* Campaigning is deadly serious in America.
Sounding like that hyperactive Andrew Denton of the new ABC TV word show RANDLING , the telephone caller asked to conduct a quickie NT political poll for a Brisbane based marketing research outfit. In a moment of weakness , I agreed as this was the second caller in less than a week wanting to ask me about the forthcoming Territory election. The first inquisitor rang at a time when I was busy putting together a further epic for Little Darwin and sounded somewhat uppity, so I cut him short and said not interested . He complained that I had not allowed him to finish his spiel. My retort left him in no doubt about my preference.
Then along comes this Denton-sounding person on the Sabbath and the idea of him having to moonlight for the Devil instead of bending the knee in a tabernacle indicated he must have fallen on tough times , despite his TV appearances. Still , Randling has no chance of living up to the popularity of Spicks and Specks, but it is different and better than most of the mind numbing crap on the box.
Trouble is this Denton -sound alike asked me questions about an electorate in which I do not reside . It took me a while to twig that the Sanderson electorate aint my territory. Had he asked me about the present incumbent in my electorate , I could have described that person in words not likely to be heard on Randling.
My response to questions about the Sanderson seat were therefore irrelevant , misleading . Who out of Paul Henderson and Terry Mills would make a better Chief Minister ? This was a question I was able to answer in light of the failure of the CM and assorted spin doctors to respond to REAL media questions . Boy, does this town need another media voice ! Most voters, I am sure , believe Denton should jump on the gravy train with a series about a yodelling camp oven chef as tucker seems to be the Australian obsession at a time of growing global starvation.
