07.26.2022 06:44 AM

Former leaders are like exes. They need to disappear.

20 Comments

  1. Sean says:

    1. Harper is a serious economist. What does he make of the Bit Coin madness espoused by PP?

    2. I’ve been through a few nasty internal party elections over the years. I remember a “retired” M.P. publicly trying to tip the scales for a nomination… This resulted in his own loyalists publicly shitting all over him and leaving him for dead. Which was exactly what he deserved.

    3. This is about sticking a fork in the eye of Mulroney Conservatives – through Charest – and nothing more.

    4. Harper should be spending these years as an elder statesman, above it all. Instead he is coming off as a bitter old man whose lost it.

    • Sean says:

      also… 5. Harper mentioned PP’s service in cabinet…. and yet… did not mention a f%&king thing about what he did there….

  2. Doug says:

    At least Harper was in a position to assess PP’s performance and competence, unlike Obama endorsing Trudeau twice.

    Harper looks to have lost weight, which generally makes people look older. The stresses of leadership have prematurely aged many former leaders, which combined with hair dye and Botox could explain why Trudeau hasn’t suffered the same fate.

    Former politicians should not provide endorsements. Doing so cheapens their legacies.

  3. JH says:

    Mr. Chretien has obviously not disappeared, nor Mr. Mulroney, so why should Mr. Harper have to?

    • JH,

      Fair point but remember that Harper was once famous-infamous for being preoccupied with the long game. He has to know that any endorsement of any candidate will only exacerbate the serious divisions that already exist in the party.

      I thought that Harper as co-founder of this party (with MacKay) was way above this. I expected him to become healer-in-chief once the PP disaster hits the rocks in the next election. But to my astonishment, incredibly not. Poilièvre’s run will be an exact repeat of the O’Toole experience that Harper was not, at the very least, comfortable with. By making this public endorsement, Harper has reduced his influence, leverage and previous air of a calm political port during turbulent party storms. This decision is astonishing.

    • Sean says:

      Internal party elections are different than general elections. When a retired PM endorses the leader of his own party during an election, that is only natural and is expected.

      When they meddle with internal family squabbles, it just makes them look like an asshole. It’s like a deceased relative rising from the grave to denounce a wedding.

      So, in short:

      Chretien = wise, respected statesman

      Harper = crazy old coot whose f&%king lost it and wants to re-start meaningless internal fights from 37 years ago because he’s still mad about his time as a staffer with the Mulroney Government and he just can’t let it go.

  4. Gilbert says:

    Mr. Harper’s hair looks natural, and I don’t think he uses Botox. I think his endorsement can only help. It’s nice to hear a leader who doesn’t put “um” in every sentence.

  5. Obvious Sock Puppet #12 says:

    Tom Mulcair nearly three weeks ago in a CTV guest op-ed said that Harper was backing the PP leadership bid all along.

    This “news” is therefore, not a surprise, nor a novel endorsement — it isn’t a change, and so it basically isn’t even “news”.

    Rather, Charest’s 18% surge in CPC member support (since Patrick Brown was heaved over the side tied to an anchor in the middle of the night), and yesterday’s Angus Reid numbers showing that Charest wins against Trudeau while Poilievre loses, have got the Harper-and-Poilievre campaign spooked, is all.

    This “endorsement” is about trying to put wind back it the sails of the failing Poilievre campaign, and nothing more.

    It reeks of desperation, in fact.

    Good.

    • OSP,

      From your keyboard to God’s ears. I did zip in this race but will still be pleased as punch if Charest can pull it off. Won’t bet the farm on it however.

      • Douglas W says:

        In the ’93 PC leadership race, Charest picked up steam, down the stretch, but still finished a close second to Kim.

        Suspect history will repeat itself for Charest in September: close, but no cigar.

  6. PJH says:

    This is more about keeping RefoormaTories(tm) entrenched in the party apparatus than in choosing the best candidate to win against Justin Trudeau. Mr. Harper would rather see his man win, and have the party crash and burn in the next Federal election, than hand over the keys to the private fiefdom that is the Conservative Party of Canada.
    I would love to be a fly on the wall if M. Charest manages to pull this off. I suspect there will be a great wailing, renting of clothing, and gnashing o’ teeth in the Harper household, Who knows, we might even see some broken furniture…..

  7. Robert White says:

    Conservatives are a one hit wonder of Harper’s creation.
    They have no chance of attaining power under the current guise of conservativism throughout Canada.

    Canadians are not going to elect Poilievre to lead the country in any of our lifetimes.

    Harper is merely endorsing Skippy Poilievre for PM over PM Blackface Trudeau.

    RW

  8. Walter says:

    Some Conservatives: Wow, Harper finally endorsing Poilievre is really important

    Everyone else: Wow – a leader who works hard and cares about their job sure does age.

    Liberals who only care about looks: Wow, Harper looks really old

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