To be or not to be, Peter Costello style

Peter Costello, a bit like a belligerent caterpillar resolving into a butterfly, is about to emerge from John Howard’s shadow, to reveal himself as his Own Man. Far from the Backbench Smirk.

It may happen suddenly (should Brendan Nelson under pressure give way as Opposition Leader) or it may take a month of two yet until Costello’s history of the last decade hits the bookshops. Launch date is September 15.

The Canberra talk is that The Book, Costello’s much anticipated autobiography written in concert with his distinguished editor father-in-law Peter Coleman, will be “explosive” and map out The Man’s individual roadway to a political future, detached from the Howard Past.

Everyone, take a deep breath and hold it for a while yet! And here’s what the Canberra columnists are saying:

Peter Hartcher, Sydney Morning Herald Political Editor: Like Beazley in his final months as Labor leader, Nelson has lost the support of the party. The collapse of confidence in Nelson requires only a crystallising event to manifest itself, and that could be the retirement of Peter Costello.
Matthew Franklin and Patricia Karvelas , The Australian: BRENDAN Nelson looks certain to be dumped as Opposition Leader, with colleagues declaring his position terminal and even his supporters approaching former treasurer Peter Costello to take charge of the Coalition. But there will be no immediate spill, with Dr Nelson likely to continue as leader for weeks or even months pending a decision by Mr Costello about whether he will go ahead with a plan to retire from parliament.
A day after Dr Nelson apologised to colleagues for creating confusion about the Opposition's position on climate change, Liberal MPs told The Australian yesterday their leader's poor performance on the issue had cemented his fate
Glen Milne (Sydney Sunday Telegraph): Apart from a final policy position, about the only good thing to come out of last week's near disastrous flirtation by Brendan Nelson with going "brown" on climate change was the emergence of Greg Hunt as a force to be reckoned with inside the Liberal Party.. In Hunt, the Coalition's Environment spokesman, and in Penny Wong, Labor's Climate Change Minister, the struggle to fashion an ETS that puts global warming into retreat and at the same time protects Australia's economic interests has thrown up two of the brightest young politicians in the country. Hunt and Wong represent generational change.
Kerry-Anne Walsh (SMH): Despite the former treasurer's talents a tilt at the Liberal leadership might be beyond him, writes Kerry-Anne Walsh. I PROMISE - Peter Costello's name will not grace this column after today until he decides whether or not he's leaving Parliament.