It's as relevant as 'do you love your wife?' Why else would you put yourself and your family through this? Oh wait...If you're a Liberal, you do it for power and to reward friends. THAT's why they asked. Never heard a Liberal candidate ask this. It's only day one and I feel like I've got a hangover.

Ask Ken Dryden if he's in favour of motherhood and apple pie.

A positive response to the former, state-unaided, seems unlikely.

As to the latter, Agriculture Minister Andy Mitchell is undertaking an in-depth review concerning the adequacy of federal support for the orchard sector.

Mark
Ottawa

I've placed my thoughts on Scott Feschuck and Paul Martin in a wave file.

Enjoy.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/sounds/welcomebackkotter.wav

Bad response.

Long Live the Blogosphere.

Calgary Grit savages the liberal talking points on this: http://tinyurl.com/d3y8s

Greg: The full story is at:

http://tinyurl.com/d3mtz.

It is very very sad.

What an absolutely ridiculous, shameful thing to ask Stephen Harper. That's really revolting. It's an ad hominem hit and run, there's really no way to answer a question like that. Harper knows that, too.

This nation has been taken out of our collective hands. It is run by an ever-consolidating corporatist clique who are not just power-drunk and permanently compromised but also very, very pleased about the whole thing. They've got the national media doing LPC work now, non-stop.

It's housecleaning time. Stephen Harper knows what the Liberals have been up to, and the Liberals have very, very good reasons to be afraid. So do journalists. They're just way slower to pick up the lights of the locomotive coming the other way. It's millions of cars long. This has been a long winter of un-truth, and those smug grinning government workers who dressed up as journalists will not ever be forgotten. Life's funny that way; one day you think you're part of a grand empire, then all of a sudden you have some explaining to do.

Two days into it and I'm already mad enough to spit.

The problem with the question: Do you love your country? is that it's kind of tricky to prove. LIke anything you can say the words, but actually having the actions to prove it is a different story. Paul Martin says he loves Canada, but what he really means is he loves himself and his party and little else. His actions have been speaking rather loudly in the previous months making his words rather um... hollow.

Personally, I'd like to get my hands on the journalist-hack that would allow their interview questions to be determined by a political party. Sorry but that should cost you your reputation (if you had one to begin with) your job, and every ounce of respect you worked so hard to earn. Because at the end of the day, no one dictates what questions I ask an interview subject. I don't care who they are. I'll say it again: NO ONE!

To do so, is to fly in the face of every single principle that keeps journalism a noble profession as the gate-keeper of democracy. I know some of you don't think of it as a noble profession, but it did start out that way. Judging from the sad state of journalism in this country, I'd say both the profession and democracy are in serious trouble! It makes me so mad I'm nauseous.

Pity the first Liberal candidate brave enough to knock on my door...

I watched Martin's dog and pony show with him saying how he loved Canada. I kept thinking, yeah right, "The cheque is in the mail" and what's that other one...?

He loves Canada alright, it's a great place to steal from.

It wasn't a journalist, it was a plant posing as a journalist. I don't mean a house plant; I mean a Liberal support worker or something given a badge and told to go forth and stir up shit. Non-issue. If somebody asked me that on the street, first I'd look at them as though they were on crack, which is likely in my neighbourhood. But then I'd say, well, I guess so. But I wouldn't stand in the middle of 4th with my skirt over my head singing the national anthem.

Simple question I can't seem to find the answer to: who asked the question in the first place?

Love also the focus on SH's hands twitching. Looks like someone took a cue from that Nazi propaganda filmmaker.

Shoud have someone at a scrum ask: Mr. Martin, what do you think about companys who fly flags of convenience in order to avoid paying taxes in their home countries? That would catch him off guard and wipe the smirk off the old liar's face!

Oh no. Check out tonight's National, anyone, if you get the chance. I am speechless. They're not covering Harper's campaign, they're ATTACKING him, and sarcastically mocking his talking points of "change" and the "culture of entitlement".

