As predicted… with Bob’s graceful exit, the leadership race is over.
CTV’s Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife confirmed Tuesday that Rae will not challenge frontrunner Michael Ignatieff — virtually ensuring that Ignatieff will become Liberal leader.
“I put my support behind Michael Ignatieff,” Rae told the small group of close supporters, according to notes obtained by Fife.
“I know many will be disappointed but our interests must be put aside.”
Rae also said his “goal has been and will be democracy and not division.”
Unfortunate in some respects, but probably for the best.
Update: Some unintended irony from Calgary Grit’s comments section.
Update2: More at CBC News about Rae’s press conference. Holy smokes — almost 900 comments! Meanwhile, over at the G&M, Tim Powers chooses focus in on the attacks of “Angry Bob” against the Dear Leader.
But how could this be? I thought it was “cool” to bash Americans, and now the liberal leader is about 3/4 American. The Liberal party has no balls. Not to long ago rae comes from another party and starts telling the libs what to do, what do they say, OK. Iggy decides to move here from the states joins the libs and tells them how things are going to be, what did the libs say, OK. The leader should be a long time liberal with real liberal values and liberal experience.
FredM — Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Step one has fallen into place.
Step two is to really screw over Jack and Gilles, get votes back from the NDP and the Bloc and walk away from that moronic ‘destroy the Liberal party’ Coalition, but everyone has to wait until Jan 27 for that. Simple solution’s………….I threw all those dots in for Ti-Guy.
I dunno, Red. I know its important for you guys to have a decent leader in place ASAP, but the optics of how it was done is going to be horrible; considering that there is a high probability that an election is going to take place before Iggy can be confirmed in a review.
Why do people think there is going to be a election so soon? Harper has proved he will do anything to stay in power, and the Liberals under Ignatieff, will most likely support the budget.
Barkman — As is frequently pointed out, most ordinary folks do not pay attention to this stuff. They could probably care less how the Liberal leader came to that position. There are only 67,000 members out of a country of 30 million where only slightly more than half of the eligible voters even bother casting a ballot. The “optics” of it are the least of our concerns.
Wait for it.. It’s comming. The defining of Michael Ignatieff. I’ve already heard the “He’s so arrogant” line. That was my bosses talking point from Monday.
“I dunno, Red. I know its important for you guys to have a decent leader in place ASAP, but the optics of how it was done is going to be horrible”
Ezra Levant made a good point about optics of double standards.
The optics aren’t good either way and may well be least of concerns but Ignatieff was still the only option left.
how did it come to this???????
LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL….
Here’s a question for the real big brains. The polls are out, Iggy is in, so, what’s to stop the unleashed psychopath (the pm) from throwing a few unpleasantry’s into the budget mix..hmmm? Iggy cant go into an election 6 weeks after being appointed and 6 weeks after signing with a big smile the Coalition papers! Like, what if the budget has 50 billion in stimulus money, and, the political party cuts?
Kevin — Arrogant… Yeah, I’ve heard that too. Unlike the Dear Leader.
If nothing else, at least the Conns wasted money on adds attacking the Dion coalition.
Bill — Good question. I wouldn’t put it past him either. I suppose the counter-spin would be that Harper is still playing political games and a dangerous form of brinksmanship that discredit the “cover” of his sham stimulus plan. Or something like that.
Kevin — Plenty more where that came from. They’ll just put the squeeze on their members. Apparently, they’ll all give until it hurts to support the Dear Leader and his cronies no matter what.
It’s all over now save for the laughs and excuses. Oh, the arrogance of it all. But, red, you’re right, this will all be forgotten in about 3 or 4 days. The membership, the ones who care about this sort of thing, maybe a little longer.
Then the coalition will lead billg. It’s pretty obvious Harper has been spanked.
FredM – thanks much for your “concerns”.
You know what that picture saids to me?
Iggy: “Hey, Bob! Mind getting the hell out of my way?”
