Which probably took a little air out of Dion’s balloon, no?
2nd ballot results:
Ignatieff – 1481
Rae – 1132
Dion — 974
Kennedy – 884
Dryden – 219
Total valid 4,690
Dryden is giving an impassioned “I want my big government back” speech to his delegates. Tears well… walks to Rae.
Kenndy moves to Dion, as expected. CTV’s Lisa LaFlamme will be thrilled.
3rd ballot results:
Dion – 1782
Ignatieff – 1660
Rae – 1375
Total – 4817
Rae starts to walk… somewhere.
Weathervane Ralph now wearing a green scarf.
Well, isn’t this typical? CTV offers an opportunity for “ordinary” viewers to email Mike Duffy duff@ctv.ca with their observations and what does he do? He reads the ones sent in from political hacks. “We want to hear what you think?” he closes with. No, he doesn’t.
A bit more media trivia – Jim Travers outed CBC’s Don Newman earlier this week. Apparently nobody noticed, because everyone already knew.
Program advisory: The Godfather just took the stage. Turn down the volume on your sets,
I’ve been handed a note from the producers. A source highly trusted in the corporation, but who shall remain unnamed, has indicated that CBC plans to close their convention coverage to the chorus of Jesus Christ Superstar…
Post Mortem – in the final analysis, here is what happened. Despite a determined campaign to present a positive face to the nation, the Liberal Party’s decision boiled down to a selection determined by negatives.
The campaign of Michael Ignatieff gained early support, but eventually stumbled because a significant number of delegates were determined to vote for “anybody but”.
The campaign of Bob Rae gained later momentum, but eventually stalled because a significant number of delegates were also determined to vote for “anybody but”.
In the end they settled on the candidate who had staked out the highly coveted political ground known as “least offensive”.
So, there we have it.
The new leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, and citizen of France…
It would seem that without an agreed upon “vision” and without a notable recognized individual with leadership skills, the determination of the leadership of the Liberal party will be “deals”; a “what do I get if I come over to you” scenario. Why would I be surprised. It always seems to be how can I get more power when it comes to politics, especially in the liberal party.
125 fewer voters on second ballot than first.
It looks like Iggy is dead in the water. I guess Rae’s walk to Iggy is all about keeping solidarity in the powercorp camp.
Rae days on the horizon? I’m off to vote for Morton!
Syncro
Stephane Dion, whose record is worse than that of George Bush on GHG emissions, is claiming to be the green candidate. And all of these clowns save Iggy still support Kyoto, notwithstanding the data which says that if we remove every car and truck from the road we still won’t make the targets. If I were a Conservative strategist I’d be saying “yum”.
“Dryden is giving an impassioned “I want my big government back” speech to his delegates. ”
Exile the SOB to Russia. Seriously, he played on the wrong team in 72; based on his words and policies he’s an outright communist who, like Mark Tewksbury, thinks anyone who opposes him is a redneck.
Captain Hairdo just went to Dion.
Rae walks to Iggy? What are you smoking? Kennedy just walked to Dion. Combined votes are around 1800, first place.
You haven’t been paying attention, Andy.
To clarify Andy, Rae went to Iggy, shook hands, mumbled some platitudes about we’re all friends here and may the best man win, the good of the party blahblahblah…
And although I couldn’t quite tell for sure, he SEEMED to scoping out the area of Iggy’s back between the fourth and fifth rib…you know, to ensure ease of the entry of the knife…
All the radio said (that I heard, anyway) was that Rae and Ignatieff had publicly embraced around the time the second round results were in.
This doesn’t mean that Rae will support Ignatieff: it could mean the reverse. It does suggest that one of these two outcomes will happen, however.
