08.12.2011 08:43 AM

Hudak PCs scramble

Following that Ipsos poll showing his party losing whatever lead they had – principally, I’m told, because of voter concerns about a “hidden agenda” on abortion and a Conservative cabal running all three levels of government – Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak has come off his vacation early, and hastily scheduled a presser for a Friday afternoon.

Cutting short a holiday? Friday afternoon press conferences? It’s all consistent with what we’ve been hearing: the tall foreheads in the Hudak-Hillier PCs are panicked that they peaked too soon, and that abortion and the Harper-Hudak-Ford Trifecta stuff is hurting them, big time.

Have a great press conference, Tim! We’re rooting for your continued weaselly leadership!

20 Comments

  1. Northbaytrapper says:

    Calling him a weasel is a bit low-brow imo.

    Interesting, John Tory (a good man with too big a heart) gave you your wedge on a silver platter, Hudak, you’re trying to fashion one.

    Will be interesting to see if you can pull it off.

    • Tiger says:

      It’s a fascinating project to watch.

    • Ted says:

      Weasel may be a bit low-brow insulting, but it – or at least the issue/trait it is trying to highlight – fits.

      Is there anything Hudak hasn’t had at least two positions on?

      HST – against it before he was for it.

      Kindergarden – against it before he was for it.

      Abortion funding – against it when talking to conservative groups while trying to win the leadership; can’t remember it in public then won’t talk about it.

      Cleantechnology – OK with it, not OK with it, Ok with it, will kill the industry and the jobs it creates (while his underlings run around telling everyone in the industry not to worry, there will be something to replace it just won’t be called the FIT Program).

      He’s worse even than Harper and Ignatieff on this front.

      • Northbaytrapper says:

        Remember there is a lot of muck that can be thrown back at them. The word Liar comes to mind. Unfortunately, the Libs are going to have to run on education and muck imo if they are to win, but I’m happy to be proven wrong.
        Interesting that on another angle they are taking a page out of Rob Ford’s book and promising better service/value for money with their money back guarantee shams. Rob may be a bit of a Cousin Eddie but he relates to people well and knows what they want, Dalton is wise to tap into that.

  2. DL says:

    This could be a perfect storm, there is huge fatigue and discontent with McGuinty and the Liberals and Hudak does not pass the smell test – enter Andrea Horwath and the NDP – that way you get the best of both worlds – vote against the Liberals and without having to vote for Hudak – change in the good direction!

    • Cath says:

      I think you’re closer to what many are feeling than you know DL. I know many Liberals and PCs who, with the right narrative and policy from fresh-faced Horwath would opt for giving Horwath a crack at this.

      There is plenty of voter fatigue out there that’s come as a result of having two elections in one year. People are tired of politicians, tired of the fight, and willing to look at some softball feel good story-lines. So far, Horwath’s got those and is staying out of the school-boy pissing match.

      • Pomojen says:

        Anything that makes politics LESS like a schoolboy pissing match has got to be worth a try.

        I have to say, though…while I don’t disagree with the voter-fatigue thing (or agree with it – just can’t make up my mind) my experience of all the electioneering has been fascination. Really – it’s nowhere near are predictable as anyone seems to think, is it? That’s fascinating. Ergo, less fatigue personally.

    • Tiger says:

      A real three-way race is definitely possible. With the final outcome unknown.

      • The Doctor says:

        Well, it seems to me the last time there was a real three-way race in Ontario, the NDP won.

        Whee!

        • Tiger says:

          They did, they did.

          And Horwath is heading down that path — higher favourables than the other two leaders. That’s how a Laytonesque breakthrough happens…

          So we’ll see.

  3. Anne Peterson says:

    I don’t think a little low brow is exactly foreign to conservatives. Thought they majored in low brow. I’d vote for the weasel. If I lived in Ontario. It looks more intelligent.

  4. Jim Hayes says:

    The last time there was a three way race, the Liberals were way ahead in the polls and it was theirs to lose. Sadly that is exactly what happened. This time the Libs have fought their way back to a dead heat 2 months before election date. Seems to me they have the momentum going into the writ exactly where they want to be….the NDP, not so much.

