Sunday, October 04, 2009

I need somebody to love

"I think when ordinary working people come home, turn on the TV and see a gala of a bunch of people, you know, at a rich gala all subsidized by taxpayers, claiming their subsidies aren't high enough when they know those subsidies have actually gone up, I'm not sure that's something that resonates with ordinary people."
-Stephen Harper, September 24 2008



It wasn't without risks, but this one looks like a political home run. Full marks to whoever came up with the idea.

posted by calgarygrit at 8:51 p.m.

28 Comments:

  • I do not know who came up with the idea.. but who paid for it?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:21 p.m.  

  • Good political move. But what a hypocrite after insulting every art lover and artist that ever lived. Harper is the most two-faced politician I've ever seen, but don't bet on Canadians paying attention to what Harper really stands for...clearly, they don't know because he wouldn't be ahead in the polls, unless Canada has gone right and that deeply saddens and angers me, but mostly makes me feel ashamed.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:41 p.m.  

  • "insulting every art lover and artist"

    as an art lover and artist, you don't speak for me. In fact, anonymous people don't speak for anyone.

    Stephen Harper has never insulted me in either respect.

    By Anonymous My Blog is My Art, at 10:52 p.m.  

  • "unless Canada has gone right and that deeply saddens and angers me, but mostly makes me feel ashamed."

    totally agreed. People are so much stupider than us. And they are greedier than us.

    Canadians are really starting to suck.

    By Anonymous IgnatieffinmyBones, at 10:54 p.m.  

  • I've seen the clip several times, and the only thing that strikes me about it is that he looks paler than John Lennon's ghost.

    By Blogger Martin, at 10:55 p.m.  

  • "Canadians are really starting to suck."

    And that is why Michael Ignatieff pledges to make Canada the least sucky country by 2017.

    He's going to pull us out of the suck-funk we've been in since Harper.

    By Anonymous GiveMichaelASecondLook, at 10:56 p.m.  

  • Two-faced Mayor Harper of Halloweentown (I'd like to see him in that big, tall hat.)

    You have to admit, though, this gig was a nice decoy from what was going on at the G7 finance meeting.

    By Blogger lyrical, at 12:33 a.m.  

  • In case you were wondering who came up with the idea:

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-performed-with-a-little-help-from-his-wife/article1311750/

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:14 a.m.  

  • For all those Harper haters, the man isn't necessarily a hypocrite, he is just loosening up a bit. People change.

    Also, this "gala" was apparently not publicly funded but a benefit to raise money for community good works of some kind.

    This is very different from the self congratulatory ceremonies stage artists regularly do for each other that include public monies, such as the Juno Awards. Harper's comments in Saskatoon were clearly focussed on public monies going to back slapping events.

    By Blogger Tomm, at 1:46 a.m.  

  • "loosening up a bit.." ???
    The guy was tighter than a drum. He looked like his dresser/psychic was casting him in a silent picture. But hey, Paul Martin's 'playing' with U2 paid off so well, so we know how this will go... And now we know why that hockey book isn't done yet (besides the fact that John Howard never wrote a hockey book).

    By Blogger rockfish, at 2:28 a.m.  

  • Gotta admit, he has a pretty good voice. I'd never have the guts (and don't have the voice) to do what he did.

    I liked it.

    By Blogger Berry Farmer, at 2:35 a.m.  

  • Anon @ 10:41 p.m. wrote:
    "...but don't bet on Canadians paying attention to what Harper really stands for...clearly, they don't know because he wouldn't be ahead in the polls,..."

    Blame the media for that. They don't report all the crappy stuff Harper has been doing - in fact almost 4 yrs. of leaning pro-Harper is the reason the majority of the public haven't a clue as to how dangerous he is. Except for political junkies. It's sickening.

    By Blogger penlan, at 3:30 a.m.  

  • We've been here before folks. 1961 - Richard Nixon plays the piano on Jack Parr.

    Hmmmm....they call Harper the Nixon of the north.

    Now, how did that turn out? Ya, because a piano makes the man.

    Lyn

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:58 a.m.  

  • Unless there's an election this week, nobody will remember this. But I'm sure they've other singing performances for Harper lined up. Next up, Harper sings "Do they know it's Christmas time at all?" to the children of Darfur.

    Some people have called this "gutsy." Another word would be "desperate."

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:06 a.m.  

  • 1. Yes, Harper played at an artsy gala, but he played one of the folksier Beatles songs (that Ringo normally sings it is telling). Imagine, this was not (that would have been hilarious though).

    2. Nixon (who composed his own songs) and Truman both played the piano, however, this is different. Both played classical music, which, probably suggests their piano-playing didn't endear them to people that would otherwise dislike them. That Harper is playing a popular song has a different effect.

