As a student of history, Outsider knows that the 1920s and 1930s bred a particular type of national leader – the fascist - and he notes global media coverage suggesting that the current times are breeding another particular type of national leader – the populist.
That, at least, seems to be the view of the New York Times which Outsider notes has drawn parallels between the personalities of the United Kingdom’s Tory Prime Ministerial aspirant, Boris Johnson, and US President, Donald Trump.
The parallels seem to rest on the observation that Johnson “has a history of loose-cannon behaviour” but “his hard-core supporters seemed to like him even more” – something which seems inordinately familiar to US journalists covering Trump.
Boris was, of course, once a journalist and Outsider has worked with many colourful journalists few of whom he would have backed to become Prime Minister. Having said that, he notes that Australia has had its fair share of scribblers turned politicians, not least former Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull and former Minister for Foreign Affairs and former NSW Premier, Bob Carr.
Then, too, another former journalist, Brian Burke, was Premier of Western Australia before resigning and later being jailed for false pretences over his travel expenses.
Outsider has always had a jaundiced view of those working in the real estate industry but he notes the chequered political histories of some former journalists and wishes the Poms well.
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