    • DL says:

      I’m not sure where you get that impression. In the 2007 Ontario election the Liberals took 44% of the vote and the NDP took 17%. If we believe this latest Ipsos poll (and let’s wait to see other numbers first) – what you call “Liberal momentum” means that they have tumbled 8 points to 36%, while what you refer to as the NDP not having momentum is being at 23% up six points from the last election.

  5. Cath says:

    Don’t forget to watch Focus Ontario (Global) tonight to see Bob Rae defend Dalton McGuinty. THIS could be the game changer:-)

  6. Attack! says:

    Just taking his cue from the PMO’s own news releases, there, Mr. Sensitive (a right winger wanting more PC language? WTF?)

    “Ignatieff Weasel Words Betray plan to become PM from 2nd Place”

    Published on Apr 12, 2011 – 10:50 PM
    Footnote: Written by: Conservative Party of Canada

    http://www.northumberlandview.ca/index.php?module=news&func=display&sid=7591

    http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/liberal-spin-doctors-clear-winners-in-debate-sideshow/article1983244/?service=mobile

  7. Attack! says:

    Oh, and since you asked, Hudak himself accused McGuinty of trying to “weasel out of [his] own legislation, a few months ago:

    “Premier Dalton McGuinty will now report his travel expenses under his own name — not his staff — after the Progressive Conservatives accused him of trying to ‘weasel out’ of revealing them openly.

    The government’s online list of expenses shows none under McGuinty’s name despite trips to a premier’s conference in Manitoba and overseas trade missions like one to Israel last year, Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said Monday.

    ‘The premier said that he would post expenses according to who incurred them, not try to hide them somewhere else,’ Hudak added, questioning whether the premier had ‘suddenly learned to fly’ to avoid reporting airfares.

    ‘They look like they’re trying to weasel out of their own legislation.'”

    http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/973149–mcguinty-alters-the-way-he-reports-expenses

    So, looks like you’ll be walking — oh, sorry, driving, in a Hummer, no doubt — your high and mighty road alone, there, Mr. Speak No Evil; Hudak’s already down in the ditch with the rest of us.

  8. Attack! says:

    That comment also seems mighty hypocritical, coming from someone who not only didn’t make it in a similar context, but tacitly condoned it and piled on w. a crit. of his own earlier this year when Kate (whom he’s long admired as a “winner,” unlike WK, whom he terms a “loser”*) described Michael Moore as a “Giant Socialist Weasel”

    http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/016238.html

    but who also publicly refers to his own Premier disparagingly as “Mr. Ed” (of the ‘Talking Horse’ TV-show fame) http://www.colbycosh.com/mt/2008/03/fullcommentcom_ol_obama.html#comment-7547

    * http://damianpenny.wordpress.com/2007/12/28/blogger-explains-why-blogging-isnt-important/

    Ah well, do as I say — and stay away from my do-do — eh, Gord?

  9. Bear says:

    Do all you people that figure on voting for the ndp realize that they would implement a “Cap and Trade” program for Ontario manufactures – on the ones that have not closed up or moved somewhere else because of the high energy costs.
    They are also in favor of the law making it mandatory to stay at least 1 meter away for any bicycle on the road/street. Could you imagine having to follow a bike because you cant pass without going over in the opposite lane where there is solid line up of traffic!
    Before casting a protest vote for the dippers, find out what they are in favor of!

  10. Attack! says:

    “Dalton McGuinty Liberal ads attacking Tory Tim Hudak finding their mark

    …Support for the Liberals rose from 34 per cent in May to 37.6 per cent in the latest Nanos poll, conducted last week for the Globe and Mail and CTV…. The telephone poll contacted 1,000 Ontarians between August 10 and 13. The 830 decided respondents made it accurate within 3.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

    Support for the Conservatives remain stable, at 42.1 per cent. It was 41.3 per cent in May.

    Andrea Horwath?s New Democrats enjoyed a spell of success in the spring, surging to 18.7 per cent in May…. The[ir] …popularity now stands at 16.2 per cent, a change within the margin of error.”

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/dalton-mcguinty-liberal-ads-attacking-tory-tim-hudak-finding-their-mark/article2129091/

Leave a Reply to Ted Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.