Latham's Ladder

He's been federal labor leader for 300 days. In that time, Mark Latham has got his comrades back in the race: he's revived interest in politics, not only within the professional class but among ordinary folks who are curious about the youthful leader. Latham's rise is the Australian political story of 2004. Even Coalition voters seem to approve of the way he is doing his job. Still, they don't know enough about him to be comfortable with the idea that he would make a better prime minister than John Howard.

When it seemed Labor had no one else...