If you haven’t seen him on your television yet, you ain’t watching.

The Ruddster, a.ka. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, has been on a whirlwind world tour, meeting every leader that will shake his hand. This is his first major overseas trip as Prime Minister, and he has a lot of re-positioning to do after a decade of John Howard’s brand of global engagement.

Labor has only been in power in Australia for just over 100 days or so, so it’s still very early days yet, but the signs are good. The Liberals are reduced to complaining about everything they can, and looking the fools for it. The most ridiculous one this week was them complaining about the salute to George Bush, which earned The Ruddster a rebuke from the Libs from not being prime ministerial enough. Get real guys. You really will have to do a little better…

He’s looking good in my eyes. He’s eloquent, intelligent, very ready to engage, diplomatic, realistic and visionary. OK, maybe he’s not the most exciting Prime Minister I have ever seen, but after having lived through a decade of John Howard, I’d prefer intelligent and visionary over exciting anyday.

His deputy, Julia Gillard, looks frighteningly capable. Maybe she will, in about ten years, become Australia’s first female Prime Minister. We just have to give the Ruddster three terms first. I’m sure he’ll hand over then… 😉