The Real Julia was much talked about during the recent election campaign. It was a conversation initiated by Gillard herself. She offered the view that if only she could be left to be herself we would have a political leader of whom we could be proud.
Of course, The Real Julia campaign collapsed under the weight of its own contradictions.
At the same time, many commented on the discipline shown by Tony Abbott. The Real Tony had been mugged by the campaign managers, it was alleged.
I have a more prosaic view. I believe we did see The Real Julia and The Real Tony throughout the election.
An election campaign is a period of immense concentrated activity, much of it artificial and simply silly. Nevertheless, it’s one of those times when the real nature of a political leader is hard to disguise. It tends to seep through the countless television and radio interviews. It’s seen in their reaction to pressure and in their contact with voters, no matter how stage-managed.