Pretty darn low, it would seem.
The National Post slags Michael Ignatieff for starting off his leadership campaign by attacking Conservatives as acting with "dishonesty, incompetence and something close to bigotry and racism":
"We do not want a Canada where the colour of your skin, the language that you speak, the country you originated from determines how well you survive this economic downturn," Mr. Ignatieff declared. Liberals, he added, "are going to fight for all Canadians to get the same shot at the economic dream."
The Post goes on to shoot down that ‘argument’ quite effectively.
Is this an example of the kind of rhetoric we’re going to have to listen to until the Liberal Leadership convention? A platform of attack that is devoid of any new ideas?
Is this Iggy’s strategy or is someone giving him bad advice behind the scenes? The Post analyzes the situation:
"It’s a desperate-seeming strategy, even if certain tired elements within the Liberal party — ageing spin doctors seeking to recapture their glory days of smearing Stockwell Day — haven’t gotten tired of it. Why, one wonders, is Mr. Ignatieff taking tactical cues from the Adscam-era demagogues who gave his party such a bad name in the first place?"
Now who would that ‘ageing spin doctor’ be, I wonder?
Obviously, Michael Ignatieff is still stuck in the old ways of thinking and hasn’t learned a thing. He is poorly equipped to lead the Liberal Party.
I can only concur with the Post:
Slagging the Tories as a bunch of lying racists serves no purpose, and is an insult to all Canadians. If this is the kind of campaign that Mr. Ignatieff has in mind, all we can say is: Advantage, Bob Rae.
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Update: Witness the New Ignatieff – Ivison (Post):
Michael Ignatieff wandered into the news conference to announce his leadership bid for the Liberal party and flashed that pained, indulgent smile, such as a Harvard professor might give a particularly dim student …
Oh that was sweet, John. Excellent description.
Lively discussion also going on at Jack’s Newswatch where this post has been picked up as Jack’s Daily Blogger selection today. Thanks as always, Jack! (And thanks to Mary T for letting me know.)
I love this comment by Voca at Jack’s: "…And, we already know how low the Liberals can go. Pooping Puffin Low – what a rotten thing to do to a cute bird". Good point, Voca.
Beam him out, Scotty!
Small Dead Animals – The First American Prime Minister.
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And here is my effort to endorse Bob Rae as the best choice for the Liberal Leadership – Rae can be proud of his ‘baggage’ – Angelo Persichilli. Angelo has convinced me that Bob Rae is a man who can learn from his mistakes and grow.
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Afternoon Update: In case you missed it last night on MDL, Joy McPhail and Monte Solberg were discussing Igatieff’s announcement. Joy said she gets the ’same feeling of despair’ with Iggy as she did with Stephane Dion, in that they’re too alike; too ‘esoteric’ ; too ‘head in the clouds’. ..
Really worth watching.
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Evening Update : Jason Kenney is really putting the lie to Ignatieff’s remarks right now (8:20 p.m.) Watch live on CPAC.
Related: Fascinating column by Tom Flanagan – Courting the Fourth Sister. (H/T WCT in comments. Thanks so much, Teddi. I would have missed this one.)
