succeeded in blowing up other Muslims but the attack did get big news coverage here nonetheless. And Australians had the same choice that Spaniards had -- a Leftist opposition that promised to get the troops out of Iraq pronto. But Australians are not Spaniards -- and it shows.