Is Tony Jones an Idiot?

I'm just asking. See what you think - here's Tony Jones interviewing Tony Abbot on Lateline last night.

TONY JONES: Tony Abbott, first to you, if your figures are right, this could be the $6 billion amendment, the 30,000-job amendment.Are you really prepared to put the whole free trade agreement at risk just because of this one amendment?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, we think it's a good deal as it stands and it should go through.

TONY JONES: But you are you prepared to put it at risk because of this one amendment, that's the question?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, the amendment which Mark Latham is putting up is both unnecessary and unworkable.We don't have the problem of evergreening in this country, as Stephen Conroy pointed out today.So what Labor wants to do is to put the whole of the free trade agreement at risk to protect us against something which has never happened in this country and which can't actually happen under our patent rules.

Okay, he said that it was unnecessary and unworkable. At this point, surely Jones, genius that he is, should have said, 'okay, if you think that it's unworkable, then that obviously means that you are prepared to take this issue to an election.' and provoke a response out of Abbot. But no. That's just too freaking obvious for this little reporter...

TONY JONES: All right.I will bring Julia Gillard into this in one moment.I just want to clarify one thing with you first because it was the same thing Mark Latham clarified earlier this evening, essentially.Are you prepared to take this issue into an election if necessary, rather than come to a compromise with the Labor Party, if they insist on this amendment?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, we support the free trade agreement.The free trade agreement is the Howard Government's largest and best baby, if you like, of this term.We support it.It's our child, And we aren't anti-American, the way the ALP is.

TONY JONES: Yes, I appreciate what you're saying, but it hasn't answered the question.Are you prepared to take this all the way to an election rather than seek a compromise with Labor on this one amendment?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, what they're asking us to do is something which is unnecessary and unworkable.They say that the agreement, as it stands, is in Australia's interests.We certainly think that the agreement, as it stands, is in Australia's interests, and Labor should pass it as it stands.

TONY JONES: Are you prepared to take this to the election if necessary?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, we're not going to put an unnecessary and unworkable amendment into the enabling legislation just so that Mark Latham has a feather to fly with Labor's anti-American Left.We're not going to pander to the basically anti-American instinct of the Labor Party and its leader.

TONY JONES: Are you prepared to take this to the election if necessary?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, I think I've made myself pretty plain.

TONY JONES: Well, no you haven't.I've asked that question three times now.

TONY ABBOTT: We're not -

TONY JONES: Are you prepared to take it to the election if necessary?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, we're obviously prepared to campaign on the free trade agreement.

TONY JONES: All right.I assume that means that you're prepared to take this to the election if necessary.

TONY ABBOTT: Well, of course.

Jeeeeeeesus Chhrrrrist! Is Tony Jones an idiot? Is Tony Jones an idiot? Maybe I should keep on asking the question until I get a response, but I think the answer to that is already freaking obvious.