Julie Van Dusen gets it going immediately, but keep watching, wait for Neil McDonald's piece nearing the half-hour mark. Words don't suffice. WOW. This is a very sick country, compromised to the core.

CBC news has to be dismantled. It's just gone way too far. Something's got to give, this can't go on.

I have always said that the CBC is useless. Fire the poor people that work there, dismantle the pieces of equipment and give them to a 7th grade science class in Outlook SK for experimentation. I somehow think that's a better use for their top-of-the-line taxpayer funded technology.

Do I love Canada?

I love the rocks and trees and lakes and mountains and wheatfields and ranches and fresh air and scenery and coast line, the relative peace and quiet, the abundance wealth, the restaurants, the roadways (most of them) the rivers, the forests, the lovely summers .. the crip refreshing winters (sort of) I live the clean cities and quaint towns ... However, I hate the way it's run and at least half of it's poplulation is utterly contemptable.
Is that appropriate enough?

Laugh with me at Duke's Place

If Paul Martin loves Canada so much then why did he move his multi billion dollar shipping company out of the country and put Bananada flags on all of his boats?

And leaving that particular tax loophole open (while he was finance minister even) was a nice crowning touch.

Talk is cheap, his wallet speaks much louder.

Here's a suggestion - it isn't enough to prattle in my comments. If you don't like the CBC coverage, pick up the phone, call your local affiliate and START YELLING about it.

Every night.

Kate,

That would be like 'talking to a liberal" or worse. I think we are nearing a point where talking may not be enough for those collectivist hate mongering androids. They need to be taken out one at a time a horse whipped. No offense to the horses.

Duke

There's no way to answer that question?

It's kinda tricky to prove?

It was a trap?

Hey, I don't question Harper's love of Canada for a second, but that response was TERRIBLE!!!

Call Preston Manning and ask him if he loves Canada. Call Brian Mulroney and ask him if he loves Canada. I guarantee you'll know within 3 words whether their answer is "yes" or "no" (and it sure as HELL won't be a long winded "probably").

There's a commercial on MuchMusic these days with Paris freakin' Hilton saying "I love Canada". Is Paris Hilton so much more media savy than Stephen Harper?

This will all die down, and won't mean spit to the campaign, but if you are so partisan that you can't admit that this was a HORRIBLE response to a softball question, then maybe the Liberals really do have a shot at a majority.

Seriously. Someone in CPC headquarters should start kicking ass NOW. Amateur hour is over. If you can't beat them now, it may NEVER happen. Start acting like you WANT it. I've seen Harper get passionate. I know it's in him. But I'm not following a man who has trouble with the "Do you love your country" question. It has nothing to do with questioning his patriotism (which I don't for a SECOND). It's about questioning his ability to hit a baseball when it's gently placed on a tee in front of him. It makes me think he couldn't answer "Is fire hot?" with any degree of certainty. And that's not inspiring.

So just to recap:

The Ruling party which has been in power for 12 years was just voted out of power, stemming from one of the worst corruption scandals in history, and the CBC is mocking.............the opposition?

All corrupt regimes require a complicit media to sustain itself. The Liberals in Canada are no different.

Sounds a lot like 'Paul Martin supports childporn', doesn't it?

Lord,

Good comment. This whole thing is diversionary.
I remember my English grammar classes where they used attempt to teach usage, love is actually something you feel for another person. What you feel for a country is another form of affection, a sense of respect, duty, patriotism even a sense of debt, but love ... that word is tossed around like a basket ball so it means nothing anymore.

Poor Stephen .. he is so sincere and seems so easily duped by the clever scum bags in the media whose profession is trickery with words.

Pass the alka seltzer.

Why are reporters not asked to offer their credentials before asking a question in a situation like that? It is simple respect and good jouranlistic practice to allow an individual to know whom they are talking to. How does that question even get out of a media scrum like that (I think it was the second or third question asked!)? Please inform us if you hear any word on the identity of the question poser. (This sounds like a Scott Reid idea to me).

