Surely not a third sacrifice. I

n a Liberal Party not over flowing with leadership talent it would surely be complete stupidity to sacrifice a third potential Prime Minister is as many years during a first term in opposition. Already Malcolm Turnbull must be regretting his impetuosity in not letting Dr Brendan Nelson carry on to what was always almost certainly going to be a second victory for the Kevin Rudd Labor Party. Now he too finds himself confronted by the same kind of extreme pessimism as the good doctor with the cry going up from nervous backbenchers to give Joe Hockey a go.

True it is that the opinion polls make depressing reading for Liberals but giving Joe the job would just knock off the one remaining, obvious future leader.

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