The Banality! The Banality!

Just when you thought she couldn't get any worse than this...

"The Greens will never embrace Labor's delight at sharing the values of everyday Australians, in our cities, suburbs, towns and bush, who day after day do the right thing, leading purposeful and dignified lives, driven by love of family and nation."

(Julia Gillard delivering the annual Gough Whitlam Oration in Sydney to the Labor Party faithful, 31/3/11)

She did, yesterday:

"This was the story of two young people in love. Despite all the occasion and the grandeur of it all, the whole day managed to have an intimate feel. It's their story - just a story told in a different way to a wedding in a suburban backyard, but nonetheless the same story of these two young people. In many ways, it really felt like a family wedding. In the Abbey, we had a good view of the dress; we were sitting a fair way back but when Kate came in with the veil on her face, I thought there was a lovely dramatic effect. The combination of the lace sleeves and shoulders, and the firm, fitted dress was beautiful. I was intrigued that she had the maid of honour in the same colour as the bride - normally you wouldn't have a second person wearing white at a wedding. That certainly caught my eye. I'm not much of a wedding expert, obviously, and I'm not much of a fashion expert [where's the 2nd obviously?], but I thought that was quite an unusual thing to do... My fascinator came a long way; it has lived in its very own hexagonal fascinator box for all our (two-week) journey, so it's been well-protected. It can get squished down the bottom now, under the shoes in my suitcase..."

(A modern-day love story, Julia Gillard, Sunday Telegraph, 1/5/11)