Yet some persistent media coverage of the prime minister’s comments – which were made last month on a podcast that encourages guests to shed any staidness – has elevated the matter to a crisis.

In what sense is it a "crisis"? Right wingers went to the media out of desperation and the media is happily reporting on it because any controversy involving the prime minister, even a completely fake and manufactured one, brings in some revenue for them. No one who matters (i.e. Labor voters) actually cares about this.

barnaby "fuck my staff" joyce talking about respecting women and trying to take the high ground. . Barnaby "shit my pants and pass out drunk on a bollard" joyce censuring others for embarrassing the office. Fuck me dead. Why are we giving air time to these twats. Even Japan is "we don't give a shit there are more important things"

The question can be answered with one word "Murdoch"

The Murdoch media and their fellow travellers doing what they do best - beat up trivialities.

Obama and his tan suit was the best one ever though

Because we have quite a few melon-heads in our media and public life?

If Tony Abbott said the exact same thing, these people would not complain.

i still think it's abhorent of the PM to mutter those melon comments. And Japan is somehow showing themselves as weak to consider the comment a non-issue.

Because it wasn’t the first time he brazenly sexualized a lady?