Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Gerard Kennedy Out of the Race

So I'm told. Too bad too. We lose another grassroots leadership guy.

8 comments:

Ted Betts said...

Better for him. If he lost, he would be never be leader. Now he has preserved that chance. Besides, his organizers had already started abandoning him. His BC team was already with Michael.

Now this:

Ignatieff picks up key Dion backers

Juliet O'Neill
Canwest News Service
Published: Wednesday, November 12, 2008

[...] Ignatieff has secured the support of key national organizers Mark Marissen and Andrew Kania from the successful leadership campaign in 2006 of Stephane Dion, who is stepping aside because of Liberal losses in the federal election last month.

"The vast majority of the Dion team is enthusiastically organizing for Michael Ignatieff," Kania, newly elected MP for Brampton West, said in an interview Wednesday. [...]

Marissen, one of the two Dion organizers who have joined Ignatieff's team, was Dion's national campaign chair in 2006 and a key organizer for Paul Martin before that. He is based in Vancouver, site of the leadership convention.

Kania was Dion's national outreach director and Ontario campaign chair. He had amassed a solid organization and funds for John Manley in 2006 before the former deputy prime minister decided not to run. Manley will not run in this race either.

"We moved to Stephane and obviously were successful and we're now all moving together to Michael," Kania said in an interview Wednesday. "I'm hopeful and optimistic that Michael will prevail."


... for what it's worth.

S.K. said...

McGuinty is also out according to the Star.

Ted two people by the way, does not make the majority of Dion organizers or supporters.

From what I have heard the majority are certainly not behind Ignatieff.

Why would Dion supporters backed the person who's team undermined him the entire time he was leader?

Brent Neill said...

Iggy and Rae are both too old since I think we are still looking at another election loss in 2 years time, and I don't like how Rae was organizing the past months and I despise Iggy's Quebec team of nationalists so as a Kennedy supporter I'll either sit this one out or look to LeBlanc or whoever else enters.

In_The_Centre said...

Why would Dion supporters backed the person who's team undermined him the entire time he was leader?

Dont know about the other provinces, but out here in B.C. team Ignatieff has picked up a lot of Dion support...and this was even before Kennedy deciding to run or not.

-ITC

Ted Betts said...

"Why would Dion supporters backed the person who's team undermined him the entire time he was leader?"

You would have to ask them that sk, not me. They are the ones who are moving over, clearly looking to the future instead of the past. And these are two pretty key and very close Dion team leaders.

Ted Betts said...

LocalGrit:

If you were a Kennedy supporter and can't stand Rae or Ignatieff, then I would strongly encourage you to get involved in LeBlanc's team rather than sitting it out. Too many have sat it out the last few years because the particular leader was not to their liking. They did it again to Dion. And the Conservatives have benefitted.

Getting involved however you can despite a leader who is not your choice means

(a) there are more voices at the table with strong backing - LeBlanc is a great guy and has solid leadership potential in whatever role he plays after this race, whether as leader or cabinet minister so the stronger you make a guy like him, the stronger the party is.

(b) you've started building an organization that is deep with support if not for now then for the next time. Each time you build it back up a bit more and eventually you've got your mountain.

So even if it is not for Iggy, I'd encourage to get involved one way or another.

Ted Betts said...

(And by the way:

- Uncle Louis St-Laurent was 66 when he became PM and continued Mackenzie King's legacy.

- Pearson was 66 when he became PM and reshaped Canada.

- Chretien was a few months shy of 60 when he became PM and started a record 3 straight majorities.

- Martin was 65 when he became PM and... ok, maybe not a good example.

And in the US, some of the most activist (for better or for worse) and active Presidents have also been some of the oldest, like Reagan.

For what it's worth.)

Brent Neill said...

Ted,

I'm actually open to both Rae and Iggy. I think Rae is a natural political talent who is election ready, but I fear that his record as premier will sink him in Ontario. But here in Manitoba I think his NDP past actually is a plus since he seem to love the Dippers in Manitoba.

Iggy I respect as a smart and capable man and was very close to supporting him last time and in fact voted for him on the last ballot in Montreal, but before I support him I want to see if his views on Quebec and its place in Canada has evolved since he moved back and got a deeper understanding of the issue. I despise the Quebec Nationalists that were really pushing him hard last time because I have a fundamental disagreement with how they view Canada's future.

As an active Liberal of a decade and a half I will of course not totally sit out this leadership but if non of the candidates speak to me I will take more of an neutral role helping organize DSM and so on.