Saturday, December 02, 2006

LIBERAL LEADERSHIP NOTES

The speeches:

Generally:

I didn't feel that anyone delivered a knock-out oration, nor did anyone fall on their face. I'm biased, but I'm increasingly convinced that very very few 21st century politicians can speak the way many 19th century politicians could. Of course the 19th century has the advantage of their words only being recorded in print.

Individually:

Dion - I missed his, but apparently he ran out of time.

Kennedy - Really tried to pump-up the crowd with his video and his speech. I felt he was going for style over substance, but in this forum that might not have been a bad strategy. He walked a very fine line between recalling the party's past and outright comparing himself to Laurier, King, and Trudeau. The introduction from the Lesser Trudeau couldn't have hurt though.

Rae - Was much more measured, walked about, apparently spoke without a script which probably lead to his hurried finish and lack of French.

Iggnatief - Spoke like a front runner in a very comfortable position, which now (1:20 pm the next day) seems to have been a mistake. He emphasized winnability and attacked Stephen Harper to such a degree that it seemed like the whole convention had become a secret Iggy lair where he was hatching a nefarious plot. I likened it to The Brain scheming with, and talking down to, Pinky.

Saturday, The Vote:

It was a great move by Kennedy to go to Dion before the third ballot. His support had stalled and staying on, I think, would have benefited Iggy and Rae to a greater degree. Now it's down to three Iggy, Rae and Dion and no-one seems to know what is going to happen.

I always promise myself that I am not going to get sucked into these things, but political theater like this is better than a big sporting event. I can't manage to pull myself away from the CBC and online coverage.

Posted by Matthew @ 1:11 p.m.