I said to some family last week that if I had to put money on who would win the Liberal leadership I would bet on Bob Rae. I still can’t believe that the Liberals would do this but many signs point to this. I absolutely do not buy the argument that he has shed his Ontario baggage. How can you judge this before a single attack ad on his record? But if polls like this are to be believed (but remember, it is Decima!) then he is the odds on favourite.
Though I should remind you that Bob Plamondon, author of Full Circle, declared Bob Rae as the one he most feared when I interviewed him here.
Comments (9)
Bob Plamondon also declared that most parliamentary democracies have two-party systems. Mr. Plamondon is freakin’ looney.
Posted by Idealistic Pragmatist | November 17, 2006 8:13 PM
Posted on November 17, 2006 20:13
Ah, but that selfsame Decima poll also revealed that people still preferred Harper over Rae as PM.
Posted by PhantomObserver | November 17, 2006 8:40 PM
Posted on November 17, 2006 20:40
I’m still not sold on Rae but the one bright spot in his victory would be watching the heads of thousands of Conservatives coast to coast explode if he won a federal election.
Posted by CalgaryGrit | November 17, 2006 9:25 PM
Posted on November 17, 2006 21:25
And then after that you could watch an NDP pretending to be a liberal totally destroy this country.
Posted by TJ | November 17, 2006 10:26 PM
Posted on November 17, 2006 22:26
The Liberal Party of Toronto led by Boob Rae, Canadian voters would have to be complete morons to vote Liberal.
Unemployment & inflation is considered a good thing by the NDP/Liberals, it makes more people dependent on them if they form the government, and that’s just where they want Canadians, dependent.
Posted by Philanthropist | November 17, 2006 10:42 PM
Posted on November 17, 2006 22:42
I can’t stand Bob Rae and his ilk, but you never know what might happen. Sometimes the socialist “I feel your pain” pantywaists turn out to be comparatively fiscally conservative and the family-values spouting, alleged conservative hard-asses in cowboy boots turn out to be flaming socialists who do nothing but give the country a huge shove towards bankruptcy.
Even if Rae gets in, and he then proceeds to insert into Canadians’ nether regions the whole socialist salami, it is still possible to win, by moving as much money as possible out of his bailiwick and into jurisdictions where Marxism is not blooming quite as fully. That’s what Ontarians did the last time “Buffalo Bob” was driving the bus. ‘Course, he could go all Adolph on you and force even more controls on investment and currency exchange. You never know. Politicians tend to lie, which is about what you would expect when you give away half your money (and your children’s and grandchildren’s money) in exchange for nothing but vague promises.
Posted by Anonymous | November 17, 2006 11:01 PM
Posted on November 17, 2006 23:01
Look at the bright side. If Rae wins, Harper won’t need to motivate is base.
Posted by Greg | November 18, 2006 7:49 AM
Posted on November 18, 2006 07:49
You’re not wrong about that one. But from the polls I’ve read that is not an issue. Yes the CPC is down in Quebec but other than ~14% there is really much of a ‘base’ in Quebec. Let me put it this way, the CPC should have a floor of about ~33% in the next election (provided there is not some huge mess up) regardless of who the Liberal leader is.
It kinda depends on your fear, what happens to the NDP vote? With Ignatieff it stays with the NDP. What happens to it with Rae?
Posted by Greg Staples | November 18, 2006 8:04 AM
Posted on November 18, 2006 08:04
It kinda depends on your fear, what happens to the NDP vote?
In part, that depends on Harper. I really can’t understand his strategy. He played the last election so well by playing to the middle and has spent the last six months playing to the right. He seems determined to scare soft NDP voters to the Liberals. It frustrates the Hell out of me.
Posted by Greg | November 18, 2006 10:01 AM
Posted on November 18, 2006 10:01