Bob (shouting) “Sure, Iggy, anything you say!”
My perception is that Harper has been wounded. He will probably think twice about pulling any crap with a new Lib leader in place.
I cant say your wrong Blues Clair because none of us know, but, it would seem a real dumb thing for the Lib’s to do. The Lib’s must get away from this Coalition idea…it worked and did its job but now they’ve got to become their own party again. So, if I’m the Lib’s giant brains I come up with a fundraising scheme in the next 6 weeks that, even if it takes a year or two can make up the millions lost just in case Harper adds the political party funding reduction to the stimulus budget. Take two years to become a main party again, let the Bloc and the NDP and the Greens whine because they have no money and the no one will donate, Harper will have to be the fall guy for a bad economy and a deficit, and, Iggy rides to power.
The problem is, all this takes patience, something the Lib’s havent been known for over the last few years.
I would suspect that the annointing of Iggy makes the break-up of the coalition easier for the NDP.
Liberals need to be strongly united behind Ignatieff. I mean as of now. No hesitation.
Don’t let the CPC define Ignatieff in the public eye like they did with Dion.
The CPC had such an effective smear campaign against Dion. When my 9 year old nephew tells me that Dion is “not a leader”. I think the CPC did the their job.
Billg,
I don’t disagree with much that you saying. One problem that might arise for the Liberals is that there was much speculation before this parlimentary meltdown, that Harper wanted to somehow to share the blame for the recession with the opposition. Mission accomplished if the Liberals start proping him up once again. This is pure speculation, but could this be Harper’s last term as leader of the CPC, maybe Jean Charest will be back on the federal scene in couple years.
At least Ignatieff will be more capable of defending himself in the media.
Bob Rae did an excellent job at his presser today, by the way.
If the coalition is over, and it looks that way to me, then we’ll have a good long time of Harper unfettered (because the Liberal Party will be forced to support the Conservatives; no one else will) and attack ads aimed at Ignatieff.
Going for the coalition, on the other hand, would allow Ignatieff to define himself by going over the heads 0f, uh, the Conservative Party. People would get to know him fairly directly. Big deal if it’s a “power grab,” that’s what it’s all about, taking power when it’s allowed, and it clearly is allowed. People will forget, if they have misgivings, like they forget everything else. Look at all the crap that Harper has gotten away with in this manner. Even I am surprised when someone compiles a list. Moreover, it’s a lot easier to raise funds when you’re holding the levers of power, so to speak.
Funny how most of the people I hear warning the Liberals off the idea of a coalition are Con trolls and our beloved pundits in the “liberal” MSM (in which of those two categories does Coyne fit?).
RT, hard for me to watch Bob’s presser. He got buffaloed by his old buddy (though I’m sure, if he could of buffaloed Michael, he would of). Anyways… we will see about MI’s handling of the press. I think that the media will be kinder to him then Dion.
This is a good thing, it saves all you Liberals a damaging leadership race.
From my blog:
What is needed is some perspective here, feel I must remind you of a little conference held in Montreal in December, 2006, where the Liberal party decided not to opt for a One Member, One Vote system. Liberals continue to use the archaic system of party delegates who vote for a leader. Hence, Liberals, you must live with the leadership selection process that you have chosen for yourselves. The leadership process that gave you Stephane Dion.
Wow RT, there seems to be no shortage of BTs popping in here to offer their unsolicited advice as of late. I’m sure that only have the Liberal Party’s best interests at heart. I’m also sure that they’d be just as receptive to others going to their sites to offer similar advice to the CPC.
I’m pretty sure the 20 point lead right now is an insight into what the Coaliton has done to the Liberals KOL, regardless of trolls or pundits it hasnt been good for the Lib’s, which is why Mr Dion was “asked” to step down. Iggy will be fine unless ultra left Liberals decide they want to set the house on fire…which will be Iggy’s first test.