Rae and Iggy were running as a tag-team from the beginning. Right now, they’re both figuring out how to prevent Dion from his outside shot of sneaking up the middle for a victory. Rae wants it more, though, and will promise Dion the world for his support. Iggy will then embrace his old College buddy again, and be his right-hand man (or slink back to Harvard). But the fix was in a long time ago – Power backed both Rae & Iggy to stack the deck and ensure one of them would win.
i looks like it could be a win for bankrupt bob and power corp, just keep those brown envelopes of cash coming and he and his team will be out of debt in no time. the voters of ontario will surely endorse the man who put them into the big leagues of debt.
I posted a comment at the CBC News election blog and got an Editor to reply. Here’s the bit:
Robert Q.
Toronto
This is all just a Liberal infomercial, paid for by Canadian taxpayers. Besides, the fix is in anyway…Bob Rae will win because that’s what Power Corporation wants and its Power Corporation that runs the Liberals.
EDITOR’S NOTE: CBC-TV and CBC-Radio coverage of this Liberal leadership convention is the same style as it was in March 2004 for the Progressive Convervative leadership convention that elected our current prime minister as party leader. CBC.ca’s online coverage of this convention is more advanced than in 2004, reflecting the evolution of the web. CBC.ca had a reporter at the 2004 Conservative convention but was not using real-time blogging technology at that time.
Looks like they’re sensitive to suggestions of bias. Notice the use of the word “style”? Same coverage “style”. I’ll let your memories be the judge of that.
Anti this, anti that ?? Whatever. But is there no limit to appeasement ??
Would Dion not be the fourth Lib leader in a row from Quebec ?? .. Including Mulroney, 10 straight(almost) Prime Minsterships out of Quebec ?? .. Dion, a PM from another so-called nation ?? .. A citizen of France ?? Boggles.
In 20 minutes I have to be at the poll to scrutinize for Morton. Should be all over by the time I get back home. Seems a strong ABI is in the room. Dion is least likely to win a fed election according to a pollster. Rae supporters will not vote Iggy, so I think the fourth ballot will see a lot fewer voters. The environment is a big issue, and Dion did nothing for 13 yrs on Kyoto. I really don’t believe the environment will be the deciding issue in the next election. It will be, not another que PM who can’t speak either language well.
robert q:
my sentiments exactly- on both issues.
I’ll see you at the poll Synchro.
It looks like Rae Days to me as well. I really want a firewall around Alberta for the next while. At least until the next federal election is over. If Harper gets his majority (please)we’ll have time then to decide if Morton is a keeper or not. If the Libs take the federal prize (shudder) we’ll NEED that firewall. Plus, if Alberta goes with liberal candidate Dinning and the fed goes liberal, look for Alberta Alliance gains. That’s a problem because the AA is kind of weird, not scary, just weird. Not enough Albertans would switch, which might let the provincial libs run right up the middle. One possibility is that enough true PC candidates would move to the Alliance to make it comfortable for PC voters to follow. I wonder how the Alliance would view that.
NCF TO: ‘Am in total agreement with your views on tag-team Iggy/Rae. I suspect that if Rae gets it (Iggy’s was a far from winning speech last night; it’s like he was sedated so he wouldn’t make any untoward gaffes this late in the day), Iggy and his wife will gladly head back to Boston.
I don’t sense any fire in Ignatieff’s belly for this job–in fact, just the opposite. Now that he’s been up here for a little while, sitting on the Liberal benches I kinda get the feeling that he’s wondering “What the H*ll am I doing here?”
Robert Q.
This is all just a Liberal infomercial, paid for by Canadian taxpayers. Besides, the fix is in anyway…Bob Rae will win because that’s what Power Corporation wants and its Power Corporation that runs the Liberals.
How unhappily true. I have no doubts that Ontario will vote in Bob Rae again. Why?
Because he will launch a program of systematic looting of Alberta, & the West in general. Put those Westerners in there place with a full out kind of pogrom. This will go down well in the East & Quebec. The politics of envy will turn this Nation into a corpse.
A divided one at that. Alberta will go. We don’t talk we do the walk. No one hear wants yet another Quebec crook in power. Nor a fantasist with delusions of big government being a messiah.
It’s why I voted for Morton as soon as I woke up.
