Leakey vs Johanson

Perhaps I can shed some light on the issue.
First, it is important to remember that there are two Leakey's. The first was Louis Leakey who believed that the Australopithecus was an ansestor to modern humans. He believed this because tools were found beside the Ausralopithecus as he assumed that "Australo" was the toolmaker. That Austalo possessed mainly ape-like features did not become an issue for Louis Leakey. Approximately thirteen years later, Louis' son Richard Leakey discover fossils of a creature virtually identical to modern humans, underneath the fossils of Australo. This is significant because it showed them to be older than Ausralo, and it was this new discovery who likely was responisble for the tools. Richard later wrote that this discovery shattered his belief in evolution.
This could be where his bias comes from. From the fact that he discovered old human fossils, much older than the Ausralopithecus who was thought to be evidence for an ape to man transition.
Interestingly the name Austalopichecus, I read, mean southern ape, and that is likely what it was.
The General