>>>The Ruling party which has been in power for 12 years was just voted out of power, stemming from one of the worst corruption scandals in history, and the CBC is mocking.............the opposition?
_________

You would get used to that kind of coverage (ruling party good/opposition bad) if you watched more of the Fox News Channel.

The liberal party, not just the killer and the weasel have seen fit to starve the military for funds resulting in among other things helochopters falling from the sky killing the crews. This along with other actions make the liberals liars thieves and killers and the msm has the nerve to ask Harper if he loves Canada. Who paid this asshole?

'Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel'. (Or- to quote Paul Martin: "Kanaduh!"
(Spoken with French accent.)

Stevie Aitch aside, is there in fact a country that remains to love?

Quebec feels no part of Canada save for selfish gain.

As John Ibbitson of the Globe says unceasingly the major population centres of Toronto and Vancouver are post-national (he fudges on Montreal).

And as Ibbitson said in a Globe recently piece ""But since it doesn't mean much of anything to be Canadian, thank the Lord..."

He also said in an interview on CFRA, Ottawa, November 7: "this country is turning into sort of half a dozen cities and a whole lot of bush in between."

Geography, urban or bush, is not sufficient. There needs to be a common ethos and that is gone. Canada is pushing up the daisies.

What ought one love? Unless one is a journalist with an agendum.

Patriotism without a patrie (or a coherent polity) is a joke. Canada has ceased to be; it's expired and gone to meet its maker.

Mark
Ottawa

Is someone going to name the reporter who's regurgitating Lib talking points or am I going to be forced to watch the CBC to find out?

Feel free to attack the person who asked this question all you want. Personally, I don't think of it as a "trap" I think of it as a "softball question". Mark above even suggested that someone ask Ken Dryden if he's in favour of motherhood and apple pie. And to me THAT's the whole point. Go ahead, ask Dryden that question. I bet he won't screw up the answer. Why? BECAUSE ONLY AN IDIOT COULD MESS UP SUCH AN EASY QUESTION!!! The problem here isn't questioning Harper's patriotism (which I don't for a second) it's questioning his INTELLIGENCE. His ability to LEAD. His ability to answer the world's easiest political question without messing it up.

And please take my advice to stop calling this a "trap". The mere suggestion that this was some sort of plot says to me that you think this reporter asked this question because he hoped Harper would "mess up" and reveal his "true feelings" (his "hidden agenda" if you will). If anyone with a name suggests this was a trap in public it will INSTANTLY become a Liberal ad.

Honestly, the CPC needs to fire their entire communications staff. Some days it feels like the only thing keeping the Tories in this thing is the fact tha Martin's communications team is just as bad.

I don't question Harper's love of this country for a nonosecond. But I don't want to hand over the reins of government to someone who is flummoxed by the "Do you love your country" question. That's just sad.

Of course we won't find out the name of this person who asked the question. The people in the media won't tell because they are all pure as the driven snow of course.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Journalists, -- ALL JOURNALISTS, are low life scum.
They either act in ways that make them scum or they allow thier co-workers to act in these ways without protesting.

P.S. Lord Kitchener's own? Fuck off! You're obviously a journalist who can't stand to see the (HA!) "ethics" of his squalid little occupation (I won't call it a profession- Its NOT!), questioned. Journalists all stick together when one is attacked.

It would appear that the CBC hired Leni Riefenstahl to work on the National. Within 10 minutes they portrayed pm as a victim and set up Stephen Harper on the "Love" Canada crap!!!

Lie-beral's don't love Canada, they just love Canadian taxpayer's money.
Now where's that NINE BILLION, so called, PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS MONEY?

OK John. If you're this mad on day one, I guess things are going worse than I tought! (BTW, nope, not a journalist if anyone cares).

I can't even believe that poeple are attacking someone for asking a politician if he loves his country. Sure it's a silly question. But you know what, there's a lot of talk out there that people who hate the Canadian flag, can't stand Canada's laws, and refer to the country as "Soviet Canuckistan" and a "second tier socialist country" (any guesses who that last one is from???) might not be too anamoured of Canada. I know. It's shocking that someone would think that just because all of the passion in the party is about what they don't like about Canada, means that they don't like Canada, but there it is. And it's a pretty repugnant line of political attack (as is comparing Canada to the Soviet Union, but anyway...) but that should make it EASY to counter, not hard.

