Kevin Rudd is "pretty smart"

Here is some good advice for all history students, memorise your American history and in particular, George Washington's strategy to defend New York from the British in the American War for Independence. The easier alternative is to simply visit wikipedia before having breakfast with Bill Clinton. These skills will hold you in good stead in the off-chance that you meet Mr Clinton. Kevin Rudd's ability to describe the American War for Independence in "excruciating detail" has led Mr Clinton to describe the Australian Prime Minister as being "pretty smart" and "one of the most well-informed, well-read, intelligent leaders in the world today." 

We in Australia have no such history, no wars fought for independence,  no tea parties where we proclaim, "no taxation without representation!" Australian's enjoy their tea too much to throw it into the sea, we do however, have a well publicised apology  made to the indigenous people of Australia (made by KRudd). But Mr Rudd is the Australian Prime Minister, not the US President, yet he was described by Mr Clinton as an Australian who "knows more about America than they know about Australia". 

Perhaps a contextual interpretation should be afforded for Mr Clinton's statements; that is, Mr Rudd is well-informed and well-read on American history. The critical question, however, is how will Mr Rudd's knowledge of American history benefit Australia? It won't, but it will promote Mr Rudd's image in the US after relations were strained when a sensitive phone call between Mr Rudd and the then US President George W Bush was leaked to the media where Mr Bush purportedly said, "whats the G20?".

Tony Abbott (a Rhodes Scholar and arguably more intelligent than Mr Rudd) cannot claim to have received the Clinton stamp of approval as one of the world's most intelligent and well-read politicians. Mr Abbott gave credit where credit was due yesterday and agreed that Rudd was indeed a smart person. He said,

"No one's ever criticised Kevin Rudd for being unintelligent. Dull? Yes. At times incapable of expressing himself clearly? Yes. But no one's ever said that he's not smart."

This is unlike the current Labor federal government, who only recognises and promotes their achievements, but does not give credit to achievements by other political parties. Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard's recent statements suggesting that the Howard-Costello governments played no part in the development of Australian economic policy of the last decade are the best examples of our government's lack of humility.