C-C — Not quite. If you do that, they gang-pile you, call you every name in the book, and if you try to fight back, they banish you. They’re all about “free speech” don’t you know. THEIR free speech. Everyone else can just STFU. I believe that’s how that little dealio works.
p.s. Some of the unsolicited “advice” from Conservative supporters isn’t completely whacked.
And all those delegates who voted down the OMOV – only have themselves to blame.
How about those disenfranchised members who gave up when the delegates weren’t willing to make it more democratic.
David McGuinty worked on the resolution and Belinda Stronach presented it to the delegates and they said no.
Perhaps those disenfranchised (former) members might want to get on board if a new more democratic party is in the works.
Whooee! I ain’t 100% sure but I think only about 10%-15% of Canajuns is actually dues-payin’, card-carryin’ political party members. If half of ‘em get their noses outta joint on accounta they get no say-so, that’s still only small part of the electorate.
Only card-carryin’ poli-wonks worry about the process. Most of them couldn’t afford to go to a convention so they wouldn’t have had much voice anyways. More than half of ‘em probbly woulda voted for Iggy, anyways.
JB
You can expect a lot more of this “unsolicited advice”, RT. The Tories have a new target and they even already have a Blogging Tory forum on how best to attack Ignatieff.
What I find extremely humourous are the attacks by conservatives on the Liberals being anti-democratic. Liberals are not responsible for Parliament not sitting and passing laws since the spring. Liberals did not hold an election against their own law. Liberals did not cancel the opposition day in November to avoid a democratic vote in Parliament. Liberals did not cancel Parliament to avoid a democratic vote of confidence.
I wonder if Michael and Bob have any interesting stories from their days a roommates?
The scum on the right, as I hear it, are already attacking Ignatieff’s wife – how low can you go.
The right wing tried to do the same to Obama’s wife.
If you can win only be demeaning someone – obviously, you haven’t got enough to offer.
I usually go through live pretty depressed as it is. We are living in very conservative times. This development however has pushed me into absolute hopelessness and despair. One week ago we were on the verge of the victory, today the once great Liberal party is lead by a man further to the right than Harper. I know you all can’t see it. I’m tired of trying to explain it to you. The whole point of Harper shutting down the house was to end the coalition. Now you have given him just what he wants. I, obviously will be disengaging from Liblogs. The pain is just to much. The sighing almost never stops now. Congratulations Blue Liberals. You have won the soul of the party. Go enjoy your fascist future. Thankyou for ruining Canada for my son. Thanx for that.
RT on a personal note. I have really enjoyed reading and commenting on your blog. Thankyou for many laughs and many thoughtful moments.
No one is mentioning that the people most likely to giving funds to the Liberal Party are the very people who have coughed up money for a membership. Now, if a large enough portion of that membership feels miffed at being disenfranchised, well, that doesn’t help much does it? Let’s be clear, fund raising is a big problem right now for the Liberal Party. This is not a fund raising strategy we can believe in, my friends. Heh.
ML — Thanks for the kind remarks, but I’m sorry to hear that you’re so dispirited by the outcome of the leadership “race”… *snort*
Rather than dropping out of things altogether, quitting Liblogs, etc., why not just take a break for a while. Enjoy the holidays and forget about politics for the next several weeks or so.
Don’t give up. Never lose hope.
Thanks Rt, unfortunately my holidays will be spent listening to a bunch of Conservatives, (everyone in my family) pontificate about how Canada stood up and stopped the unGodly coalition from stealing power undemocratically and giving the keys of the country to the bloc and other such nonsense. It could have been so different man. Last week the coalition I always advocate looked like it would become reality. Now it is back in the realm of the pipe dream. The political blue-balling of all time.
ML — Yeah, I can relate to that. There was a lot of initial enthusiasm at the prospect of turfing Harper and replacing the Conservatives with a progressive government. Aside from everything else, it was refreshing to see the various parties of “the left” put their differences aside for a change rather than attacking each other.
