Huge Boost To Stronach's Campaign

[maplesyrup]

Stronach, Harper tied: Poll

Voter appeal of former Magna boss called `astonishing'

Clement a distant third in public support,

http://www.torontostar.com/NASApp/cs/Conte...ol=968350116467

[theWatcher]

per cent of people surveyed said they would consider voting for a Conservative party led by Stronach, compared to 42 per cent for Harper.

Key word here is "consider". And the question was asked to all Canadians, not just Conservative party supporters.

Heck I would "consider" anyone to be a leader for the Liberals or NDP including Red Green and Ronald Mcdonald or Fidel Castro.

I don't think this poll means anything at all.

[Pellaken]

I would not vote for Harper, though I may consider voting for Stronach.

what does that mean?

simple

under Harper, the tories are limited to 42%. with Stronach, they could top 46%

[Galahad]

And the question was asked to all Canadians, not just Conservative party supporters.

AHH, so THAT'S how they ended up with 124% total (46 - 42 - 36).

[August1991]

Both the CBC and the Toronto Star seemed to make a big deal of this poll. The Liberals would obviously prefer to face Stronach (as Bush would have preferred to face Dean). To me, Stronach is the ponzi investment scheme that blows up.

I have a separate question though. Why the ambivalence about Harper?

[Galahad]

Why the ambivalence about Harper?

We could ask you the same thing.

After all, YOU never told us if you feel that Harper deserves a shot at at the brass ring either.

Unless we missed it.

So if you did and we have missed it, would you be kind enough to repeat it?

Thanx!

[August1991]

My question is honest, and admittedly naive. I don't quite understand why Harper is considered unelectable.

He seems to me a kind of Walter Mondale. Is it because he's from the West? (As an Easterner, I suspect this is the reason many can't bring themselves to choose him in a poll.) Am I missing something?

I thought I'd ask the "experts" to explain to me why he's not considered a good leader.

[bobocop]

I don't consider myself an expert but here is my take on it:

Harper is a westerner

Harper was(is) a separatist

He believes easterners are a defeatist lot

He couldn’t get the job done with Crietein in power, he can’t do it know.

Give me a fiscally responsible Tory over a social conservative reformer anyday.

[Kiraly]

I don't consider myself an expert but here is my take on it.

Nor do I.

[BigGunner]

Both the CBC and the Toronto Star seemed to make a big deal of this poll. The Liberals would obviously prefer to face Stronach (as Bush would have preferred to face Dean). To me, Stronach is the ponzi investment scheme that blows up.

I have a separate question though. Why the ambivalence about Harper?

We on the left would also love to campaign against Stronach. Although both Harper and Clements are easy targets too.

We would love to rail against a wealthy corporate elitist who was born into wealth and has the backing of Mulroney. I'm cheering Stronach all the way to the bank!

[maplesyrup]

The Liberals could care less about who becomes leader of the Cons, as they're having enough problems of their own, with such things as the sponsorship scanda,l and Sheila Copps, etc.

As far as Harper is concerned my understanding is that since becomming leader of the Alliance he lost 11 or 12 by-elections in a row. That is a dismal track record in anyone's book.

Quite frankly what he is offering, most Canadians aren't buying.

Also why is the nomination in Stephen's riding delayed until after the leadership race? Is he not going to run for the Cons if he loses to Belinda?

It seems like this race has been stacked in Stephen's favour.

[Kiraly]

Are you that dense Stanley or are you deliberately asking questions you already know the answers to in some juvenile attempt to paint Harper in a negative light.

Most of the 11 byelections you refer to occurred shortly after Harper became leader of a fractured party, which he helped restore, and most of the 11 byelections occurred in ridings that traditional vote non-conservative.

As for running for the Conservative party, Stephen Harper has already publicly stated that he will run whether or not he is chosen as leader.

[August1991]

As far as Harper is concerned my understanding is that since becomming leader of the Allaince he lost 11 or 12 by-elections in a row. That is a dismal track record in anyone's book.

There's an old joke in Quebec that the PQ always loses by-elections but wins the general elections. Levesque had a reputation for losing them.

IMHO, it's very easy to "send a message" or "vote locally" in a by-election.

Quite frankly what he [Harper] is offering, most Canadians aren't buying.

MapleSyrup, you're dead on. You've asked the right question. We have leaders, barely popular, caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Reaction? People don't know who else to vote for.

My suspicion? They think that the NDP are incompetent socialists. They're afraid that the Harper CA Tories are Western neanderthals. This is the dilemma of the fed up, scandalised Ontario voter.

In Quebec, it's another story. In the Maritimes (y compris Terre-Neuve), it's another story too. The West, you guys seem to figure.

But for 108 seat Ontario, there you go. Good point MapleSyrup.

[maplesyrup]

The liberals have been very effective at painting the opposition in a negative light.

During the height of Quebec nationalism I remember the message always was vote Liberal or the country is going to fall apart.

It was great strategy for the Liberals and it worked.

What are they going to do this time?

[August1991]

You have to read this one, if only to understand how British journalism shines by style but too often is just plain silly and smug in content.

Stronach thru Brit eyes

The staid world of Canadian politics has been electrified by the ambitions of a beautiful 37-year-old divorcee who is worth an estimated $600 million and is a close friend of Bill Clinton.

Mr Harper's patterned golf jumpers have been the subject of unfavourable comparisons with his rival's Prada, Armani and Gucci dresses. The other candidate, Tony Clement, a bespectacled former health minister who trails badly in the polls, has been described as "nerdish".