Lobbying against the death penalty isn't invading New Zealand

Oh dear - I'm afraid I have to back the PM over our dear leader on this one. As the heat over a controversy that never should have been continues, the Howard chimed in with this statement bout Rudd's treatment of McLelland:

"He's absolutely humiliated a decent bloke. For what? Articulating his policy. I mean, I could understand him humiliating him if he'd come out in favour of invading New Zealand or something stupid, but all the bloke was doing was articulating what Mr Rudd himself has already said."

Although Howard is just scoring points, it's hard to argue with. Yesterday was "World Day Against the Death Penalty", and exactly the time to speak out against capital punishment. Although it's regrettable the families of Bali bombing victims were upset, their (understandable) desire for vengeance shouldn't cause us to waver in our opposition to the death penalty. A policy of opposing the death penalty except for really bad people is not much of a policy at all.