Feel free to continue to aide the Liberal spin machine. But to me, it's pretty ironic that a story about a conservative politician not being quite vocal enough about his love of the country has been followed by an explosion in the blogosphere of conservatives saying "See, this is why I hate this country".

It's like I'm seeing Harper trip in slow motion, and the entire Tory blogosphere is running over... to push him down. It's like you're all saying "That's it Stephen!!! Don't you dare say you love this socialist nightmare of a 'country'. Stick it to the man!"

It's only day one, and already I'm questioning (again) whether there are any Tories who want to LEAD, or if they all just want to complain that we're not being led correctly.

It's to the point that it doesn't even surprise me anymore. And though I know it won't... that should worry you.

Lord Kitchener's Own: Some folks sure do be beastly.

At least you're not part of the the bleedin' choir invisible.

Mark
Ottawa

As I said on another blog its not the Canadian way to come out and say I love Canada. Canadians are too cynical for that and whats more they consider it phoney.

Stephen Harper's response was understated and low key, which is what most Canadians would prefer. If you want phoney see Paul Martin.

I hope no one comments before I get this in, but I just wanted to politely ask that no one respond to my post by saying something to the effect of "Yeah, well the Liberals are corrupt" or "How can you support the Liberal scumbags" or, "I know you are but what am I".

For one thing I do NOT support the Liberals (didn't, and won't, be voting for the Martin Libs). And for another, I'm kindy tired, and I'd get really depressed if someone just came out and proved my point for me.

Cheers.

Lord Kitchener's Own Puss Dripping Boil is a more suitable handle.

And... there it is!

Good night everybody!

:-)

Good night you blithering windbag. Don't go have an accident now.

Read the post again L.K.O. (Can you read? You sure as hell can't spell.) You will find that I was slamming journalists, thier shitty little cheap shots, their unashamed shilling for the Liberals and their refusal to condemn those in thier occupation who do these things. Then, you,(obviously a Liberal blog plant) try to turn it around into some "Conservatives Hate Canada" bullshit. As I said before, fuck off.

LKO: Don't you understand? The question was so stupid, so absolutely out of context, it just did not bear answering. Have you ever - EVER - heard a leader of any party asked that in a scrum? It wasn't a journalist, or at least a recognizable one. He was a plant. He could have been given accreditation by some misguided media volunteer; slightly accented voice (French, I think). But it doesn't matter anyway. It was a stupid question and only somebody as insincere as Martin could go over the top with the answer. And that came from the NDP's own media strategist who thought the question ridiculous and Martin's own response overblown.

Having read the Liberal talking points email on CalgaryGrit's web site, I can only shake my head in utter disbelief. The Liberal party is absolutely shameless. If the conservatives came anywhere close to being this abhorrent, the media would rip them to shreds. If the Liberals do it, the media plays along! If there has ever been any doubt that the media is nothing more than the propaganda arm of the Liberal party, then all doubt must surely now be removed. This makes me sick.

FROM THE CONSERVATIVE WEBSITE:

Kenney Demands Apology for Liberal Attack on Harper’s Patriotism
29 November 2005
OTTAWA- This morning Stephen Harper predicted that the Liberal Party would stop at nothing to attack him in order to distract people from their record of waste and corruption.

It didn't take them long. Before Mr. Harper had finished his statement, the Liberal war room sent out a statement questioning his patriotism.

In an email message sent to certain journalists, the Liberal campaign said, “He doesn’t love this country.”

“Paul Martin may disagree with Stephen Harper on many issues, including the Liberal Party's record of scandal and waste,” said Conservative MP Jason Kenney. “But he would never question Paul Martin’s love for Canada.”

“It’s sad that the Liberal Party does not show others the same basic respect, and still seems to confuse loyalty to the Liberal Party with loyalty to Canada.”

