Bobby Kennedy

…was assassinated on this day in 1968, when we lived in Dallas.  I remember it.

Many years later, I had the great fortune to work with his son, Bobby Kennedy, Jr.  Bobby gave my team a plug, and gave me the photo seen below, too.  It’s him on his Dad’s knee.

What a terrible day that was.  What a terrible loss.  How different things could have been, in all our lives.

Bobby

The inscription: “Warren – see you on the barricades. Bobby Kennedy”


I have no comment on this story whatsoever, in any way, shape or form

However, if pressed, I will say this:

  1. The scrupulously neutral tone surprises me, considering the source, and possibly suggests they have formed the opinion that it is big.
  2. The presence of both opposition leaders, on the record, certainly suggests it is.  That didn’t happen with Adam Radwanski’s “story” a couple years back, about caucus spending by all three parties.
  3. For what it’s worth, I wrote to the subject and offered an olive branch two years ago.  No response.  Perhaps it was lost in the mail.

Anyway, here is a link to the story, and here is a bit of the story, which I expect will show up be elsewhere, later today:

“…David Herle is the principal player behind a company called The Gandalf Group and according to the bio on the company website, Herle “served as Premier Kathleen Wynne’s campaign co-chair and steered the Ontario Liberals to a majority government in 2014.”

That fact alone has some wondering about the propriety of Herle and his firm billing the taxpayer for almost $900,000 for “research services” in the last fiscal year from one office alone.

A request for a list of contracts awarded by the Cabinet Office at Queen’s Park for the 2015-2016 fiscal year shows a list of 30 contracts, none as big as the ones Herle charged taxpayers for. There are two separate contracts listed for The Gandalf Group, one for $836,600 and another for $49,155. Both contracts simply say “Commissioned Research Services.”

…Wynne’s office is likely not the only source of Ontario tax dollars heading to the man that helped keep Kathleen Wynne in the premier’s office. It is believed that The Gandalf Group is or has been under contract to several government departments and the Liberal Party of Ontario itself…”


From next week’s column: the second paragraph will be all anyone’s interested in

…their claims to the contrary.  Plus ca change, etc.

“…The above-noted case studies are the three clear exemptions to the Clooney-esque “personal is personal” rule. One: don’t be a hypocrite – the Pat Buchanan Rule. Two: don’t invite people to take a look at your personal life, and then be upset when they do – the Gary Hart Rule. Three: don’t say your private, personal views influence your public duties, and expect people not to care – the Stock Day Rule.

Ottawa, of course, is undeterred. There’s always something “personal” that folks want to push and pull over the line into the “public.” There’s been unseen affidavits allegedly floating around about one party leader, filled with allegedly sordid details. There’s been allegations about an alleged hotel room and a police officer and another party leader, allegedly. There’s been – full disclosure – a former member of the Press Gallery circulating copies of my divorce pleadings, and a senior (and still there!) Liberal staffer doing his utmost to simultaneously cause pain. (That’s not alleged, either – it all happened.)”

Pat Buchanan, Gary Hart, Stockwell Day and George Clooney all in one opinion column! In next week’s Hill Times!

 


Goodbye Canada AM

I loved going on Canada AM, back when JC was PM.  I’d face off against David Miller (for the NDP), or Line Maheu (for the Alliance/Reform/whatever they were called that week), or Dan Tisch or whoever (for the PCs).

Canada AM was where I did this good-natured little jab, too.  Became a Trivial Pursuit question, that one.

Anyway, goodbye Canada AM.  And here’s a clip from way back when that a reader found (don’t know how).  O that we were all young again, etc.


I have to get something off my chest about Elvis Costello

Me and the Hot Nasties saw Costello and The Attractions [emphasis added – ed.] for the first time on November 15, 1978 at the Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary. There was a minor riot at the foor of the stage involving the bouncers, us, and Costello. We refused to sit down and jumped into the orchestra pit to dance; the big hippie bouncers didn’t like that, and started to toss us around like matchsticks; Costello didn’t like that, and threw his mic stand at the nastiest, meanest bouncer. It was glorious.

Anyway. In those days, Costello was backed by Steve Nieve (ivories), Pete Thomas (skins) and Bruce Thomas (four strings).  They were gods.  Evidence, here:

Now, here’s Costello in his later years, without The Attractions [emphasis added – ed.]:

With The Brodsky Quartet? A classical ensemble? Seriously?

Like I say: I’ve been keeping this inside for too long. Elvis Costello TOTALLY SUCKS without The Attractions. He’s a boring old fart – the gravest crime for which you can be convicted, in my books.

Discuss.