People forget the civil war in the US was about federal powers versus State rights. We have not had that confrontation as of YET. Will this be a federalist federation of one Province dominating all? Or an equal partnership of peoples with simular goals? This next election may answer this question.
Just my opinion.
WHO GIVES A DEAD GOPHERS LEFT NUT?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Interviewing Lapierre right now: “some of these people came into the party only 6 months ago, we are all bon amis, I am an old hack from 1979…”
The question I’d have asked: “Except for that interval from 1993-2003 when you were with the Bloc Quebecois…”
Polly,
If Rae Days are coming back, I’d like a firewall around Ontario too – sigh…
I hear you, Ace.
Interestingly, some folks (Kinsella for one) are figuring that Iggy will go to Dion in an anybody but Rae movement.
It’s brain damagingly difficult to imagine Dion beating Harper. It hurts so good.
I still want the firewall because Kyoto is NEPII. Although, reflecting on what little Dion has done for the environment, maybe it’s just another lib campaign promise. Deja vu all over again.
I don’t understand Kinsella’s logic. Iggy and Rae are old college buddies. Iggy has no allegiance or history with Dion – who would be a useless National candidate, as well. I’d love to see Warren with egg on his face once again.
I’m just happy Rae is out.
Rae is toast!
One closet communist threat gone.
There are some things that friendships don’t withstand…time, distance, political disagreement come to mind.
I like to see Kinsella wearing egg too.
WOW!
Kennedy sways tide away from Rae and over to Dion.
Who would have thunk it?
Not that it matters at all, but Dion seems to have a hint of integrity clearly missing in chamilion Bob Rae. = TG
Well, Dion’s the big winner on the third ballot.
Rae’s out (I guess I’ll have to eat my hat; fortunately, I don’t wear hats) and now everyone’s wondering who’s going to get his votes.
Over at Stephen Taylor’s blog, the word is that the grassroots of the LPC are telling the backroom boys that they WON’T tell them how to vote, which is why Dion has surged ahead.
This race is now anybody’s guess, now that it looks like Power Corp et al. are being thwarted. Will Rae give Iggy–who just spouted “This is just a fantastic Party” (or did he mean the convention is “just a fantastic party”?)–the votes needed for a Power Corp coup, or is the worm turning?
Who will be best–meaning a win for the CPC–against PM Stephen Harper: Dion or Ignatieff?
Rae is out and delegates free to go anywhere they want. Up for grabs I think.
Hahahaha!!
Rae’s going to Dion. His delegates are free, but he’s gone to Dion. So much for friendship. Oh wait, these are liberals and dippers.
Goodale, Axworthy with Dion . . .
Old gang, new *ethical* front in Dion.
Hmmm, probably will not fly. = TG
Ugh. I was hoping Rae would win, because I think Harper would fare the best against him. However, given the choice of Dion and Ignatieff, it seems to me that Dion is probably capable of winning an election, while Ignatieff might split votes with Harper and *shudder* bring on the rise of the NDP.
I’m going with Dion, though, to be honest, I’m just slightly more interested in the Alberta race.
A wondering opportunist like Iggy could likely be bought quite easily by Power Corp.
Ummm…is this leadership “vote” going to be audited and observed by reputable (i.e. non-Liberal) people? Since when do Liberals run clean elections?
Didn’t Power Corp have two dogs in this hunt?
Iggy could still take it if Rae can persuade his flock to go with Iggy.
Power Corp is still lurking.
Given the rift in the libs between the Chretien and Martin camps, is this rift healed with either Dion or Ignatieff winning?
Well it certainly looks like Dion is going to take the race. Many people were calling him nuts when he first announced he was running. Politics is truly a strange business.
Joe Molnar asks, “Didn’t Power Corp have two dogs in this hunt?…Power Corp is still lurking.”
You can say that again!
France Chretien-Desmarais has just declared for Stephane Dion!
Iggy’s lacklustre momentum doesn’t seem to be speeding up; all the energy seems to be in the Dion camp.