“Stephen Harper is in this campaign precisely because he loves Canada. That’s why he’s fighting for a government that is as good and as honest as the Canadian people,” Kenney said.

“Paul Martin should apologize for this unacceptable personal attack on Stephen Harper’s patriotism.”

I'm so depressed.

The Liberals are going to be in power FOREVER.

Just imagine the kind of angry, over-the-top, name-calling, "conforming to every Liberal stereotype of the foaming at the mouth, mad as hell conservative" I would have gotten if I HADN'T politely asked that no one prove my point for me.

I suggest that overblown rhetoric and negativity have allowed the media to paint the Tories as angry Canada-bashing neandrthals. I EXPLICITLY point out how repugnant I find that line of attack, and that it's such an stupid overblown stereotype that it should be easy for conservatives to refute. I ask that no one respond to my post with mean-spirited negativity that would merely play into the hands of this idiotic media spin. And what do I get?

Well, you can see.

I need an Advil.

I have had it.
They have to go. Two days in and already over the top.
Talk to your friends, talk to your co-workers. Bring one non-voter to vote for their conservative candidate. Do not waste your time converting a socialist to reason. Do not waste your time rehabilitating a liberal. They are weak people who can be bought off or have not a clue.
Get involved in real life. There are plenty of people who do not follow the news and only hear the lying soundbites.
Save Canada before it is too late.
enough

No, LKO you need about 10 or 12 BOTTLES of Advil, washed down with a "40" of Absinthe & some Liquid Plumber. It'll put you out of my misery.

Okay, so PM may have the lead on the "I love Canada" (shades of Howard Dean) Rant but Stephen Harper should hammer it right back like so ...

"If Paul Martin is so in love with Canada, why did he run a shipping line that sails only in the Great Lakes yet has registered its vessels in Panama in order to evade Canadian taxes and those same ships have for decades polluted the Great Lakes for decades by purposely dumping their iron ore dust?

And If he loves Canada so much why does he subvert and undermine the Canada Health Act by purchaseing his health services from private for profit clinics?

Mr. Martin seems to love Canada because he is the leader of the "entitled", corrupt and criminal Liberal party that has been a parasite on this great country which I love dearly as do most ordinary Canadians for over a decade.

I will campaign and work tirelessly to wrestle this Great country from Paul Martin and his corrupt party's hands.

And I will work just as tirelessly to help this great Country reach its true potential of being head and shoulders the safest, wealthiest and most democratic country on earth.

Ordinary Canadians deserve and expect nothing less from their leaders. Mr. Martin and his cronies want to strip mine this country of its wealth for their and their elite friends benefit - Canada be damned."

"I don't want to hand over the reins of government to someone who is flummoxed by the "Do you love your country" question. That's just sad.

LKO, I've seen your longer posts on this elsewhere in the blogsphere and your vote is your call.

You can parse meaning and intention as long as you want, but if Harper's initial answer doesn't look like yes to you then by all means TRY to keep the reigns of goverment in the hands of Mr-I-love-canada-more-than that-guy. I gather you understand the 2 word reply from this board.

The "do you love" question got big play on the dinner news in BCTV (which goes all over the province) and everyone in the room here roared that he blew it by not saying right away "Love Canada? Fuck yeah. You're damn right I do".
What an easy lob.

Anyone of us would do that easy at the rink, at the bar...anywhere. The guy is frigid. Two screw ups on day 1.

Does anyone have a list of numbers and e-mail
addresss that could be kept on our computers for
us to write day after day after day to the
CBC?
We need volume of mail, and lots of it, people
speaking against their bias and doing it in a
way that shows our anger, but does not end up in
swearing, only using the facts as we know them.
If someone has one, please post and then we can
start writing and phoning.
The more we write, the more we are able to
let us know we are doing something to help.

cjg...
What if it was a CPC plant asking him an easy question and now they're thinking..."Jesus..We are f__ked."

