Will John Howard claw his way back into Government?

Labor started ahead in the polls and Latham beat Howard in the Great Debate 67 to 33, according to the 'worm,' but in the final three weeks the polls fluctuated as the incumbent PM made a last ditch attempt to claw his way back into power by throwing billions of dollars at the marginals and blaming Labor and the unions for everything from high interest rates to government debt, while calling the Greens a bunch of commies.

The media has even accused the PM of 'political cross dressing' with John Howard not only kissing babies this election campaign, but hugging trees and embracing Medicare -- yes, the same health system he has spent his whole time in office dismantling so that these days you can't even find a doctor who bulk bills. Don't believe a word John Howard says. This is the same man who threw the babies overboard to get elected last time around.

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"How big a threat is Latham to the Coalition? The budget allows you to put a price on it: $58 billion or around three times the price they put on beating Kim Beazley in 1998 and 2001."

- Laura Tingle, The Financial Review, May 12

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"If Labor is elected they'll give the waterfront back to the maritime unions."

Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, SMH , August 29.