We've been obsessing the past few days about polling numbers, specifically break-outs on best leader, shares our values, etc. We should save the numbers from this week. They may well prove to be Steve Harper's high water mark.
We've seen this sort of thing before from Steve. Things are going really well, he starts to get cocky, and his inner jerk/dumbass shines through. There was the 2004 campaign, the Cons were riding high in the polls and stories were predicting at least a Harper minority when a press release went out accusing Paul Martin of supporting child pornography and a petulant Harper refused to apologize. Polls reverse overnight, Liberal minority. Then the 2006 campaign, Harper sees a majority in sight and is riding high when he tries to reassure Canadians that darned Liberal courts and Liberal bureaucracy will keep him in line. Bye bye majority dreams, hello slim minority.
Now it's early 2007, and while the parties are polling tightly Harper is well in front on all the leadership polls, and the path to a possible majority is starting to come into focus. The attacks on Dion are working, the environment is neutralized, there'll be a goodie-laden budget in March to bribe people with their own money, and a Charest victory a week later will turn over an energized Quebec machine to Harper for a spring election and big gains. With Quebec onside Ontario starts to follow and Bob's your uncle.
But then we get yesterday's sickening display in question period, where Harper tried, with smears and innuendo, to tie a Liberal MP, and the Liberal Party at large, to terrorism (video here). Just a few days after he said the Liberals were soft on terrorism, and said a vindicated Ralph Goodale should apologize for not having done what they accused him of doing and refused to pull TV ads that smeared him. It was a sickening display for someone who pretends to be a Prime Minister of Canada, and he should be ashamed.
I have to ask, is this a man who shares our values? Perhaps, if drive by smears, character assassination and crass petulance were Canadian values. Is this a man who would make the best Prime Minister? If by Prime Minister we mean arrogant bully, then sure. As an aside, whatever nonsense we were hearing before, I can assure you that Liberal caucus is united as hell now.
As I said, remember those break-out polling numbers from this week. Once again Canadians have gotten another glimpse of angry Steve. And they won't like him when he's angry.
People of Canada, meet the real Steve Harper: soft on class.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Canadians won't like him when he's angry
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5 comments:
And then the wheels come off...
What I am starting to worry about is the Quebec race. Sure this is probably the best chance for Charest, but Harper had a big say in the timing and, I am beginning to think, has a say in the tactics. Which worries me.
Yesterday, for example, Charest talked about Boisclair's past drug use! Maybe (probably) I don't understand Quebec, but wasn't that all settled in the minds of the populace, and isn't this a really STUPID thing to do? A gratuitous smear?
Sorry if thats a bit off topic.
Great post
If and when I get back logged onto my blog I'll make the too obvious reference, scarily true to how Harpor's been acting....
Mr. Welch: "You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"
www.canadianrosebud.blogspot.com
And today CTV reports:
"Everyone knows that the entire front bench of the Liberal party supported these laws until two weeks ago, when the leader of the Liberal party started playing caucus games with the safety and security of Canadians. He should be ashamed of himself," he (PMSH) said.
Dion says he won't change his mind about his position, despite reported pressure from party members who worry that he has been influenced by Sikh and Muslim groups.
"The decision is final and we made a good decision for Canadians," Dion told reporters earlier this week.
hmmmm all of MSM is not picking up the scary Harper thing. But they did pick up :
'despite reported pressure from party members who worry that he has been influenced by Sikh and Muslim groups.'
Great post Jeff.
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