— Musings —01.18.2017 09:26 AM
Kevin O’Octopus
A woman I know well used to work with Kevin O’Leary. She and her female colleagues called him “The Octopus.”
So maybe he’s like Trump, after all.
Anyway. My column from last year about this bilious blowhard, here.
What a joke the Conservative Party has become. It’s like Harper never existed.
I think what your comment ‘it is like Harper never existed’ gets wrong is the role that his leadership style played in leaving the Conservative party with such a limited slate. That highly centralized, hyper-controlled style and structure cut off most of the opportunity for policy or strategic thinking in the broader party. The party became a top-down electoral and fundraising machine that was expected to act at the behest of the center. That had the benefit of shutting down the elements that were electoral liabilities, but it also stifled other sources of future leadership. One need only look at the number of candidates in 2015 who were party insiders at the national level to see the sterilizing effect. The non-parliamentary party doesn’t have a heck of a lot to offer now, hence O’Leary.
Even within the parliamentary party, which ministers really stood out? A few built some profile, but many did so largely by being attack dogs for the PMO. Hardly a platform to articulate an alternative vision, and seemingly not even enough to maintain what was there.
I don’t disagree with you, Warren, but you have to admit that your 2015 column carries a certain poignancy in light of last November.
Right, I didn’t think Trump would win. I assume you predicted he would, a year ago?
Not at all; I’m just nostalgic for a time when it seemed impossible.
“What a joke the Conservative Party has become.”
Not sure you can make that argument………………………… yet.
They can’t really control who jumps into the leadership race. Now, if they actually make O’Leary, Trost or Leitch leader, then yeah, they’ll be well on their way to becoming a joke.
As a Conservative supporter could I support O’Leary? After his musings last week that he doesn’t need to run in a by-election if he wins the leadership because having a seat in the HOC isn’t important or the, um, “brilliant” thought that Senate seats should be sold, no.
Trost or Leitch – Definitely no.
It is hard if not impossible to tell whether O’Leary running is in the hope of winning or purely for the public exposure and the benefit that additional air time offers his carefully crafted and totally false media persona.
Likely a bit of both
The exact same thing was said about Trump during the GOP primaries.
I don’t mean to state that as an indication of O’Leary’s chances of winning the CPC leadership or any future federal election. Just to point out that both, in a sense, had nothing to lose; even with a loss, their public media persona would benefit. It made Trump far less susceptible to political attacks or political missteps, because politics was not his only strength or source of power. We might find O’Leary is also able to more easily ignore or fend off political attacks that would do in other more typical “career politician” candidates.
time flies ..cant beleive its been a year of this on again off again “campaign”
O’Leary:
“Why am I doing it? Because of you. Forty thousand of you got in contact with me and encouraged me to do it”
Yeeeeeeah. Some of them might have been Liberals and NDPers big guy.
And this from CTV interview this morning:
“Trust me. Nothing I’ve said in the past can be trusted. My past statements won’t necessarily be reflected in policy”
Watch for an anyone-but-O’Leary movement to start up amongst Conservatives. The CPC leadership race is going to get ugly — fast.
BlueGritr,
Clearly Lisa Raitt is running this show but she has to be very careful. This adventure has to be more positive based than negative in its effects and after effects. Otherwise, it severely hurts her candidacy with a good chunk of the party.
Raitt’s little anti-O’Leary website thingy was really weak. Little that was actually damaging to him, and totally amateurish in execution. I really hope we see a high calibre of work out of her campaign going forward.
By the time the next election comes around gas in Ontario will be approx. 1.30 per litre, the Carbon Tax and Ontario’s Cap and Trade tax will pretty much guarantee that.
Eight maybe 10 BC ridings will go back to the NDP due to the responsible Federal decision on pipelines, silly voters.
How many seats in Ontario can O’Leary get back?
I cant argue many of O’Leary’s faults, he is a blowhard and has an ego the size of Sudbury, how is that different then the PM we have now, shirtless selfies and one handed push ups are not that much different.
Timing, maybe in 3 years voters wont believe that hugs and smiles can get you thru the hard times.
Warren,
O’Leary ain’t in this to win for two reasons: I doubt he wants to create family pressures — again and he will generate just enough support to be the lead contender for Finance, should the Liberals surprisingly falter. That’s the prize he’s likely keeping his eyes on.
Liberals aren’t going to falter. Canadians are comfortable with them. The tone of their government is more than acceptable to most voters; and the alternatives are scary and unpredictable. 200-plus seats for Justin the next time around. And he’s got the best strategists: Telford and Butts.
BlueGritr,
In politics you never say never. To wit: Daniel Johnson (père), Joe Clark, Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump.
Geez, forgot René Lévesque.
This article on his business dealings is well worth a read..
http://www.nationalobserver.com/2016/01/26/news/real-and-shocking-story-kevin-olearys-business-career
‘The Octopus’: soon to be known as Kevin O’Leery.
The incessant O’Leary talk in the media must really piss off the other CPC leadership candidates who bothered to go to the French debate last night.
Yeah, I’m wondering if, now that he is in the race, if the media will even things out a bit.
Doubt it very much.
The media will focus on whatever they think will garner them the most eyeballs. Unfortunately for everyone, O’Leary has more recognition than any of the other candidates so headlines with his name are the easiest.
Canadian media is dillusional if it thinks it can’t be exploited like the American media by Trump. Not to say that I think O’Leary will succeed (I don’t), but thus far he has gotten 10x the media coverage than any of the other candidates and he only announced today.
Coyle has a Red Tory/blue Liberal bias, but still his piece in the NP on why O’Leary is unlikely to win is worth a read. The format and rules do not favour him. He’s starting late. Never say never, but I’m with Coyne on this.
I have witnessed the passing of the politically “impossible” twice now in the span of two years. I now discount no scenario. NONE.
Arlene Dickinson tore a strip off Kevin O’Leary in a CBC interview today.
Holy shit.
If ever there was a cogent and concise argument to be made against O’Leary’s skid into politics — she just made it.
I saw that too. Super on point.
The whole thing was great but the last minute of that interview was glorious. Just blistering.
We could take the next five months to carefully examine Kevin and fully ignore him.