Unfortunately, the way things have worked out, all we can do now is wait and see what unfolds.
Too bad about the right-wing family. That has to suck.
“Whooee! I ain’t 100% sure but I think only about 10%-15% of Canajuns is actually dues-payin’, card-carryin’ political party members. If half of ‘em get their noses outta joint on accounta they get no say-so, that’s still only small part of the electorate.”
Actually, I think its even lower. I’m talking 5% or lower, according to “the Truth About Canada.”
Though that may have gone up since the election.
Sad day to be a Liberal!
I’ve paid membership fees for the past five years, donated to the LPC, to my riding association, and to leadership contestants.
What do I get for being a proud, hardworking Liberal? What do I get for campaigning tirelessly?
A leader thrust upon me.
What happened to MY VOTE?
What happened to my VERY basic expectation of having the right to choose the man/woman I feel most likely to bring the LPC back into government?
It’s a shame that Doug Ferguson and his other cohorts on the National Exec decided they knew better than myself and my 76 000 friends (who also paid membership fees to have a say).
Because I had no input, I quit.
Doug Ferguson, I will definitely not join the victory fund. Stop sending me emails asking for money, or I will mail you an envelope stuffed with my turd.
Dear Militant Liberal, you have my sympathy, I’m already getting nasty remarks from family and friends who know nothing about politics except headlines, and pick up just enough to say something designed to irritate me over turkey.
Personally, I drink heavily, and graciously serve them the pink, slightly fleshy parts of the bird. Or the bits that fell on the floor. Rehearse platitudes and a frozen smile.
As for the future, I suspect that Iggy will be doing a lot of conceding to the middle and left wings of the party since this happened like this. I even think Rae may have wrung some concessions out of him. He was under no obligation to resign.
And from conversations that I have had with Iggy a few times, (and I was not a supporter), on social issues like health and child care, he is not right wing.
Have hope.
Nice to see that there are some family traditions that are universal. My Thanksgiving was spent biting my lip (to maintain family unity and all that rot) at my cousin’s house in Iowa as he prattled on about the downfall of the US now that Obama is President. I did manage to get in a slight dig by saying: “yeah, it must really eat your lunch that Iowa went for Obama”. I too used the particular remedy that you offer by drinking pretty heavily that day.
There is a plus side to this. I have used these events (and the prospect of the gloating that I might be forced to endure) as an argument not to visit my inlaws in Calgary.
So far it’s worked…
Thanks for the sympathy. I do feel better and also feel rather sheepish about hijacking this thread with my fatalistic whining. I am concerned however that everyone is advising me to drink heavily as a solution. Clearly you all have drinking problems and should seek help immediately. Now leave me alone with my bong!!
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Hehe, can’t smoke in front of the baby, or I’d switch from pinot grigio to something else.
And don’t worry about hijacking, not every thread on political blogs has to be strictly serious. Really, it would make life so boring.
Have fun guys, I have to go make a gingerbread house.
Most of the folks I talk to do not support the coalition and they certainly are not buying that it has any connection with the handling of the economy. You listen to the comments on CBC and very few citizens interviewed this idea. This plays like an undemocratic, power grab. Dress it up or justify it however you like, it smells like mendacity.
The public are sick of elections and the endless, childish squabbling in Ottawa. Memo to all MPs: Get the *%*& on with the job. Does the country really need a six week cooling off period during an unprecedented international financial crisis? If it really was about the economy, no parliament would accept such a proposition. Who’s kidding who?
The Liberal leadership has presented one major political challenge for the leader namely, energizing and motivating the base of the party. The back room boys don’t do the heavy lifting of running campaigns in every riding across Canada. The problem is a party elite which has never moved beyond the Trudeau legacy.