    3. Will people remember this? You never know. When people think of Chretien, the Shawinigan "handshake" played a big role in fostering our image of Chretien as a tough ballbuster. Likewise Trudeau's confrontation with separatist during a speech. Joe Clark, by contrast, may have been defined by having lost his luggage.

    Of course it is possible that these events are only memorable because they fit with the general tenor of the reigns that ensued each PM. Four years in, Harper's image may be set in stone already.

    By Blogger french wedding cat, at 9:06 a.m.  

  • If nothing else, this loosens Harper's stiff imagine. It's a folksy song everyone likes, he looked relatively comfortable, and he doesn't have a bad singing voice.

    I think this is the sort of thing non-politicos will notice - it won't immediately change any votes, but it could soften them to Harper a bit.

    So, yeah, very good move on his part.

    By Blogger calgarygrit, at 9:11 a.m.  

  • As usual Feschuck gets the best line off:

    "Michael Ignatieff's response will be a 4 hour one-man show - Michael Ignatieff is Michael Ignatieff in Michael Ignatieff".

    By Anonymous HDB, at 9:58 a.m.  

  • "Full marks to whoever came up with the idea."

    And full marks to you, CG, for being one of the very few Liberal bloggers who can be complimentary about the PM's performance.

    You and Susan Delacourt seem to be in a class by yourselves.

    By Blogger jad, at 10:57 a.m.  

  • Blame the media for that. They don't report all the crappy stuff Harper has been doing - in fact almost 4 yrs. of leaning pro-Harper is the reason the majority of the public haven't a clue as to how dangerous he is. Except for political junkies. It's sickening.

    And yet, with full knowledge of this, CalgaryGrit endorses this cheap little stunt.

    It's not just the politically disengaged who can be manipulated by elite opinion, I see.

    By Blogger Ti-Guy, at 11:35 a.m.  

  • I agree with Ti-Guy, CG. You're a dupe to be suckered in by this evil stunt.

    This is going to backfire on Stephen Harper and His Ignatieffness is going to rock the election with a 200 seat majority.

    Then, the only thing Stephen Harper will be singing are the blues.

    By Anonymous Canadians For Targeted Assasinations, at 11:46 a.m.  

  • And yet, with full knowledge of this, CalgaryGrit endorses this cheap little stunt.

    We get it Ti-guy, you're a miserable, self-loathing piece of shit. We don't need the daily reminder in the comments section.

    By Blogger McLea, at 1:06 p.m.  

  • One can be in favour of the arts - perhaps even an art lover without wanting every artist in the country at the taxpayers' expense. Ignatieff's response came off as petty.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:51 p.m.  

  • Pay no attention to Ti-Guy CG. He hates all things Calgary. Must have been boned by a horse in his youth or something.

    16 pt spread in Ontario Ti-guy... life just gets suckier and suckier for you don't it:)

    Hahahahaha!

    By Anonymous Joe Calgary, at 7:30 p.m.  

  • "Ignatieff's response came off as petty."

    Petty is the building block of Big Canada. It is about time we started fighting petty with petty.

    I heard Ignatieff's response and thought, "this is where he turned it all around."

    Liberals 308!

    By Anonymous I've Read All His Books, at 8:45 p.m.  

  • Mr. Harper scored big with this one! Make no mistake.
    What I can't believe is why young Liberals -- the future of the LPC would continue to allow the old Liberal Party of Toronto with their appointed leader to so destroy this once great party! Mr. Coderre is right. The man from Harvard is not a leader. He has no clue about Canada. Get rid of him before there is no LPC. The polls today are telling.

    By Anonymous jon evan, at 10:47 p.m.  

  • "Mmm, I get high with a little help from my friends..."

    Wunner who's (hic) checkin' on that?

    By Blogger lyrical, at 4:38 a.m.  

  • I second the kudos to you CG. Obviously you're biased in favour of the Liberals but you are also fair, reasonable, humourous and must read for an opposing point of view.

    Anybody who plays an instrument knows that the absolute hardest member of a band to nail down is a singer with talent, a decent voice and range. Paul wrote this number for Ringo because, probably like the PM and 98% of the rest of the male population, Ringo's range was extremely limited by Beatles standards. I'd bet that's one of the reasons Harper chose this tune. He also has a pleasant enough voice - another shortcoming of a great deal of the general population.

    To criticize this performance is the height of petulance.

    I even watched Jack Layton play the guitar once. This is a man who has done his level best to annoy me my whole adult life (in the political sense). But would I jam with him? You betcha.

    By Blogger Dr. Strangelove, at 3:45 p.m.  

  • I read really much helpful information here!

    By Anonymous www.cuenca-3d.com, at 8:06 a.m.  

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