Loose cannons

Issue 

Silliest question of the week

"Does the Canberra press gallery run Australia?" — cover headline on B.A. Santamaria's News Weekly.

It was the premier's

"The fire was distinguished by police before two fire trucks ... arrived." — Sydney Morning Herald report on a break-in and fire at NSW Premier Nick Greiner's house.

Mathematical frenzy

"He spent four of the 10 pages of his speech eulogising Labor's past, three aggrandising its future, and the other four stabbing the Opposition effigy in a frenzy of bloodlust." — Peter Hartcher in the Sydney Morning Herald on Bob Hawke's speech to the ALP national conference.

Geography — I

"The US has a vital interest in that area of the country." — US Vice President Dan Quayle, referring to Latin America.

Geography — II

"Japan is an important ally of ours. Japan and the United States of the Western industrialised capacity, 60% of the GNP, two countries. That's a statement in and of itself." — Dan Quayle.

Like it is

"The fact is this has never been a bottom-up party ... It's a party with a history of democratic ideals but a practice of autocratic ideals or autocratic practices." — ALP Centre-Left faction convener Senator Michael Beahan, not making much sense but getting close to the truth anyway.

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