Fed: Kevin Rudd is a publicity hound, Downer says

AAP General News (Australia)
04-18-2007
Fed: Kevin Rudd is a publicity hound, Downer says

SYDNEY, April 18 AAP - Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd is obsessed with publicity and
asking for trouble if he continues his media stunts, says Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander
Downer.

Mr Rudd left for the United States today for meetings with officials from the State
Department, Defence Department and National Security Council.

He will also deliver a speech to the prestigious Brookings Institute on the Australian-American
alliance, and the impact of China's growing influence on historical bilateral ties.

Mr Downer said he supported Mr Rudd's overseas trip, adding that many opposition leaders
had learned a great deal in their meetings with US administration officials.

"I think he needs to learn (and) not just to play politics," Mr Downer told reporters.

He said Mr Rudd was a "master of stunts", and that these had landed him in trouble.

Mr Rudd this week quit a five-year, weekly appearance on Seven Network's Sunrise program.

He had denied any knowledge of the network's plans to broadcast a fake Anzac Dawn service
from Vietnam, despite his office admitting it had been told about the proposals.

Mr Downer said Mr Rudd should "learn something about hard issues and hard policies".

"He is the master of the stunt, loves stunts and publicity," Mr Downer said.

"He is so obsessed with publicity - it has got him into terrible trouble in the last
couple of weeks and last week.

"The more you love publicity the more trouble you get into.

"So I hope when he is over in America he will learn something about hard issues and
hard policies."

AAP vpm/was/it/mn

KEYWORD: RUDD US DOWNER

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