Crossposted
at
wsacaucus.org
.
It has been a few weeks now since the publication of
The Latham Diaries
, and most of the interesting and obvious questions have been answered. Over at
Larvatus Prodeo
, Chris Sheil has taken an
interesting
few
looks
at the content of the diaries, wondering just how much them can really be considered contemporaneous. Kim from LP
has also posted
on the diaries. I have enjoyed
Armagnac's
musings
on the
stark
differences
between what the media has reported and what Latham's political diaries actually contain, and was surprised when he stopped reading out of disgust. Other interesting observations have been made by
Ari
of
Ari On The Web
and
Bryan
from
OzPolitics
, amongst many others. It has been revealing to gauge the wide range of people's reactions. Some wonder seriously if Latham has gone mad, labelling him a modern day Santamaria. Others suggest that Latham has revealed some horrible truths about Labor that simply
can not
be addressed, and spell certain doom for the party. I think both views are extreme and an exaggeration of the truth.
The diaries are, well, diaries. Most of the entries are thumbnail sketches of moments in time, captured hastily and twisted irrevocably in their passage through Latham's psyche. They are often wildly emotional, often childish, and often abusive in a high school playground sort of way. Of course, that's typically the way diaries are. I actually read
The Latham Diaries
in conjunction with Marilyn Dodkin's book
Bob Carr: The Reluctant Leader
, and found very telling similarities in the way both men wrote in their diaries. Carr and Latham also exhibited similarities in their psychological approach to the leadership role. Both often thought of quitting. Both were at their core quite egotistical, and unfairly put down others. Both genuinely wanted to make a difference in their own unique way. In the end, one resigned on something of a high, on his own terms. The other resigned in controversy, and transformed frighteningly fast from a heroic tyro into a lecherous political hermit.
My thoughts on Latham's thoughts over the fold.
(more)
