A crossroads, stack the deck, blah, blah, blah,....
I probably listened to about 6 or so interviews/press conferences of Belinda the past two days and I might as well have only listened to one. If you didn't see Mansbridge break her - yes, Peter Mansbridge asked two questions and it left her on the mat - you missed a great interview.
The National can be seen here if you have RealPlayer. Go to the 15 minute mark for the interview. Also, go to the 35 minute mark for the At Issue panel.
A wealth of information over at Andrew Coyne's site but I know most of you don't bother to read him and just come here so I'll highlight the best:
His column:
A summary of female writer's comments...
Wente:
Kingston:
I was asked what I thought Belinda's leaving would do to the Conservatives in Ontario. I don't know.
Basically, the battle for the ballot question in Ontario is still on. The Conservatives will sell integrity, the need to punish the Liberals, and governance policies to back it up. The Liberals will sell the status quo and fear of Harper.
The Tories only need a six point increase from last election and we are looking a Conservative minority government.
To get it, the Conservatives and Harper personally are going to have to have a good campaign.
The National can be seen here if you have RealPlayer. Go to the 15 minute mark for the interview. Also, go to the 35 minute mark for the At Issue panel.
A wealth of information over at Andrew Coyne's site but I know most of you don't bother to read him and just come here so I'll highlight the best:
His column:
It should be clear to everyone by now that this government -- this prime minister -- will go to any length to assure their survival in power. And I do mean any. All governments are loathe to leave, all think themselves indispensible, but I cannot recall another that clung to office so desperately, so ... hysterically.
They may yet succeed. We can see now what the nine days were for: why the government refused to resign, or call an immediate confidence vote, after it was defeated in the House last Tuesday, but instead insisted, against all precedent, that it was entitled to remain in office until a week Thursday. The loss of a confidence vote is no longer to be taken as a fundamental loss of democratic legitimacy, but rather as a signal to spend more, threaten louder, and otherwise trawl for votes on the opposite benches, for as long as proves necessary. It took only a few days this time, but after all nine days can stretch into two weeks, and two weeks could as easily be three, and then we’re into a month, and then it’s recess.
A summary of female writer's comments...
Wente:
Belinda doesn't seem to stay with men for long. Or careers. Or, as it turns out, political parties. She's always eyeing the next big thing just over the horizon. She's not that keen on working her way up from the bottom. She'd rather start somewhere near the top, where she can make a difference right away.
"She feels she's gifted," her father, Frank, once said.
Kingston:
Stronach, to be plain, is not known for long-term fidelity. To put the nicest spin on it, she craves constant stimulation, new vistas to conquer. To be less charitable, she's easily bored and used to assuming authority without first earning it...Now Stronach doesn't have to endure a boring, if not eternal, wait for her Cabinet position. After all, she's been in politics for over a year!
I was asked what I thought Belinda's leaving would do to the Conservatives in Ontario. I don't know.
Basically, the battle for the ballot question in Ontario is still on. The Conservatives will sell integrity, the need to punish the Liberals, and governance policies to back it up. The Liberals will sell the status quo and fear of Harper.
The Tories only need a six point increase from last election and we are looking a Conservative minority government.
To get it, the Conservatives and Harper personally are going to have to have a good campaign.