The Ontario Conservatives are in similarly sad shape with memories of the Big Blue machine which put one more in mind of a gas guzzling SUV that no one wishes to buy. John Tory’s last campaign bordered on suicidal. Imagine a platform with everything but the kitchen sink pitched to please virtually every conceivable interest group. Who could believe the growth projections when the economy of the U.S., our major trading partner, was already hitting the wall. There were basically no priorities, no direction, just telling people whatever they wished to hear, and concentrating on how bad the other guy was.
I got news for you folks. It isn’t about how much you loath Harper, it’s about the future of your party whether it is able to actually able to formulate a vision for the future of our country.
The electorate can smell disarray. The selection of your leader without a convention simply confirms the supposition.
Tue, December 9, 2008
Rae on troll roadFast-fading Liberal leadership hopeful looks to pals in NDP
By GREG WESTON
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In the final days of the 2006 election, Jack Layton asked all Canadian lefties to “lend” their votes to the New Democrats to help drive the Liberals from office.
On the eve of what could be the 2009 election, Liberal leadership contender Bob Rae is asking Dippers to lend him their votes to make him prime minister.
Apparently accepting that he is unable to beat Michael Ignatieff for the hearts of Liberals, Rae has decided to troll for leadership support in the traditional NDP pools of trade unions, environmental groups, and assorted socialist movements.
Rae’s bait is a promised Liberal-NDP coalition government that would give power and influence to the lefties, not to mention a quarter of all cabinet seats to Layton and the Dippers.
…..and there lies the problem – there aren’t too many Liberals that want to be NDP’s.
bait is a promised Liberal-NDP coalition government that would give power and influence to the lefties, not to mention a quarter of all cabinet seats to Layton and the Dippers.
At least now we know why Rae has been such a vocal champion of the coalition that is finding less favour with other Liberals as each day passes.
Anyone over the age of 14 and plunking down 10 bucks can buy a membership in the Liberal party.
They are technically not supposed to belong to another party such as the NDP, but who’s checking?
If Rae organizers get trade unions on board to, ahem, encourage their members to back Bob for Liberal leader, who’s to cry foul?
RuralSandi, Ignatieff’s the leader. Rae lost. I can understand the need for Rae and Dion supporters to take a slap at the other side, but your guy won.
More important, the competition is over. It’s time for reconciliation.
At least Ignatieff will be more capable of defending himself in the media.
Agreed. At least that’s off the table. A few charm lessons, and he’ll be equally as non-prickly as Harper.
How’s his French? Not sure if I’ve ever heard him in the other official language.
I know it’ll enrage the partisans that believe it was a brilliant political move, but the coalition talk must end quickly before the tar sticks. He was clever enough to express his doubts early, but that only goes so far.
How’s his French? Not sure if I’ve ever heard him in the other official language.
It’s fine, but some feel that it’s too “European” or “Parisian”… which of course plays into the “elitist” narrative. Let’s put it this way… Ignatieff could run rings around Harper in French.
How’s his French? Not sure if I’ve ever heard him in the other official language.
He’s quite fluent.
The problem with backing away from the coalition is that Harper’s Conservatives seem unwilling to compromise or work with the other parties without some sort of stick being waved at them. Without the coalition, what guarantees are there that the Conservatives will play well with others?
If you can win only be demeaning someone – obviously, you haven’t got enough to offer.
Oh, so high and mighty.
I read a “credible”/stupid rumour on a Liberal site a few weeks ago that Loreen Harper was befriending the GG, just in case they needed her for some favourable decision on proroguing.
Without the coalition, what guarantees are there that the Conservatives will play well with others?
If the coalition continues, it won’t matter.
It’s fine, but some feel that it’s too “European” or “Parisian”… which of course plays into the “elitist” narrative
If he can speak European French, at least I might be able to understand him.
More important, the competition is over. It’s time for reconciliation.
While Rae was backing Dion and campaigning for the coalition, Iggy was asking me for money… Fuck Iggy…. (How’s that for reconciliation?)
If the coalition continues, it won’t matter.
Maybe so, but realistically, it probably won’t come into play.