Is Power Corp jumping to the front runner to keep its hand in?
Stay tuned!
Dion can pull Quebec and not offend Ontario. Question is Albereta and the West.
Dion has little personal baggage..= TG
“… is this rift healed with either Dion or Ignatieff winning?”
I think we are seeing a new rift in the making.
Has there ever been a better opportunity for mass arrests of the biggest criminal organization in Canada?
Apparently, in a recent poll, Stephane Dion’s winability in a race with Prime Minister Stephen Harper is about 17%. Ignatieff was first, Bob Rae was second and Dion was way down the list.
‘Wonder if this will still hold?
Bob Rae’s walking around the convention floor, totally stunned at his defeat, as though he was lured into this leadership race with the “assurance” of a win. Sorry to say it, I don’t like to luxuriate in another’s misery, but it looks good on him.
He was altogether too smug last night. He’s had the wind knocked right out of his sails. What does this loss mean? It’s hard to see him running for a Liberal seat, unless he plays footsie with the winner, who looks very much like Stephane Dion.
On the other hand, if Power Corp is switching its “allegiance” to Dion, then Rae, in good (well, sort of) conscience, could run in the hopes of being made a Cabinet Minister if Dion were to win the next election.
Politics sure is promiscuous. ‘Very strange bedfellows, indeed. I guess that’s why the LPC are giving out all those condoms.
The optics aren’t good for Stephane Dion being elected Canada’s Prime Minister in the next election. For crying out loud, in the last 30 years, we’ve essentially had FOUR PMs from Quebec: Trudeau, Mulroney, Chretien, and Martin. That’s at least two too many.
I really don’t think we need another one. In fact, I think we DON’T need another one.
Dion is not well loved in Quebec. Coming out against the nation notion won’t win any nationalists to his camp and may offend even federalist Quebecers.
I can see little enthusiasm for ANOTHER Quebec Prime Minister in the west, been there and done that too many times. That’s before we even think about Kyoto.
This should help Ted Morton today. Bring on the firewall.
Just wondering what will happen with the Igster,and Rae if they both lose?Do they stay in the family fold,or does Ig.ret.to the good old USofA?Does Ray ret.to his orange true roots?Will be interesting to see if they believe the crap they’ve been spinning,or if they drop out of sight? One can hope.
Forgot to add. If Dion wins. If one where suspicious enough, they could conclude this whole convention was a sham. To Install yet another quebecer- Frenchmen in power as PM.
Have an appearance of choice as well as free publicity with all the fuss of a convention poised with the chimera of change.
To render the CP gains in Quebec null, & at the same time assuage Ontario. By appearing like they had no choice but a francophone Leader. Who happens to be a shill for power corp.
Liberals would gain power & the freedom to loot again. The europianization of Canada would continue in multicultural socialism, while the liberal elite, stole more billions. With a willing media to hide there malfeasance.
i wanted bob to win so bad as i & many in ontario wanted to thank him again for his Rae Daze.
I think if he walks to Dion that there will have to be a promise that if dion ever became PM that he would be ambassador to say wherever?
29.5% of delegates voted for neither of the final two leadership hopefuls, The Lie-beral Party of Canada is fractured, no matter what they may otherwise claim publicly.
Revenant Dream,
It’s all about holding the base in Vancouver/Lower Mainland, Toronto, and Montreal. Attacking Dion will be much tougher than Rae or Ignatieff and the sponsorship scandal might not stick. I think Dion has the potential to split the federalist vote in Quebec effectively enough to allow the Bloc to win.
The CPC has to hold Eastern Quebec – and look to gain just enough in suburban Toronto and the Maritimes to get a majority. It’ll be closer though.
Talk about walking! Old Joe Volpe first walked over to the Rae camp and now that Rae is out, he’s recalculated and moved over to Dion.
Who was it that said, “there’s no whore like an old whore”? Brian Mulroney, as I recall.
The most important thing is that the delegates will get to the hockey game in time.