Dr Brendan Nelson, leader (sic) of the opposition, loves to remind punters and journalists at every opportunity that he is a medical doctor. The way that he casually drops anecdotes from his practicing days into interviews and speeches has become a bit of a joke, but this exchange from a Sky TV interview is pure, solid gold in its patheticness.

SPEERS: But looking back, how much did the divisiveness between the Costello and Howard camp, camps, in the final stages of the Howard Government contribute to the loss?

DR NELSON: Well look I’m not going to get a, you know, a retrospect-o-scope out on that.

“Let me just have a listen with my retrospect-o-scope.”
“Thankyou, Dr Nelson.”
“No worries. Now take a deep… did you know I’m a doctor?”

John Howard’s personal doctor has spoken out about his concern for the Prime Minister, noting Mr Howard’s impending work load and the potential effects on his health.

“I fear for Mr Howard’s physical and mental wellbeing,” the doctor said. “With each poll result in the past few months showing huge gains for the Labor party and Mr Howard’s promise after each poll to ‘work harder’, I fear that this latest poll result will force Mr Howard to work himself to illness or death.”

Upon hearing the doctor’s comments opposition leader Kevin Rudd declared that the health warning would only make him “work harder” for the Australian people.