Wednesday, January 23, 2008

John Manley and the NP Editorial Board

Yoni Goldstein has kindly posted an edited transcript of a Q & A meeting with John Manley.

This item caught my attention:
...JM I don’t think that this issue would be a good one for either Liberals or Conservatives to stake themselves on in an election campaign. I don’t think Canadians want partisan politics to be the focal point of this mission. I think Liberal [Foreign Affairs critic] Bob Rae has left the door open with his comments on Tuesday, and I hope the government will extend an olive branch and that a bipartisan approach to this can be forged...

Tonight on MDL, Tonda MacCharles and Robert Fife were discussing with Duff how Dion blew it after the report was released; that Rae was much more statesmanlike in his comments. I think the point they were trying to make was that the Liberals and Conservatives need to work together on this and both could come out ahead politically as a bonus.

Dion is clearly out of his league. Bob Rae should just quietly take over on this file, and let Dion go back to his green dreams.

* * * *
Related: Check out Adam Radwanski via Calgary Grit:

The obvious solution is for the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Official Opposition to sit down like two grown men and plot this thing out. It wouldn't exactly be unique; partisanship is supposed to occasionally take a back seat when your country is at war. But it remains to be seen if either of these two have it in them, let alone both at the same time.

But what about Bob Rae?

10 comments:

Möbius said...

I prefer to see Dion front and centre on this.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

Why?

Möbius said...

Obvious reasons. If Rae takes this on, he'll take the flack (and heat) for Dion. He's going to regret associating himself with Elizabeth May.

Harper could beat either one in an election.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

O.K. Yeah.

I was thinking of things more from a non-partisan POV - that Harper and Rae could likely find some common ground with which to forge a responsible and reasonable position on Afghanistan.

Tomm said...

I don't think Harper can see his way clear to not baiting the LPC. But I agree with you that if there is a way he can sway 20 Liberal votes, he should do it.

I don't think there is any way Harper can convince Dion to not contest this issue, even if he were to try. Dion just does not like HIS Canada to be seen in a military light. Dion is clearly a pacifist and will reject any attempt to form a coalition with Harper around this issue.

Manley has given good advice. We'll end up going to the polls over this, unless Rae and Ignatieff bonk Dion on the head, truss him up, and lock him in the back room for 2 months.

Tomm

OMMAG said...

That was the gist of my earlier comments on this report.
Dion has two years of asinine public displays .... way too many gaffs and inanities to hide (puffin poop?).

This is the political equivalent of being painted into the corner and Dion's corner is the moonbat quarter.

There is NO room for Dion to try to pretend to be the statesman at this point...
- Political capital All Gone
- Credibility All Gone
- Support within the party ... soon to be gone (Dat's Not Faire?)
The smell of dead Liberal Ambitions is sweet indeed.

Now watch for Iggy to start talking like he's using his brain again!

Anonymous said...

Who cares who does what?

Just get it done!

Anonymous said...

Just a shade off topic - did anyone else notice that the Tondra and Robert were trying to blame PMSH for not being statesman enough despite their allegations that Dion was being irrational and contradicting Iggy and Rae.

I found it funny. There is a huge split in the Liberals and its Harper's fault.

Personally on matters such as Afstan I would prefer that partisanship be left to the side and a complete debate and free vote take place.

Anonymous said...

agree with mobius - Dion should be held to account for this and about a half dozen other things.

Joanne (True Blue) said...

I found it funny. There is a huge split in the Liberals and its Harper's fault.

Joe, didn't you get the talking points? Everything is Harper's fault, as well as George Bush's, and Global Warming's.