In The Outsiders’ campaign diary today – Cory Bernardi makes a personal pitch for campaign dough; a candidate interview that’s so bad, it’s just sad; and the Murdoch press brush up on their Photoshop skills.

Too smart by half

Islam is a nation and the Jews follow Jesus Christ – these are just a few of the views of the One Nation candidate for the Queensland seat of Rankin.

Seven News has broadcast an excruciating interview with candidate Stephanie Banister, which makes the awkward interview with Liberal candidate for Greenway in NSW, Jaymes Diaz, look slick.

Unfortunately for the journo, she was too smart by half,  correcting Banister’s use of the term “haram”, which the reporter took to be a mistaken reference to the Koran.

In fact, haram is a real concept in Islam. It means “sin” or any act forbidden by God.

Cory’s personal pitch

South Australian Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi is making a personal plea for donations to fund attack ads against local Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

He has made the online pitch for dough to save the country from the Greens’ “radical agenda” – the first time he has hit up supporters for money.

“For the past seven years I have been taking them on in public and in the parliament,” Bernardi says in his fund-raising pitch. “They hate being exposed for the extremists they are and that’s why South Australian Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young is so desperate to get me out of the parliament.

“They’ve even raised a huge campaign war chest to specifically target me at this coming election.”

He says he can’t fight the evil Green scourge alone “and I need your help to run a professional campaign exposing the Greens for what they really are”.

And then comes the pointy end.

“Did you know that:

$490 will fund an online ad exposing the Greens’ extreme agenda;

$3,150 can support a Senate radio campaign; and

$14,840 will buy a full page ad in a major daily newspaper?

“These figures might sound like a lot, but there are a lot of common sense advocates who understand the situation we face.

“That’s why I’m only asking you for a contribution of $25, $50 or $100 – or whatever you can afford. By pitching in together, we can take the fight to the Greens and expose their extreme policies for what they are.”

He says he’s never asked his supporters for contributions before “but the stakes are simply too high to sit idly by and watch the Greens run rampant in the Senate for another three years. So please, make a small tax deductible donation today.”

Grey delay over

Labor has finally settled on a candidate for the humungous South Australian rural seat of Grey.

It won’t be a celebrity candidate like Peter Beattie, the former Queensland Premier who is attempting to come back via a federal seat, but it is a local with some credentials.

The candidate is Ben Browne, a farmer from Spalding and a councillor on the Northern Areas Council.

The sitting Liberal MP is Rowan Ramsey.

Rupert’s heroes

The Murdoch press continues to protest against accusations of any anti-Rudd bias by kicking the crap out of Kevin Rudd.

As well as a syndicated attack piece by Andrew Bolt, Rupert’s Daily Telegraph in Sydney has splashed on a crucial matter of policy – the fact that Deputy PM Anthony Albanese was spotted having a beer with former Labor MP Craig Thomson, who is facing a few teeny legal problems at the moment.

Albo insists it was a chance meeting, but the Daily Telegraph knows better.

In true UK tabloid form, the Tele decided to get into some photoshopping – with a Hogan’s Heroes theme (presumably because the punters love a Comedy Nazi).

Albo is Sergeant Schultz (“I know nuthink” – get it?), Rudd is Colonel Klink, and Thomson – weirdly – is Hogan.

The Outsider is disappointed they didn’t find a role for General Burkhalter, who bears an uncanny resemblance to a certain high profile Murdoch columnist.