There's a classic episode of The West Wing where Leo McGarry talks about a new political strategy for President Jed Bartlet.
The White House chief-of-staff puts a pad on the desk in front of the president which reads: "Let Bartlet be Bartlet".
After the second week of the federal election campaign, it's not hard to imagine Liberal strategists advising the prime minister: "Let Turnbull be Abbott."
Much of the week had been dominated by issues which catapulted Tony Abbott into the prime ministership in 2013.
Turnbull stood by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton when the Queensland headkicker stepped-up his rhetoric about refugees taking the jobs of Australians.
It was only because boats had been turned back that Australia could afford to be a generous nation towards the world's most vulnerable people, he said.
Again on Friday, the prime minister tried to turn criticism of a federal police raid on a Labor senator's office into an attack on the opposition's lack of commitment to national security.
Even the carbon tax got a mention during the week, as Labor's environment spokesman Mark Butler sought to put climate change on the very crowded election agenda.
There are dangers and benefits from the Liberals campaigning on an Abbott-style agenda.
Firstly, it allows Labor to remind voters why they so swiftly turned on the former Liberal leader after the 2013 election.
It also risks putting off moderate Liberals in seats such as Wentworth, held by the prime minister, as well as young progressive voters in marginal seats.
And there is a strong chance it will solidify support for the Greens, who are seeking the balance of power in the Senate and will be crucial to the agenda of the next government.
On the positive side for the coalition, it will harden up the conservative vote especially in regional seats it needs to hold.
It will ensure Turnbull, who is considered a moderate within his party and is treated warily by some of his colleagues, has the ongoing backing of conservative members of the coalition.
Share
