Categories for Musings

February 15, 1932: we miss you.

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Warren marvels at Kory’s ability to claim to be de-politicizing the Games, while simultaneously politicizing the Games.

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…so don’t hold your breath waiting for the National Post to weigh in, intelligently, on this actual scandal.

What Paul Wells has written, here, is a superb piece of investigative journalism; it was pleasure to read it, even though what Wells documents should concern us all.

And, as an unambiguous supporter of Israel, I say this: these goons are not assisting Israel’s cause. With their thuggery, they are hurting it.

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From my North Van days, I have a lot of friends from the Iranian diaspora. One of them is back over there, and writes to me this morning:

_______February 12 at 9:27am

Hi Warren,

Hope you are well. Interesting development. I just got the 4th nicest death threat phone call a few hours ago and I have come to the conclusion that its time I left the Middle East. Free speech is not so welcomed in this part of the world.

Was wondering if you could hook me up with a media company, a marketing firm, a news paper or anything that could help me get back on my feet while I make a run for it back home to Toronto. Need to leave ASAP if possible.

Greatly appreciated.

X

I’ve told him/her to get back here, fast, and we will help.

He/she is super-smart, political, and a great writer and communicator. If you have any suggestions, please email me confidentially at wkinsella@hotmail.com.

Thanks, folks.

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SFH at the Rehearsal Factory, Toronto, 9 p.m., February 11, 2010.

Come see the fruit of our labours, as it were, at Mitzi’s Sister, 1554 Queen Street West, Saturday, February 27!

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In this, the second-to-last Power Play strategists’ segment for a while – CTV is understandably turning its attention to the Olympics starting tomorrow – we dissect the Giambrone stuff. I opine that we all make mistakes (I’ve made plenty, and will make more).

The really interesting on-air encounter happened later, when I did Evan Solomon’s CBC show (no link, sorry) with my Dipper friend Brian Topp (and be sure to buy and read Brian’s upcoming book, by the way, here). Brian is a genius, basically.

Anyway, on Evan’s show, I said that every smart campaign team sits down with their candidate, well in advance of the campaign, and says to him or her: “Okay. Now is the time to tell us all that needs to be told. Because your affinity for sports team mascots will come out. So tell us now, so we can deal with it proactively.”

And Brian – to my surprise, and clearly Evan’s – insisted that that was done, and that Adam Giambrone in effect lied to his senior strategists. He told them there was nothing to tell. (This Globe story suggests the same thing.)

Is that true? If so, Adam’s former team have plenty to be mad about. If it isn’t the case, then…well.

I suspect we’ll never know. In the meantime, here’s Power Play:

Tonda and I chat. The top of my head, meanwhile, grows menacingly at the top of the screen.

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My take yesterday:

Liberal strategist Warren Kinsella said politicians can come back from personal scandals under certain circumstances.

“Well, it certainly puts to rest the gay rumours, doesn’t it?” Kinsella saids in an email. “But can he survive? Bill Clinton did, Gary Hart didn’t. It all depends if there’s a reservoir of voter goodwill for the candidate. And I’m not sure Adam has that.”

So much for “reservoir of voter goodwill:” Adam resigned today. Or, as you will see below, one of his assistants resigned for him.

Just out of curiosity, who was running this guy’s campaign? Monkeys?

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Teenage Bottlerocket’s latest, purchased today. This tune, which I truly adore, reminds me of that cherished moment when I massively blew out my knee. Trying to impress my sons on my Lush board.

When I told the surgeon how I’d mangled it, big time, he looked at me and said: “Act your age.” I loved that.

Anyhow. Here’s TBR with a punk rock classic. Skate!

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Ezra Levant – who regards himself as a warrior in the cause of free speech, and who in fact refers to the many lawsuits he is facing as “lawfare” – has sent me a legal threat.

The threat relates to two links to National Post stories which I posted (here and here) – stories about Ezra and the issue of his conduct, as reviewed by the Law Society of Alberta. In the headlines to both postings, I used the term “guilty.”

Ezra, free speech warrior that he is, has complained about my use of that term through his lawyers.

Here are the facts:

1. The Alberta Law Society found that Ezra Levant had violated many rules of professional conduct.
2. Ezra Levant was ordered to meet with a senior member of the bar to learn how to better behave himself.
3. Once Ezra Levant did so, the complaint was technically dismissed.

I apologize, profusely, to Ezra for using the word “guilty.” He was in fact found to have violated the rules of professional conduct. But without “guilt.”

I truly hope that makes him feel better.

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Our son’s reaction to the Redneck Teleprompter, early this morning:
“She can’t be President if she cheats.”

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