Winning By Losing
Courtesy of Jim Travers, comes a glimpse into Paul Martin's new election strategy:
While many people may feel this is not the wisest thing to say, I for one am 100% behind this strategy. That's because, after watching him for the past dozen years, there is no doubt in my mind that Paul Martin is the best man to lose the country. After seeing him be against the Clarity Act before he was for it, after seeing him claim that a yes vote would cost a million jobs, after seeing him bring Jean Lapierre in as his Quebec lieutenant, after seeing him mis-manage the sponsorship scandal, after seeing him call this an "election referendum"...after seeing all these things, I tend to think most Canadians will agree that Paul is the best man to lose the country.
In some respects, this is simply a play on Kinsella's "winning by losing" strategy. Nationalists in Quebec may be saying to themselves "perhaps Gilles Duceppe isn't the best man to lose the country." So by reminding them that he, Paul Martin, is the best man to lose the country, he is reminding them that, if elected, they'll be fighting the next referendum against a Martin/Lapierre tag team.
If that doesn't win over the nationalists in Quebec, I don't know what will.
In Montreal, he said Canadians must choose the best man to lose the country
While many people may feel this is not the wisest thing to say, I for one am 100% behind this strategy. That's because, after watching him for the past dozen years, there is no doubt in my mind that Paul Martin is the best man to lose the country. After seeing him be against the Clarity Act before he was for it, after seeing him claim that a yes vote would cost a million jobs, after seeing him bring Jean Lapierre in as his Quebec lieutenant, after seeing him mis-manage the sponsorship scandal, after seeing him call this an "election referendum"...after seeing all these things, I tend to think most Canadians will agree that Paul is the best man to lose the country.
In some respects, this is simply a play on Kinsella's "winning by losing" strategy. Nationalists in Quebec may be saying to themselves "perhaps Gilles Duceppe isn't the best man to lose the country." So by reminding them that he, Paul Martin, is the best man to lose the country, he is reminding them that, if elected, they'll be fighting the next referendum against a Martin/Lapierre tag team.
If that doesn't win over the nationalists in Quebec, I don't know what will.
posted by calgarygrit at
1:17 p.m.
9 Comments:
Wow, with friends like these who needs enemies?
Can we beat the Far-Righters first? Then we'll have 5 years to make changes in the party.
By
Hishighness, at 1:35 p.m.
Looks good on you guys. We had a thug, with no charisma, no talent, no plan, sleep walk through 3 elections because of a split "right" and win 3 majority governments. And all this led Liberals to believe somehow they could govern like divine monarchs. Lets hope the split in the Liberal Party and NDP keeps you guys in the desert for a couple of generations.
By
Anonymous, at 2:25 p.m.
How come whenever Harper mis-speaks, the media is all over it and the Liberals are sending out press releases on it?
But the second Paul puts his foot in his mouth, no one gives a damn?
By
Anonymous, at 2:33 p.m.
I wish Paul Martin would campaign on unity, rather than divisiveness. By implying that there will be a referendum very soon gives credence to separatists who WANT one. It also undermines Jean Charest's hold on power.
Instead, Paul Martin should be talking about his partnership with Charest and Quebec, his pride in Quebec, and what he can do for Quebec.
Martin is entirely shaping the debate over Quebec in the wrong direction. Don't mention referendum, don't give it the slightest support.
Campaign on values, not threats.
By
Forward Looking Canadian, at 2:40 p.m.
anon 12:33,
The red star is printing the Martin gaffes The pundits haven't attacked but they are starting to circle.
"'Canadians have been down this road before. They've heard this story.' They heard it in 1993 -- when Martin himself co-authored a Liberal platform promise to scrap the tax."
Last time I checked the gaffmeter is still stuck on Harper missing one word.
"Martin admitted that the Conservative GST plan could be affordable"
"In Montreal, he said Canadians must choose the best man to lose the country" (Travers)
By
Anonymous, at 2:59 p.m.
I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis. If re-elected Martin is going to lose the country.
By
cardinal47, at 3:11 p.m.
"Failing that, Charest has two (2) years to rebuild and possibly win re-election."
I think we've hit the nail on the head. Regardless of how the election resolves itself (with the possible exception of a freakish Bloc win by sweeping Quebec and the other parties dividing the rest between them), two years is a long time. I can't see there being much more steam to throw into the sepertatist machine. Most of it's been used to fuel the federal campaign by the Bloc.
The way I see it, in a lot of ways, the national unity thing is almost a red herring, because two years is an awfully long time to maintain that kind of anger. There'd have to be some *mighty big* federal f---- ups to re-ignite/keep ignited the separatist flame long enough to use in any potential referendum. And realistically, barring some huge, worse-than-adscam deal in the wake of adscam (let's be real here), I just don't see it happening.
By
Jarrett, at 2:48 a.m.
If the gaffeometer is only on 1 the guy who's running it is smoking crack.
Harper has 2:
He doesn't love Canada.
Him bringing up SSM.
By
Hishighness, at 3:30 p.m.
I think alot of people are underestimating Bosclair right now. Sure he was a coke addict at one time, on the other hand people with minds addled with alcohol have and continue to have a profound impact on public policy in our country. Furthermore, its Quebec they're not exactly going to brow beat him for having a good time, that's for stuffy anglos to do. I think its more important to realize that he's characterized as young, charistmatic and intelligent. Furthermore, he's more than likely going to have Gilles Duceppe as a tag team partner and right now Gilles is clocking in with a 73% approval rating in la belle province. I'm not sure if Jesus could pull that kind of approval rating in Quebec.
Furthermore, you're already seeing a lot more cooperation in the seperatist camp than the federalist camp. Apparantly Martin has essentially written Charest off already, which hardly seems a way to treat your irstewhile ally.
That said I'm pretty sure Martin's right, he is the best man to lose the country - it just winds up being a question of what parts and how soon.
By
Chris, at 8:20 p.m.
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