In today’s Hill Times: a gentle tribute to Rocco Rossi
I am delighted to see my friends Brad and Tim so very concerned about the future of the Liberal Party. Their empathy, and their conviction, is positively heartwarming.
In Internet circles, they might be referred to – uncharitably – as “concern trolls.” But I am a nice person, and I take their expressions of support in good faith. Thanks, fellas.
Since they are both so worried about Liberal fortunes, let me assure them that the Liberal Party is not all that panicked about the departure of Rocco Rossi, a.k.a. Benedict Baldy. The reverse is true, actually.
Rocco, you see, is all about Rocco. When he was National Director, he was heartily disliked by caucus and the leader’s office – because everything he did seemed to be all about advancing Rocco’s interests, and not the party’s. Remember, for instance, his bizarre kayak journey up the Rideau Canal?
I doubt you do. But the rest of us remember. We saw it as an epic dumb stunt, like many of the stunts Rocco did and does, which seemed to be more about raising Rocco’s profile than actually raising money.
As a McGuinty Liberal, I can also tell you that – with the possible exception of me – nobody really knew who Rocco Rossi was. He not once lifted a finger to assist the provincial party, not once, and his claims that we “courted” him are flatly false.
Just days before he reinvented himself as a Conservative, in fact, Rocco was told very clearly that the McGuinty team was not interested in a bidding war for his loyalty. If he felt he’d be more at home with the rural rump that is the Ontario PCs – with their plans to scrap human rights laws, and their plans to rip $3 billion from health care, leading to hospital closures and nurse firings – well, Rocco, go right ahead. Knock yourself out. The latest Ipsos – showing McGuinty with nearly a 20 point lead over Hudak in the GTA – makes clear that Benedict Baldy is going to get “knocked out,” too.
The Liberal Party is fine, thank you very much. Brad, however, should check his own party’s health – their willingness to prop up the Harper Reformatories in the coming budget vote doesn’t exactly suggest rosy-cheeked health.
Tim, meanwhile, should cast an eye to Alberta and BC – where the birthplaces of the Harper conservative coalition are now engaged in a bloody civil war, with conservative attacking conservative, and new right-wing political parties being formed every hour.
Again, thanks for the concern, fellas. And, Tim, Conservatives are welcome to take the bizarre and erratic Rocco Rossi.
They deserve each other.
