Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Wondering about Rae

"I'd rather eat glass than see Bob Rae elected leader of my  party."

That's what a Liberal partisan said to me back when Rae was running for the leadership of the Liberal Party.

I assume many Liberals were also of that view.

After all, the guy ending up losing to Stephane Dion, who on paper at least, was an inferior candidate to Rae.

Then, after Dion crashed like the Hindenburg, the Liberals denied Rae the chance to even run against Michael Ingatieff, who was acclaimed leader.

So clearly, he wasn't going to win any popularity contests.

But now the guy's "Interim" Liberal leader.

It all makes me wonder.

I wonder if he holds any bitterness about his past treatment?

I wonder if  that explains his openness to having the Liberals merge with his old comrades in the NDP socialist collective?

I wonder how much damage a "past his prime" leader can do to a party, that's struggling to have a future?

Oh well, at least I don't  have to wonder about the Liberals' leader-picking abilities.

Obviously, they haven't got a clue.

4 comments:

Sean M said...

Power Corp. sure knows how to pick their Liberal party leaders... nit-wits.

wilson said...

Rae is the media/Chretien pick for Lib leader,
and no doubt they will do their best to give Rae lots and lots of media coverage.
Solomon and Mansbridge will be taping those 30 indepth 25 minute interviews soon.

Frank Gue said...

We underestimate the Power Corp/Demarais/Liberal/Chretien/
France/Rae consortium at our peril.

Paul Demarais began his business career in 1951, the same year I began mine. He started by buying one decrepit bus in Sudbury. So far, he has done a tad better than I have in the power/politics/wealth departments.

If Paul and I survive another 10 years, the difference between us will be, I suggest, a bit more marked: and further, the Liberals will have clawed their way back near the top in Canadian politics.

Watch out for this bunch.

Frank Gue.

Anonymous said...

A few months ago, Bob Rae's camp reminded Ignatieff that his time was up and they offered him the chance to leave after fighting an election he had no chance of winning. Bob Rae as a leader was the plan from the beginning. The opposing faction forced Rae to promise that he won't run for permanent leader or merge the party with the NDP. But all that will be forgotten in 18 months.