10.22.2013 07:50 AM

l’Affaire Duffy/Harper: motive is everything

A well-known columnist asks a question.  A little-known columnist responds.

I don’t understand why everyone is puzzling over Mike Duffy’s motive, here.  It’s simple: revenge.  If they are going to try and destroy him, he’s going to destroy them.

Norman Spector said yesterday that this whole thing may mark the end of Stephen Harper’s time as Prime Minister.  I don’t know if that’s true, but I know this much about politics: if you corner desperate men, and if you give them no way out, they’ll do everything they can to kill you.

26 Comments

  1. smelter rat says:

    Pass the popcorn, this is going to be good!

    • Reality.Bites says:

      A scorpion wants to cross a river, but it can’t swim. It asks a frog to help. The frog is worried, but the scorpion promises “I won’t sting you, because if I did I would drown.” In mid river the scorpion stings the frog. The dying frog asks “Why?” and the drowning scorpion answers “that’s my nature.”

  2. Joe Archibald says:

    I am just as confused by the debate over his motives. He was appointed to be an attack dog, for his ability to deliver a message and be part of the attack on ABC . As you say, he is cornered, and we all know the saying about cornered dogs…especially cornered attack dogs.

  3. Kevin T. says:

    It is kinda like seeing the political equivalent of a carelessly handled gun going off in a bully thug’s pants. We just get to enjoy the increasingly dawning “OH SHIT!?!” aftermath.

  4. J.W. says:

    The Ottawa media don’t seem to want to discuss the implications if it turns out Harper knew about this Wright/Harper deal all along, and lied in the House about it.

    And Coyne kind of reveals in his comment why they don’t get it. This not another easily handled little Harper episode or blip..

    Duffy and Wallin have huge egos, and perhaps a dollop of courage. Being in the limelight is nothing to fear for them What is his objective??? You’ve hit it right on Warren.

  5. AP says:

    Cornered cat … knows where the bodies are buried … if I’m goin’ down you’re goin’ down with me etc.

    After years as a criminal lawyer I long ago lost any idea that people only make decisions for well though out, sophisticated, strategic reasons. Sometimes people like Duffy just hate the other guy enough that they’re prepared to destroy themselves and the other person no matter the consequences. Vengeance and bitterness are a toxic combination and sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

  6. Lynn says:

    Well said. I have been singing the same song. Surrounded by scammers, truth challenged, and deny, deny, deny. It is absolutely astounding and sickening to behold and why aren’t people more upset? I also wonder how upset the average back bencher, who has no say or profile in steve’s world, is feeling toward dear leader these days as some of the mud sticks to them?

    Tonight in this corner “Puffy Duffy” vs. “Steve Firepants” – it is rather entertaining if not for the collateral damage to us all. I hope the cons rip each other apart.

    They better buy an articulated bus with all those funds they have been raising. It must be getting very crowded under there, and more to come!

    • Elisabeth Lindsay says:

      Tim asks why this is not being seen by the public. It has nothing to do with their pocketbooks that`s why.

      Until some credible alternative to the Conservatives comes along, there will be no change with the public.

  7. David_M says:

    I wonder if the CPC will see this as a fund raising opportunity.

  8. !o! says:

    Seriously, this should have been obvious from day one. They’re running around like headless chickens right now. I can’t imagine who thought that this suspension was a good tactical idea.

    The only thing I can think of was that since it was obvious to anyone with half of a brain paying attention to things from the time that this all started that there was a leak, likely multiple leaks from disaffected old guard PCs in the Senate, that The Powers That Be assumed that the depth of PMO involvement would eventually come out anyways, so they try to make it look like they’re doing the right thing by suspending these stray sheep.

    But this is a much much worse narrative. Somebody screwed up bad, that’s for sure.

    • !o! says:

      How likely is this?

      “Liberal Senators Terry Mercer and George Baker said they both intend to speak against the motion in the Senate. Baker believes the motion, if passed, may interfere with the possibility of criminal charges being laid against any of the three senators.

      Baker said in an interview the Senate is considered a judicial body, and once it imposes a punitive measure on the senators, a criminal charge would be considered double jeopardy. “You should not foreclose a police investigation, especially when you asked them to investigate,” he said, referring to the fact the Senate earlier passed a motion inviting the RCMP to investigate Duffy, Wallin and Brazeau.”

      Is this the possible reason for the suspension?

      • David_M says:

        2 edges to that sword.
        Senate passes the motion to suspend Duffy for ‘gross negligence’ and in turn, Duffy cries “PEI” lets slip the Bayne emails of war.
        OR
        Senate says “this goes too far and may be unconstitutional etc.etc.yadayada – This shall not PASS” and then the RCMP investigators say “now about those emails, Mr, Duffy…”

  9. Tim says:

    Andrew Coyne, to me, seems blessed with so many penetrating insights into the obvious. And he does seem to relish sharing them with the rest of us. So he’ll no doubt be thankful to you for picking up on one of his rare oversights.

  10. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    Warren,

    Why would anyone want to be Prime Minister of Canada?

    Must be an ego thing.

  11. .. tho it seems like a flea nipping on a dog ..
    gradually.. the dog’s owner realizes .. it is a tick
    .. uh oh.. Lyme Disease !!!!

    It wasn’t just a parasite..
    it was an infected, virulent parasite..

    The Black Swans are circling Alberttawa ..
    Stevie has got his foot stuck in tar..

    Can’t answer a straight question in QP
    Damned if he does, damned if he don’t

    He’s inept, out of touch..
    in way over his bewigged head, or a liar..
    take your pick

    Legacy ? Look up Richard Nixon on that ..

  12. David_M says:

    ringring
    ringring

    Senator Duffy: Hello?

    …..: “I am so f—— mad at you right now,”

  13. david ray says:

    Dear Steve. Never feed the hand that might bite
    you.

  14. MoS says:

    Kinsella, you’re a lawyer, right? You don’t understand what
    Don Bayne is doing? He’s laying the foundation for Duffy’s defence
    to criminal prosecution. Duffy will contend he did nothing wrong.
    He was upfront with the PMO and Senate leader LeBreton, getting
    their blessing on his housing claims and the residence issue. You
    will recall that, when the first whiff of scandal appeared, Duffy
    repeatedly said he’d done nothing wrong, that his expenses were
    valid. When Duffy realized he wasn’t going to get out from under
    this he went to the Royal Bank to arrange a loan. He told the world
    he had the money from RBC. Then he got drawn inside the PMO and the
    rest, thanks to a few carelessly distributed e-mails, is history.
    Duffy’s defence hinges on implicating senior Tory senators, top PMO
    officials and the prime minister himself in what appears to be
    something of a conspiracy. Don Bayne is a senior criminal lawyer
    with a load of experience. He knows what he’s doing even if that’s
    a mystery to you. There’s nothing off the cuff in this. It has been
    in the works for months. There’s a lot more to come.

  15. Paul says:

    meanwhile as parliament hill argues about expense accounts and who said what when , the worlsd economy is gettting ready to go into a deptression .. beauty…

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