tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19402125.post4635018564843277360..comments2024-02-07T16:22:39.625-05:00Comments on Jeff Jedras: The Liberal Party needs a competitive raceUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19402125.post-64713782052172213592012-10-02T13:07:13.060-04:002012-10-02T13:07:13.060-04:00Sorry Dan, but I really don't get that. A race...Sorry Dan, but I really don't get that. A race against a number? That's not going to engage Canadians. I'm going to let you sign me up as a supporter to help you reach some arbitrary number of sign-ups? That's not motivating. What's motivating is considering a field of candidates, funding the one that shares my vision, and becoming a supporter to vote for them and help our shared ideas.<br /><br />Dido for the media. Daily updates about progress against an arbitrary number are as exciting as stories about pork belly futures (unless it involves a bacon shortage). It's the same old process story that yes, the media may write because it's easy to write, but no one outside the bubble reads.<br /><br />And a campaign spent trying to reach a number isn't going to prepare a candidate to stare down Mulcair and Harper in the House and on the campaign trail. The best prep for that is test-driving their messaging and ideas in the friendlier confines of a leadership race, where they're challenged to explain and defend their ideas beyond the prepared stump.<br /><br />It's better for the leader, and better for the party.Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14971310821484459106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19402125.post-31844514577324268652012-10-02T12:18:12.701-04:002012-10-02T12:18:12.701-04:00Even if there is only one candidate, it will still...Even if there is only one candidate, it will still be a race. It will be a race to see how many supporters can be signed up. How much enthusiasm can be generated. It will be an opportunity for a cross-country conversation with Canadians about what kind of government we want and what kind of leadership will take us there. Yesterday I would have agree with you without thinking about it too much. Conventional wisdom in the party right now says that of course we need a competitive race. But as I thought about what the race would look like with only one candidate, I realized it may not be such a bad thing, and with a race against a number (how many supporters can he sign up by the deadline) it might be just as exciting.Dan Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16748983441289138048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19402125.post-63131942943202583772012-10-01T20:30:52.125-04:002012-10-01T20:30:52.125-04:00I'm not a Liberal, so I'm not involved in ...I'm not a Liberal, so I'm not involved in any way. But I have to say, there's a big difference between a coronation that the party orchestrates from behind the scenes, and a coronation that's only a coronation because most of the party's supporters honestly prefer the same guy. It's not exciting, no, but it's not damaging, either.Jae/Jenniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14607520034520271802noreply@blogger.com