Going off on a tangent…. some of the things that have happened lately reminds me of Franz de Waal’s work on primate behaviour. It’s interesting to note that dominant chimps don’t get to the top by being bullies, but through shrewed social moves. Remember reading somewhere about one dominant chimp who gained power through physical abuse. Now, he held on to power for a rather long time, but when he fell, he was torn to shred by the rest of the group. Anyway, successful chimp leaders have a habit of redistributing treats like meat to the entire group (as opposed to keeping it to one’s friends), and they resolve conflicts by supporting the underdog or through impartial intervention
“In short, the dismantling of despotic hierarchies in the course of humanoid evolution brought an emphasis on leadership rather than dominancem and made the privileges of high status contingent upon services to the community (such as effective conflict management).”
- Franz de Waal.
While Rae was backing Dion and campaigning for the coalition, Iggy was asking me for money… Fuck Iggy…. (How’s that for reconciliation?)
Needs work.
I can understand where you’re coming from, though, that donation request could have waited a week or two.
“I read a ‘credible’/stupid rumour on a Liberal site”
sure, you did, mo’ bs. sure, you did.
KEvron
I can’t stand Harper’s bullshit and have less tolerance for it coming from Iggy.
I’ve labelled him Harper-lite for many reasons.
His support and justification for the Iraq farce…
His support of torture (lesser evils) and murder (pre-emptive wars).
His support for the extension of Canada’s farce in Afghanistan…
And of course, Quebec is a nation…
Maybe we should just line up and let Harper ramrod the Liberals instead of this slow insertion by Iggy….
firedoglake: Torture Apologist To Take Over As Canadian Liberal Party Leader
http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/09/torture-apologist-to-take-over-as-canadian-liberal-party-leader/
CWTF: “… I can’t stand Harper’s bullshit and have less tolerance for it coming from Iggy. I’ve labelled him Harper-lite for many reasons.”
SG: My concern as well. Hopeful, after living in Canada for a while, his views may have become enculturated …
Snerd
Steve — I think “morally depraved” is a tad heavy-handed.
sharonapple – I guess this came out wrong. Greg Weston wrote the article (he seems to have it in for Liberals) and I thought perhaps that’s why some Liberals were uncomfortable with Rae – that’s all.
I personally wasn’t aware of what Rae was doing in his campaign.
ian, firedoglake can be a tad over the top sometimes. the writer welsh is part of pogge.
Another day, another email from “Iggy”…
At the start of this race I challenged you to redefine what it means to be a supporter. You rose to the challenge and exceeded all expectations. Thank you for all of your time, effort and support.
How about a big “Fuck you, Harper-lite”?….
SG, I don’t think his views have changed, he seems politics as usual….
Yes, I got that one too.
Sorry, but I didn’t lift a finger for Iggy…
Well, I’m slightly partisan. But then, every one else commenting here is too, so:
1. Harper achieved his objectives.
2. The coalition didn’t.
3. “Coalition” is, for sure, a dirty word now in Canadian’s minds.
4. Jack is damaged goods, if not the party.
5. The Think Twicers (aka Coalition and Rae) have been discredited.
6. The Liberal party is still damaged goods.
7. Great opportunities now for outquotes, definitions of “democracy” a la NDP/LPC.
8. Great setup for an election “if needed, but not necessarily an election”.
And a by-product is renewed snarling, dismay, and resignation amongst LPC supporters. Not a bad “strategic gaffe/error” by PMHP, I’d say.
BTW, I have a conspiracy theory fable on the Coalition’s roots (or, is it true?):
http://burpnrun.blogspot.com/2008/12/start-of-fiction-canadian-political.html
Finally, @billg, who says “Like, what if the budget has 50 billion in stimulus money, and, the political party cuts?”
I’m sure your party is going to do what is best for Canada: vote for the budget. Because, isn’t this what the coalition and the rumpus was all about?
Yeah, I know, just a bit of irony there.