Musings —10.25.2010 08:08 PM
—Woooot!
I’m in the Green Room at CITY-TV – they won’t let me leave – but I am happy, happy, happy that my friends Mary-Margaret McMahon, Jim Watson, Maurizio Bevilaqua, Eddie Francis, Josh Matlow and Denzil Minnan-Wong all won! Yahoo!
On the CITY bullpen thing, Andrew Coyne asked me if Rob Ford’s landslide portends bad times are ahead for Libs. Not a chance, said I. Federal and provincial Liberals won (or are leading) in Ottawa, Vaughan, Sarnia and so on. We’ll do just fine, thanks very much.
Besides, if the new conservative mayor in Toronto means bad tidings for Liberals, does the new liberal mayor in Calgary mean that Stephen Harper is going to lose his seat?
Not quite.
Nice spin Warren, but I suspect that both the federal and provincial Conservatives are much happier than their Liberal counterparts. I realize that you did not seem to care much for Smitherman, so I doubt that you are upset at his loss. There has been a big change at Toronto City Hall, but it is still too early to figure out exactly what the new council will do. The influence of the NDP has been sharply diminished. I do expect to see a roll back of many of the outgoing mayor’s policies, especially some of those policies that had a negative impact on the lives of the voters.
MMM smashed Bussin. Bussin’s interview on City Pulse 24 was her usual-balme everyone else and the media. What a rag! I love it. Its a good day for Ward 32.
Warren,
Democracy is a terrible system.
All the alternatives are even worse.
Or to quote Sir Winston Churchill directly:
“It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.”
Ahem…. I suspect that some folks at the Toronto Star are going to be eating Ford crow pie for the next new days. π
Well, in four years time, when Torontonians see that taxes haven’t changed a whit, it’ll be interesting to see who challenges Ford.
It’ll be Adam.
Toronto sure seems to have a strange appetite for mayors. Mel “who’s WHO?” Lastman and now this buffoon. No I’m not forgetting Miller but based on recent years he seems to be the outlier. I suppose he’ll be dubbed Toronto’s great big fat perfect mayor.
Hard for anyone to say this bodes ill for Liberals, at least federally. Incumbents rarely lose in municipal politics and loads of Tory councillors who seemed a lock, like Cliff Jenkins, lost in the same kind of numbers as Dipper councillors.
Which proves my view and my opinion about Ford (who pulled support from left and right). This was about an anti-incumbent, anti-status quo, anti-political masters vote. People are upset with politicians playing their games with our money for their own ends and their own projects that have nothing to do with our priorities.
And that does not bode well for Harper or McGuinty if an election were held this fall. It won’t be for McGuinty, but that tide could rise on Harper and he’s sitting pretty close to the water’s edge. All the pundits said Smitherman could not be beat, but he had little direction or vision to the city, only offered a negative message for the most part (not Ford) and voters rejected it. Soundly rejected it. And rejected all his great experience in favour of a guy who can’t add and doesn’t have a clue how city council works (watch any video of him in council and see if you disagree).
Ford grew way past his base, offered a vision (limited one but clear), connected to everyday voters by being genuine. The anti-Miller and the anti-Harper.
(played to the song “Charge!” ) SPIN SPIN SPIN SPIN, SPIN SPIN SPIN SPIN, SSSSSSSS—SPIN! SPINNNNNNNNNNN!!!!
What should be noted is a higher than average number of incumbent councillors going down to defeat.
“Just call me Rob!” That’s what he said tonight.
Good Luck with that one!
YUP!!! For sure! AND the establishment did not get him elected :)))
Being “liberal” does not always = Liberal. One can be the first without being the 2nd.
19 of the 44 Now Toronto (very socialist local paper) endorsements made it in and 30 of the 44 Toronto Star were elected. Have fun Rob Ford.
Calgary traditionally elects Liberals as mayors. Dave Bronconnier was a federal Liberal, so too Al Duerr, and recall even Ralph Klein considered himself a Liberal before he entered provincial politics as a Progressive Conservative. Naheed Nenshi is a member of the very liberal Ismaili sect.
Ezra Levant says “Naheed is the fourth liberal mayor in a row for a conservative city. Itβs an anomalous combination to think that a young liberal Muslim bachelor is now the mayor of the city regarded as the most conservative in Canada, but actually all of those characteristics have been evident in this city for decades.”
So yes, for sure Naheed Nenshi is a Liberal π
And a big win in Barrie tonight for Jeff Lehman. Atta boy Quito!
I think I’ve come up with a political maxim. Maybe somebody who writes books about such things might like it.
“Chubby and balding can win elections. Mainly because they resemble Joe Everyman. You know, the smucks who pay the taxes and get to cast a vote occasionally.”
Hamilton’s newly elected mayor is not a liberal…
Actually, it was rumoured Bratina was considering running for the Liberals in Hamilton Centre against Kristofferson.
What happened to Mohamed Dhanani? Thought that was in the bag, he had the entire Toronto Liberal machine behind him. Plus some Tories too!
When were you on TV last night? I only saw City airing election coverage at 11 p.m. for an hour without your inclusion as part of the discussion panel. I hadn’t seen you on SunTV’s prime time coverage either.