All eyes will be on Craig Thomson as he speaks to parliament around midday today, responding to the raft of allegations made against him.
Unless he resigns or produces evidence of a conspiracy of unheard-of sophistication, his speech is unlikely to change anyone's mind.
It will produce a few story leads and a raft of angry responses; the pressure will build further and we will ask once more how long this situation can continue.
Today won't bring a happy ending for anyone.
"In a fresh and final attempt to clear his name, the member for Dobell will call Victorian police to seek any tapes that may still exist, insisting his face will not be among those involved in the alleged union-funded sex romps. The Daily Telegraph can reveal that Mr Thomson will today, in a speech to parliament, also name the deputy secretary of the Health Services Union, Marco Bolano, alleging he was the man who had threatened seven years ago to set him up with hookers in a bid to derail his political ambitions."
"Mr Thomson has been urged to avoid making new accusations in an address to the House of Representatives at noon today, amid fears in the Gillard government that fresh claims would only deepen the scandal."
(IMAGE: James Stewart in 'Mr Smith Goes to Washington' © Columbia Pictures)
"Today is the day. If, while using the protection of Parliament, he does not present a credible case, he will add misleading the Parliament to the list of questions raised against him. And the cost to the Gillard government will keep rising as the electorate contemplates a government that would rather live with shame than go into battle with honour."
"Labor attempts to draw comparisons between allegations against a Liberal senator and the Craig Thomson scandal smack of desperation, opposition MPs say. Senator Bill Heffernan has been accused of hitting a senior party staffer and calling him "a poofter" during a branch meeting on the NSW Central Coast."
"If it strikes you as odd to say that there was more global innovation in the first half of the twentieth century than today, then consider this thought experiment. Which would you give up first: your iPad, or your indoor toilet? Would you prefer to live in a world without Facebook, or one without Penicillin?"
