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NDP leadership 81
January 26, 2012 - 11:31am
Now?
Last night was a leadership debate at Concordia in Montreal. Was anyone here at it?
I see on Facebook that "it will be filmed and we will try to put the video online by tomorow afternoon," that is, this afternoon.
I picked a bad week to be out of town - missing a few events. But I was curious to see that among the riding associations organizing this event (at the Loyola campus in the west end), NPD Outremont was not listed.
Not much yet:
NDP candidates debate the issues
"Youngest MP in House of Commons Pierre-Luc Dusseault on why he supports Thomas Mulcair for NDP leader."
http://www.fatcatvideo.net/VideoDetail.aspx?assetId=Nycole-Turmel-on-MPs-Pensions-517254730&pv=FiveMin
Paul Dewar has received the endorsement of Ginny Devine.
http://pauldewar.ca/content/ginny-devine-endorses-dewar-ndp-leader
Dewar's press release refers to Devine as a "respected New Democrat, pollster and former Chief of Staff to Manitoba Premier Howard Pawley."
Devine is also the wife of Gary Doer—which will undoubtedly lead many to see this endosement as an implicit endorsement of Dewar by Doer, who may feel that he should not personally endorse due to his diplomatic post.
Here is a video featuring Brian Topp's wife Rebecca and his two sons about what kind of a guy he is. I think its nice to see some glimpse of what these people are like behind the scenes etc...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmSDGKu5hzc
Topp also posted a feel good video (French required) a few days ago about what it was like to work on the NDP's first electoral wins in Quebec (i.e. Phil Edmonston).
For anyone at the debate in Montreal, how were Topp's presentation skills that night? His performance at the Toronto forum was, IMO, his strongest stage performance to date.
It might be a good idea for Mulcair to do something similar given some of the stories about him being a bit of a "hard-ass".
I honestly think that in the NDP - to a greater extent that in other parties - a lot of members want to feel that they are voting for a good person. Beyond who is "electable" or who is the smartest or the shrewdest etc...I think many of us also want to feel reassured that the person we have leading up us is a "mensch".
Agree with Stock, that its just common sense pro-active. Of course the candidates supporters see them as human beings and 'likeable'. And some, maybe most, of the candidates have an existing image where that is not going to be a 'resistance' with the members they are courting. But not Topp and Mulcair. There is a huge territory between 'I think he's great' and 'he eats babies' that needs to be attended to.
Has he done one yet wearing a sweater? Or holding a pussycat? Might be saving those for the final push...
Turtlenecks. It's all about the turtlenecks.
He look like he's about to stangle it. If any of my cats got near him I'd have to give them a bath!
Personally, I found Topp's video a bit cringe-worthy. Maybe because it reminded me a bit of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vBDtDvXu0M&feature=related
Pulling out the family is an American campaign tactic that I am not comfrtoable with. We are not electing the best Dad or the best husband, but " the next Prime Minister".
I hope Mulcair won't run something like this, but we seem to imitate America so much these days, that it might be unavoidable.
I think he's about to ask it if it likes handcuffs.
Brian Topp's 6th policy paper
Peggy Nash's plan for ECEC (and she has a new, shiny website layout)
Niki Ashton's vision for Canada in the matters of international relations (might have already been posted)
The dumb reality is that Steven Harper went from an American-style Conservative-fetishist to Prime Minister -- in part -- because he toned down the rhetoric and positioned himself as a "regular guy". A few sweaters. A few Beatles songs on the piano. A book about hockey that always comes up around election time but never seems to come out.
Most Canadians didn't buy it. But it was enough to score him a couple extra percentage points, and creep up the middle in Ontario.
Likeability is a qualification to be Prime Minister, whether we like it or not.
But it doesn't have to be that kind of shameless "hire an acting coach and a personal stylist, and hide how you really feel" that Harper uses.
Jack Layton became more charismatic over the span of nearly 10 years as leader. He also had a lot of inherently likeable qualities: he's principled, he's honest and consistent, and he has a sense of humor.
Our candidates have some of those qualities. Saganash just exudes earnestness. Cullen has a sense of humor. Mulcair is passionate. Nash has had enough of a career in politics to establish herself as incredibly principled and consistent.
I personally would not fault them if they had to hire someone to teach them how to be better in front of the camera. God knows they're hiring people to improve their French. And what Layton naturally learned over a decade (or multiple decades) can be accelerated with some good advice. Not that any of the candidates can just hire a coach and become Jack Layton, but they can hire a coach and become a better version of themselves.
Danny Williams?
Pass it on.
Andrea Horwath went in that direction when she gave a speech at the fed convention in Vancouver. She basically said that she is a good leader because she is a good mother, and Ontario needs a woman in charge. If McGuinty is Premier Dad, she was running to be Premier Mom :P
Things appear to be looking better and better for Mulcair with each passing day.
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1121993
It appears that Tim Harper reads babble. That's the only place I could find online where that phrase was used, and just about every use of that phrase has been from Mulcair's supporters here who accuse others of saying "Mulcair is anti-union."
ETA: Plus this one article, and he goes on to imply that union leaders "call the shots."
But I agree with most of his supporters here that he is quite "electable."
I'd definitely be comfortable with Mulcair as leader. He has enough contrasts with the Liberal party to make me trust him. He's a good speaker and debater. Worst case with Mulcair, he'd be able to hold most what we earned in Quebec, plus most of the big cities that have voted NDP consistently the past few elections. He wouldn't sink much lower than 90 setas, and his upside is potentially much higher.
That being said... I'd like to be more than just "comfortable" with the NDP leader. Inspired would be nice. Still hoping Nash or Saganash can catch fire.
It didn't take very long. The Conservatives suggest it's time to scale back the pension system.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/opposition-fire-back-agains...
I'm happy to go into the next election with a big contrast on this one. Not only is it the right thing. It's also the way to peel off a hell of a lot of senior voters. Helps we've been singing the same song for a while.
For those interested, Romeo Saganash will feature big in tonights episode of CBC's documentary "8th Fire" - its on at 9 pm on CBC, in whatever region you live
http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/8thfire//2011/11/whose-land-is-it-anyway.html
Tim Harper doesn't need to follow rabble to catch the "anti-union" whispers.
This is Topp's lightest policy paper yet and it would be easy to criticise it except for the fact that he has already easily carried the field in terms of who has presented the best policy this campaign.