Kate,

I just wanted to say keep up the good work (I often disagree with your point of view but you're certainly keeping the healthy debate going!). I don't think I can hang around SDA anymore (not that I'm here all the time, but I do pop in to see life on the other side from time to time). And it's by no means your fault, but it just seems that everytime I come here and try to be polite, while gently pushing a few of my more conservtive friends buttons, I always end up with people swearing, and wishing me bodily harm (or just wishing I'd kill myself). Again, not even remotely your fault, but it's just not fun for me. I guess I'm just not passionate enough about my points of view, but I just don't want to respond in kind and I feel like if I stick around I'll get dragged down into the mud. (I'm also surprisingly sensitive for a blogger, so I had best retreat before I start to take things too personally!) :-)

Try to stay on the high road as best you can everyone. The Liberal strategy seems to be to go VERY negative, because they want you to get into the mud with them in the hopes that their stereotypes of the angry not-to-be-trusted Tories will stick even more than the true stories of Liberal graft and corruption. Sure, that's playing to the lowest common denominator, but that's why conservatives need to rise above and not take the bait.

Anyway, the more ferevent here will dismiss that as the call of a "liberal plant" to unilaterally disarm and let the SOBs waltz back into government, but how can I argue with that?

Well, enjoy the show everyone. Sadly I have a feeling it's going to be pretty nasty. See you on the other side!

"I don't want to hand over the reins of government to someone who is flummoxed by the "Do you love your country" question. That's just sad.

LKO: I've seen your longer postings on this elsewhere. Your parsing of meaning and intent boils down to to Harper is an idiot for skipping one word in his how-I-walk-the-talk answer. It was a rhetorical question. Was no really in the running?

If this is your litmus test and Martin's I-love-canada-more-than-that-guy performance doesn't make your skin crawl that is very sad.

If the Liberal war room's "harper hates canada" email doesn't concern you that is very very sad.

But the truly sad part is that Martin's south-of-the-line-i'm-a patriot-and-your-not ugliness looks bad on all of us.

There's an elephant in the room and you want to parse Harper's belly button lint. No thanks.

steve: they saw Martin's south-of-the-line-i'm-a patriot-and-your-not shtick as well and had no comment? if they did, the sophistication of suckers continues to be a growth industry.

LKO,

The real story was the electoral fraud of the Liberal party. Im sorry you couldnt accept that.

When is stealing from the taxpayer ever right in a democracy? This is proven by Gomery.

Some people just cant keep their eyes on the ball. I'm sorry you couldnt. Please enjoy your retirement.

These people stole taxpayers money to buy elections. I cant believe that doesnt lead...

The non-confidence motion was historical but the lead item in this election is whether Stephen Harper loves Canada enough!

WOW.

What else needs to be said?

LKO - I"m not here to babysit anyone. In fact, with over 33,000 comments registered on this blog in just under two years, I dont' even read them all. If you can't take the heat of your own discussion threads, I'm certainly not going to bail you or anyone else out.

That said, I've made requests before to keep language in line, and to keep it civil and I meant it.

Of course he loves Canada, but the spin is the reality. The TV says so.

steve: certainly not the last lie. the real question is what we do about it.

i'd start with that liberal war room letter and martin's heart-on-his-sleeves-i'm-a-patriot-and-your-not ugliness.

take our eyes off those elephants and we're just a crown commenting on the cleverness of a bully.

arrgh... crowd.

LKO you weren't unreasonable in the first place. Harper's answer was weak. He seemed to subtly change courses in midstream. When asked if he loved this country he said something about how well, you know, politicians have to travel a lot, and it keeps you away from your family...and then he demured on the start and tried unsuccessfully to turn his words into some larger point about love for this country.

The reason that a lot of people are pissed is based on context, and the understanding that such questions are not questions but rather gratuitous attacks, and continuation of a Liberal attack strategy as done by proxy.

As Kate mentioned ommon courtesy dictates that whenever on the national stage members of the press should identify themselves and their organization. Otherwise Liberal operatives acting as journalists (as if there's a difference) can walk up to an opposition leader holding a press conference at the start of election campaign and take a sideways shot at his proverbial knees, and then hand it over to their editor/producer pals for day-long editing fun. (Really sorry about this gratuitous reference Kate -- I'll phone directly first thing tomorrow. I already know from experience that that's one good thing about CBC: individual complaints go straight to the top.)

