Peter C. Newman on Ignatieff

5 posts / 0 new

Fri, 2009-03-20 19:28

Lord Palmerston

[url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090318.wcoiggy19/BN...

Newman seems to think Iggy is getting poorly treated by the national media.[/url] I can't think of any politician who has received such fawning treatment.

Quote:
At the same time, there remains a shadow, a hidden liability in his vaunted celebrity and academic achievements. The media - or most of them - lie in wait. Ottawa-based reporters resent him. Since arriving back in Canada, he has been too successful too fast. He moved up without serving the appropriate apprenticeship (as they had to do in order to occupy the cat seats in their organizations' Ottawa news bureaus). The aristocratic gent was never truly a backbencher; now he is the crown prince.

While he is far from vulnerable, he is building up some debits. In this celebrity age, shelf lives are measured by the span between full moons. The media hope to destroy him one day. So far, they see him as something of a riverboat gambler, flying flags of convenience (or inconvenience) but not a power junkie like Stephen Harper, who, whatever his faults, takes strong stands on issues and will back down only when he reaches the comforting shores of purgatory.

Unlike Pierre Trudeau, whom the media (rightly) claim they created, Mr. Ignatieff won the leadership all by himself. He owes the press nothing, and that doubles their fury.

Michael Ignatieff is yet to be tested, but his run will make history.

Fri, 2009-03-20 19:38

anchovy breather

Three weeks ago Newman called Ignatieff a carpet-bagger. Now he probably just wants to interview him, himself, so he's puckering up. I agree that the media have been fawning over Ig, but still the Liberals have barely picked up any momentum, as they are pretty much the Conservative Party now anyway and aren't resonating. No one else has really picked up any movement, either, though.

Fri, 2009-03-20 19:56

Tommy_Paine

A measure of how far one might have one's head up the establishment's ass is if one can see Peter C. Newman's latest hat.

After he caved in so cravenly to Brian "Manilla Envelope" Mulroney, I am surprised that there are people willing to publish this snivler.

Sun, 2009-03-22 20:34

Scott Piatkowski Scott Piatkowski's picture

Newman argues that "Mr. Ignatieff won the leadership all by himself".

Technically, that's true. After all of the other candidates were bullied into withdrawing, Ignatieff was "all by himself" in the leadership race... and then was appointed as leader.

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:09

birdfeeder

Mr. Newman fails to mention the unnamed Liberal senator[s] who convinced Iggy to come to Canada and try his luck. What promises/offers were made, and by whom? Iggy did not rise to the leadership without much help from inside the liberal machine. His push to the right of center has me convinced that he has many of the same backers as Yo!Steve!.