Unlike many other politicians, there was something human about him, something really down to earth. Despite public anger generated by the recession back in the nineties, even at that young age, I had a feeling that this Prime Minister had our country's best interest at heart, and that he actually gave a damn about us. I didn't feel angry at him for the recession, I felt he tried hard to do what he could to keep us going.
In recent times, Mr Keating has surfaced here and there, giving speeches, and lashing out at the Howard Government's pathetic agendas which do little to make Australians feel any better about themselves.
Paul Keating's occasional popping around in the media makes me ache, I wish he would run for office again. Personally, I feel that if Mr Keating was Prime Minister again, he would be an incredibly successful one. It is so clear that he has risen to an incredible intellectual level and mature to new heights since his term ended. I feel like he has modernised well along with the world, whereas I feel like John Howard is firmly stuck in the Bronze Age.
I feel like Australia would relate to Keating, and I think he would have a much better understanding of current day Australia more than anyone else would, especially considering he played such an important part of our developing relationship with Asia (which our good mate Johnny Bush... oops I mean Howard) has managed to damage, and all the while practically making us another state of the US.
If it wasn't for Mr Keating, there's no way I could have gone to university, there's no way my family could have afforded for me to go, and there's no way I could have survived there financially.
I really feel like one day, I want to meet Paul Keating, and say "thanks. Thanks for allowing people like me to get an education and have opportunities in my life. Oh, and you're a fucking awesome bloke".
One part of Keating's charisma is his ability and talk straight down the line, and more importantly, his humour. I stumbled onto the Paul Keating Insults Archive today, and I can't help admiring him even more (not to mention laughing my head off).
Here's a beautiful example of the KING in action:
Reporter: You don't talk to ordinary people!
Keating: "Who says I don't ? Who says I don't ? I mean I see as many people as perhaps anyone in public life could..."
Reporter: How long is it since you've been to Fyshwick Markets ?
Keating: "Not long, not long. In fact if you get down to woollies at Manuka on Saturday I'd probably run over you with a trolley as I did a journo recently."
There were two major things I wanted to witness in my life.
1) see Iron Maiden
2) see Megadeth
I've done both of those. Now I will add a third thing:
3) to meet Mr Keating.
Bless you Paul, you fucking rock. God I wish you were our Prime Minister again.
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