— Musings —01.08.2012 12:18 PM
— Musings —01.08.2012 12:18 PM
You have been on a crusade against Mr. Rae for some time. While I understand all of the issues concerning his baggage as a former NDP premier (which is overblown and fading in people’s memories – yes, that is true) and his involvement in the behind-the-scenes politicking of the LPC in recent years, I think you are overplaying this issue. Our party cannot afford to entertain the polarizing fight you seem intent to provoke. I am not a Bob Rae supporter now, nor did I support him at the last leadership convention, but I do think that our party has to be open to any good person who is willing to step forward. If Bob Rae is one of them, I would welcome it.
Enjoy oblivion, pal.
I’m not convinced that the LPC “got the message” from last May. Rae is UNELECTABLE as PM and I hope they don’t choose Copps as Party President next week.
If either obtains, they can consider me gone. I’ve donated funds to the party and I’ve written my MP, Marc Garneau, saying you don’t go forward by going backwards.
No way I can support the NDP and the Harperites are just socially regressive.
I hope there’s not a future of spoiled ballots out there for me.
“they don’t choose Copps as Party President next week.
If either obtains, they can consider me gone. I’ve donated funds to the party and I’ve written my MP, Marc Garneau, saying you don’t go forward by going backwards.”
Who would you suggest over Copps then? Practically all of the front runners are a step backwards as they are all professional placeholders in this party
Ron Hartling and Charles Ward are not “professional placeholders” in the Party James… I don’t know Ward but I’d give Hartling a shot. At least Hartling knows where the ‘bottom’ end of the Party is.
….and for the 99th time, is there really a “rule” that prevents him from running?
No, there really isn’t. Bob can run for the permanent leadership like any other Party member can. He just needs to step down from the Interim job before he declares… and ‘Bob’s your Uncle’… (well, not quite)
Does he even need to step down? From what I understand he just agreed not to run, if he wants to be a liar and run while serving as interim leader is their currently anything stooping him?
I defer to your far reaching and far greater knowledge on matters political, Mr Kinsella……but all I know is that since Mr. Rae became leader, the party has become far more open, and accessible to ordinary members like me. Is it where I would like it to be?…..not yet…..but undoing years of top down organization will not be changed overnight.
The days of making a few phonecalls and writing a few big cheques are over. This party is now supported by ordinary members like me, with our donations of $10 and $20 and our monthly contributions to the Victory Fund, and as such, ordinary members are no longer going to simply follow directives from on high….we want to be, and will be, part of the process.
I believe Mr. Rae “gets it” and has, as far as I am concerned, taken a party that was in a moribund state, and breathed life into it.
I am relatively new to the Liberal Party, so I have have no axe to grind with any of the groups that were involved in the internecine warfare of yore.
Mr. Rae, in his short tenure, with his top notch performance in the House of Commons, seems to have been able to bring us together, made us proud to be Liberals, and get us focused on the greater job at hand, that of defeating the Harper cabal.
I have to respect that, and I hope that the party sees fit to allow Mr. Rae to run for the permanent leadership of the LPOC.
For his efforts, the party owes him that much.
My impression is that by and large, the party is united behind Rae, and with good reason. Shedding the baggage will be a challenge, but at least he won’t act like a deer caught in the headlights like his 2 predecessors. He’ll give as much as he gets.
The only thing about this is Rae is responsible for how he handled money in Ontario in the past. Yet Harper’s record deficits are perfectly fine. People are so dumb. For Harper the economy is an excuse, but not a good one for Rae. I guess beliefs are more powerful than thought. It’s kinda why the Sun exists in the first place
I hope Cops wins, and wins big!
All of the bloggers will be furiously typing away at how they’re leaving the party for good. ZERO-SUM Politics.
No doubt they’ll blog about it and re-tell it at every convention they continue to attend for the next twenty years.
(Reminds me of one flew over the Cuckoo’s nest “just one more time, I mean it”)
If Bob Rae was right for us, could gain Liberal momentum, wouldn’t it be happening already?
Wouldn’t the Liberal Party of Canada be able to stir up the electorate and demand change yesterday?
People rule this country and People these days are not excited about the status quo.
Why shouldn’t Rae at least be allowed to run? I hate insider politics as much as the next guy, and it HAS been killing the over-entitled Liberal party since Trudeau retired. But complaining and lawyering against Rae would actually do more to entrench the Liberal status quo than show the party has opened up.
he IS allowed to run Dan… just not while he’s Interim leader… he can step aside and eclare his interest in running for the top job anytime.
Warren,
Who do you think should be the next permanent Liberal leader?
