Why did three ABC hosts think Gillard's sin was Abbott's? The weird thing is that so many ABC presenters of the Left (are there any other kind?) all make the very same baseless charge against Tony Abbott: Michael Rowland, ABC News Breakfast, February 11: I want to ask you about the fact that Tony Abbott has scrapped his weekly appearance on a certain other breakfast program, and he hasn't done a decent TV interview since his encounter with Leigh Sales on 7:30 about six months ago. Why is Tony Abbott avoiding scrutiny? Tony Jones, Q&A, February 11: I'm not saying the Today Show necessarily is a higher level of public debate but we haven't seen Tony Abbott in many places... Not here for example. Not on the Sunday programs and very rarely on long format interview programs. Barrie Cassidy, Insiders, February 10: But apart from that commitment, what interviews has he done since the Leigh Sales interview? Almost six months ago that went so badly wrong? Same accusation. Same reference points. And, of course, the same lack of substance, as figures from Abbott's office demonstrate: In 2012, Tony Abbott did more media interviews than Julia Gillard. In 2012, Tony Abbott did more television interviews than Julia Gillard. In 2012, Tony Abbott did more radio interviews than Julia Gillard. In 2012, Tony Abbott did more Sunday programmes than Julia Gillard. In 2012, Julia Gillard appeared on Insiders once, Meet the Press twice, and Australian Agenda once. The Bolt Report never. In 2012, Tony Abbott appeared on Insiders once, Meet the Press once, Australian Agenda once, and the Bolt Report four times. This week Tony Abbott did seven radio interviews and one press conference. This week, Julia Gillard did no media interviews. The real question was: why is Gillard hiding from interviews? We know why, of course, but what we don't know is why three ABC presenters all thought it was Abbott instead who needed criticism.