LKO, if you ever run for office against a corrupt regime, and someone asks you with a cocked head and a sneer on national TV: "Do you love your kids?" you might see that one's reaction isn't the only part of such exchanges.

I'm as much a Conservative supporte as anyone and absolutely desperate for change. However, the CPC have to get their message across in a non-accountant fashion. Sad, but you almost have to be able to fit the message on a t-shirt.

The SSM thing, while not a mistake in being raised early, should have turned on the wonderful fact that a free and democratic vote would be held, representing individual Canadians from sea to sea. Each would be able to present their views to their individual MP, who then would choose to represent or oppose the view of their constituents.

What a concept! Democracy.

Instead it quickly turns into media mutterings about 'not withstanding clauses' and two tier relationships with existing SSM's lawful, but perhaps future ones not.

What a sloppy communications mess. It saddens me.

Mark Steyn has an election prediction contest:
http://www.steynonline.com/index2.cfm?edit_id=64

My depressed entry:

1) Liberal minority
2) 115
3) Conservative 103
Bloc 65
NDP 25
4) Ignatieff 42%
5) Liberal Quebec seats won: 10
Liberal Ontario seats won: 68
6) Svend 41%
Hedy 33%
Tony 17%

Mark
Ottawa

Steven Harper is being persuaded to love canada at .. he might come around ... who knows. Check it out for a laugh then get right back here to the issues.

Duke's Place

This guy just can't get into a groove ... I tell ya he needs a happy pill.

The question was stupid, Harper answer was a mess. Seriously his answer should have been this,..

"Yes, of course I love Canada, that's why I'm here fighting for change. Next stupid question?"

Ok the last bit was optional. Listening to all you people talk about how this was a trick question, or insulting question,... Jesus, maybe it was sleazy question to ask, but seriously, it was "Tee-Ball" question, Harper should have hit it out the pallpark, instead he seem to swing madly at the tee-ball and ended up walking to first base.

Has Harper been getting second hand brain cells from Bush?

Zorph, that's the point. It was SO stupid, he tied himself up looking for the 'trick' in it. Have you ever heard ANYBODY in any campaign before, asked if they loved canada (or their wife and kids for that matter)? Sure it would have been nice if he could have put his hand on his heart and sung the national anthem. But it ain't Harper and never will be. He becomes impassioned about things that matter: like Canadians being ripped off by the people they are forced to entrust their money to; their wellbeing of their families, etc. Hell, I've done improv and that question would leave me thinking 'did I really hear that right?'

I saw several responses starting mid-day that questioned Martin's love of country with respect to him flying the flag of Liberia on his ships.

They were followed several hours later by 'the pundits'. Chalk one up for the bloggers... a person named JL on commentsplease was the first I saw.

http://www.politicswatch.com/csl-nov30-2005.htm

This is what Harper's answer should have been:

...Pause of disbelief... then smile and say, yes, of course I love my country, I just hate the way it has been governed for the last 12 years. I'm here to change that.

With respect to the whole 'Do you love your country' question/response. Some of these posts seem to miss the point. As a long time Conservative supporter, I just can't stomach voting for someone who just plain and simple showed as little emotion as possible when answering a question that demands a passionate response. The response that I, and every other conservative supporter, wants to here is an emphatic, 'You're god damn right I love my country. Next question'...and say it like you damn well mean it!!!!
The voting public wants to be inspired...Harper can't afford many more of these self-inflicted wounds.

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WBR xgZwRUMoqVcCDBsXJ

Totally offhand comment.

First time ever posting here. Just a thought...One of the reasons I have been proud to be a Conservative party member is that I believe it is the party that rationally debates ideas with honesty. The "Shout down those who disagree" attitude I have seen in this thread is one I thought was found in other lines of thinking (ex. leftists), not conservatives. I guess I should thank those above who have shown me the extent of my naivete in this regard.