This media merry-go-round, fed by the pollies but enabled by the journos, is getting ridiculous.

Up until Rudd left for Japan, the pattern went like this: Read more »

• Liberal pollies or right-wing pundits (Piers et al.) claim that Japan are worried and offended by Rudd’s mishandling of the Australia-Japan relationship, and that his close ties to China are contributing to the strain.
• The traditional media adopts a generalised and unattributed manner of reporting that it “is understood” that Japanese officials are concerned.
• Rudd is asked about these purported tensions and defends his approach to foreign relations.