Garneau.
Frank Mckenna (one can dream can’t he), Mark Carney, Danny Williams (hey he hates Harper – anything can happen), Rick Hillier, Marc Garneau
Rick Hillier? Give your head a shake.
I’m with WK – Garneau’s a class act, no garbage on his coattails, instant credibility in Quebec as a sincere and thoughtful man, which is where the Libs resurgence, if there is to be one, has to begin. He has 3 years to acquire some poltical seasoning. He has more upside than anyone else the Liberal’s can put forth and is basically innoculated against Tory attack ads.
Dom LeBlanc already says he won’t run, Trudeau’s a lightweight and MacKenna a non-starter. This is your guy and if you’re smart you’ll get him out there now. He’ll wipe out the Rae talk with a declaration that he’s in.
Warren – You can’t be angry at Bob Rae if a) nobody runs against him and b) He has done an amazing job as interim leader and feels he’s earned the right (should the rules change) to contest the leadership.
Running and winning are two different things – if he’s so unelectable than why is everyone afraid of him winning the leadership? Mobilize a candidate against him – if you want Garneau than so be it. I’m still holding out hope that the BIG guns (see my earlier post) come out this round…
I can be whatever the Hell I want.
I agree with you Warren. I’ve been impressed with Rae lately and I think he’s done a good job as INTERIM leader, but he has a horrible track record as the NDP premier and told the party he would not run for the permanent job. If he wanted to run for the permanent leadership he shouldn’t have agreed to be interim leader.
I’m confused Warren – Wasn’t Iggy the ‘interm leader’ for Dion? Rae is the only one keep this party a float and relevant. You cant deny his performance.
I am a young liberal btw and I am pushing for a change in the rules.
I deny his performance.
There is no rule to change for Bobo Rae to run for party leader. He just needs to step down, declare, and get to it… in that order.
no arguements from me there! Hey it’s your website…..
I’m not in favour of Rae becoming the permanent leader for a few reasons. Very few of which are actually because of what the media or the conservative spin machine would do, it is possible to combat that, the LPC failed last time but it is possible. We know they’ll be gunning for whomever gets the leadership anyways. This isn’t a repeat of the last scenario in 08 where the government was in a minority and there could be an election at any given time and the other leadership candidates all dropped to try and create a united front. Rae actually has done a decent job as interim leader and I’d rather have him stay there for a more smooth transition. That being said is it really a huge issue if Rae does run? He would still need to actually win the nomination. Personally I think it would be better to give someone else a chance outside of the guys who have been in the top 3 in the last few leadership races.
Personally from the current bunch of MPs Marc Garneau or Dominic Leblanc are probably the two I’m hoping might run the most. Still it really is a wait and see type of thing at this point since I have no clue what the ground game will be in a few years or who might be interested in running.
I like Ted Hsu. He has an amazing background, though I still need to see how he does with people and in the House.
IF Bob Raeplans to run for the top job, he should step down immediately and pass the Interim torch to someone else like Ralph G. As long as he stays on as Interim Leader, he is misusing the position to build his profile on the Party’s tab. No other potential candidate has that advantage. The next race would not be ‘balanced’ and fair with Bob having a 2-year head start on the Party’s tab.
No, he should be denied all together. Dominic LeBlanc and David McGuinty are thought to be interested in the leadership, had they known back in May they could serve as interim leader for a while to boost their profile they may have also run against Rae.
Rae’s track record as the NDP premier of Ontario is bad enough but lying to everyone to force his way into the leader’s chair is disgraceful.
Is Garneau who you would really like to see as the next leader Warren or did you just throw his name out there?
I’m just wondering if you would think his age is an issue, or if age should ever be an issue?
Who are you, a reporter?
Why would age 63 be an issue? That’s really reaching. Besides he looks to be in better shape than many of the tubbies that inhabit the Hill now.
No just interested, no need to be mean. 🙂
Mr. Kinsella
I dont think it will matter that much who is the leader of the Libs, if the economy tanks in Canada. When people are unemployed, debts are up, costs are up and the gas gets expensive, people will take their anger out at Mr. Harper and it seems that Mr. Harper is fully aware of that. Once again, Mr. Harper’s future will be decided by the economic factors and not who is the leader of the Libs. My two cents…
The Liberals still need to get people to vote for them, and there will still need to be someone competent as leader who is able to be Prime Minister.
That is given. My point is this: it will be the economic situation which will decide Mr. Harper’s fate and not the presence of the other guy on the other side.
This is the same kind of Upper Canada College thinking that killed off Eaton’s.