Leadership parting shots

I'm going to move on from the leadership talk shortly to focus on other things, namely policy and beginning the opposition to Stephen Harper (he's already providing much ammunition) but I just wanted to make a few parting leadership shots.

I'm not ready to endorse anyone at this point; it's far too early for that. I've talked about Stephane Dion recently because he has a lot of the qualities I'd like to see in a leader, but I'm not sold on him yet. I hope he will run though, and I'm glad the idea is being taken seriously. I hope there will be a large field of capable, intelligent, competent candidates. For the good of the party we need a real, vigorous race.

As I've said elsewhere, I think we need someone outside the list of usual suspects, someone who when you first hear their name you are doubtful but the more you think about it, the more it makes sense. The Liberal Party has a major rebuilding job to do, and a lot of soul-searching, and I'm going to be leery of any candidate that appears to be the consensus, whiz-bang, home run candidate.

What we need is substance over style. Isn't it time we had a debate about ideas in this country?

When it comes to ideas Bowie's Call has a good start on a list we should be debating. I particularly like his point about making MPs support the civil marriage act. I'm not quite ready to say vote for this or you're out of caucus but I'm close, and I think we do need LEADERSHIP on this and other issues, not buck-passing and equivocation.

Nottawa also has some wise advice for would-be leadership candidates, and Akkash Maharaj has some thoughts worth considering on Liberal Party renewal.

The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet.
~ Theodore M. Hesburgh

Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers