Next week, the (latest) make or break summer bbq tour kicks off for a Liberal leader, where (once again) their future, and that off all Liberal-kind, will depend (again) on how well they do kissing babies, flipping burgers and, what do you do with corn, turn it? Turning corn?
Frankly though, I think in the four or so summers I've been a blogger, I've written at least that many blogs about how the leader really needs to have a really strong performance working hard on the BBQ circuit this summer to finally connect with Canadians, build momentum, develop a positive, substantive persona, and what not.
Rather than writing that blog again, I figured I'd just post links to the same blog when I wrote it every other summer and let you read those ones instead:
May 8, 2007: OK, now how do we grow?
June 25, 2007: The quest for the holy BBQ tongs
May 5, 2008: Summer tour a good idea
June 22, 2009: We need to put some meat on the BBQ this summer
This time, though, they're taking a bus. So, that should be interesting.
Seriously, I don't want to come off as too skeptical. I think these tours can be important. They can work, and this needs to be done, both to connect Michael and the Liberals with Canadians and to get Michael comfortable and ready for the coming campaign. And I like some of what I'm hearing about this tour, with its focus on rural Canada, with the indications we will (finally) make health care an issue.
It's just that it feels like we Liberals have been stuck in the same position for four years. Party slumping in the polls and lacking policy definition. Leader failing to connect with Canadians and needing to get comfortable in own skin. We know our challenges, we know what we need to do.
So there's really nothing left for me to say. Either we'll do it, or we won't.
LAST SUMMER:
The Michael Ignatieff hiding in plain sight summer tour 2009
Where Michael Ignatieff wasn't this weekend
More reports from the Ignatieff Hiding in Plain Sight Summer Tourapolozza 2009
4 comments:
Who was the last to use the Summer as a policy discussion tour? How well did that work out with the Fall election that followed? :)
Seriously though, we could use some of that approach to speak to through the local media directly to Canadians. Anything less is a waste.
Has ZsaZsu never seen a potato?
ah boca still trolling for a free lunch.
Excellent post, Jeff.
Here's hoping that Iggy can light some fire in Canadian's over the BBQ circuit this summer.
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