WATCH: Leigh Sales Grills A Nervous Turnbull Over His Waning Popularity

It’s that delightful semi-regular time of the month, when some poor politician goes on “7.30” hoping they can trot out their mostly nonsense party slogan and Leigh Sales forces them to actually answer questions.

As has happened with most of Malcolm Turnbull‘s recent media appearances, he was a not very confident of his former charming self, repeating his dumbass “jobs and growth” slogan almost as many times as Tony Abbott did with his little boats number – and Sales was not going to get him get away with it.

Highlights were Turnbull having to justify the absurd rhetoric they’re employing to describe Labor‘s “war on business”:

LEIGH SALES: Let’s talk about [Labor’s policies]. Why do you keep exaggerating in the language that you use around them. You say for example that they’re declaring a war on the family businesses of Australia, that they want to stand in the way. I mean, even if you disagree with their policies, you’re really saying that they want to stand in the way, they’re declaring a war?

TURNBULL: Well I assume they – I assume – well leaving aside the – the bellicose metaphors …

SALES: You’re the one who’s made them. That’s why I’m asking.

TURNBULL: No, no, fair enough and that’s a choice of language.

SALES: But why are you doing that though?

TURNBULL: Well I think it’s very important, Leigh, to call it out for what it is. I mean, let me just …

SALES: But you’re not. My point in my question is that you’re exaggerating it and I’m wondering why because in the first interview you did in this program when you became Prime Minister you said that you wanted to engage with voters in a way that respected their intelligence and I just wonder if you think that exaggerating your point is respecting their intelligence?
And Turnbull having to explain why his waning popularity doesn’t matter if that’s why they axed Abbott:
SALES: You said in your first interview as Prime Minister on this program that nobody looks at opinion polls more than politicians, so let’s continue in that vein of frank honesty. … Your personal popularity has dropped 50 points since that day. You can’t not be bothered by that and not be asking yourself what’s gone wrong.

TURNBULL: Well Leigh, let me say this to you. I am focused on the interests of the people of Australia. I realise within the political and media bubble there is a lot of interest in polls and a lot of people naval-gazing in introspection. But right now, I’m the Prime Minister. My job is to deliver for Australians.

SALES: I understand that, …

TURNBULL: To deliver for all Australians.

SALES: … but I’m giving you an opportunity to address people directly who were -perhaps who liked you, who were perhaps happy to see you get the job and have become for whatever reason disillusioned and disappointed in you.

TURNBULL: Well Leigh, all I can say is that my commitment is to ensure that we are able to take advantage of these extraordinary times. Let me – just – you speak.

SALES: Would you agree that that fall in your approval rating, because as I said, you’ve established that you are interested in polling, can only reflect that people have been disappointed in you?

It’s insanely cathartic getting to see these pollies pulled up on dodging questions and I’d heartily recommend giving the whole interview a watch:

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