Liberal Leadership 2009

[drewski]

going by applause on sunday, I was pleasantly surprised by the length and loudness of the applause Dominic got. I think it showed he's already got more support than many people care to believe, and it will only grow as his name and idea's get out there more.

I think we've already started to get a good organization going and some people will be surprised how well he does. and lets remember, Iggy was presumed the winner last time too but his campaign seemed to hit a bit of a roadblock a few weeks before the convention. To quote Chris Berman...Thats why they play the a game

http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/search/article/484308

LeBlanc said he realizes Liberal party members and the wider public will expect him to have something fresh to say about issues.

"There's no doubt that if my campaign is to capture people's imagination, I have to take bold, and perhaps riskier, policy prescriptions than my adversaries - in order to show a difference of views but also to pique people's interest in my prescriptions," said LeBlanc, speaking from Toronto on Monday where he had meetings with potential supporters and fundraisers.

Among other things, LeBlanc said he will come out with policy ideas for the economy that "will be innovative and exciting."

"I think it will be more bold than the traditional Liberal thinking-" yet observe the need to be "economically prudent and realistic."

LeBlanc said he will also unveil specific proposals on education and immigration during the campaign.

Between now and the new year, LeBlanc said he has to make fundraising his top priority, followed closely by policy development and building an organization.

"We intend to raise the full amount that we need to run a credible, comprehensive campaign," LeBlanc said.

He said emails come in every day from people asking how they can make a contribution "and a great number of them are from New Brunswick, which is very encouraging."

At 40, LeBlanc is a generation younger than Rae or Ignatieff, both 60, and he has spoken of the need for a generational change in the party leadership.

That positioning echoes the successful theme of president-elect Barack Obama's campaign to win the Democratic nomination and the White House.

But LeBlanc is under no illusion he's an Obama.

"I think anybody who compares themselves to a once-in-a-generation phenomenon like (former) senator Obama will do so at their own peril," he said. "I don't have the presumption to make that comparison.

"However, I think Liberals need to learn from the success of his campaign and understand how we can modernize our political party by being inspired by his campaign."

To that end, LeBlanc met informally days ago with Jamal Simmons, a Democratic political analyst and Obama supporter who made frequent appearances on CNN in the last year.

Their hour-long session in Vancouver, arranged by mutual friends, allowed LeBlanc to gain some insights into how the Liberal party could benefit from Internet-based fundraising and social networking.

"The inspiration can come more from learning the keys to their success than from trying to emulate "¦ Obama," said LeBlanc.

If there's one message he's heard loud and clear already from conferring with Liberals, it's that they want a leader who can rebuild the party organization and coffers, he said.

Two-thirds of the questions at a closed-door session with the Ontario wing of the party in Toronto this past weekend were about those concerns, he estimated.

In the coming weeks, LeBlanc and his rivals will also have to juggle being MPs with duties in Ottawa and their ridings, with being leadership candidates who need to meet Liberals across the country.

"That's a balance I'm going to have to achieve," said LeBlanc.

He, Rae and Ignatieff had a conference call last week with new Liberal party whip Rodger Cuzner, a Cape Breton MP. Whips are responsible for ensuring MPs are present for key debates and votes and they also parcel out committee duties.

The whip will determine which critical votes he would expect all three candidates to show up for, but otherwise, LeBlanc said Cuzner "recognized the priority has to be both work in the constituency and being able to meet Liberals."

[Mr.Canada]

Mr. Ignatieff has been back in Canada for 3 years, since 2005. Since 1978 he has lived in the UK until 2000 then in the USA until 2005 so I wonder how in touch this guy is with Canada. Liberals want this guy who has been in Canada for only the last three years to run the country and expect him to know what's going on in it. I have my doubts.

He has spent the last 37 years outside of Canada hobknobbing with elites from Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard.

What does this have to do with the average Canadian?

How in touch can this elitist possibly be?

He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Canada doesn't need another arrogant PM, sorry.

Edited November 18, 2008 by Mr.Canada

[jdobbin]

wouldn't that help him gain more power in the party by being a kingmaker for the next time around?

Not if he backs the wrong horse. Look at Kennedy.

[jdobbin]

Mr. Ignatieff has been back in Canada for 3 years, since 2005. Since 1978 he has lived in the UK until 2000 then in the USA until 2005 so I wonder how in touch this guy is with Canada. Liberals want this guy who has been in Canada for only the last three years to run the country and expect him to know what's going on in it. I have my doubts.

I think the same arguments were made against Pearson and King being out of touch because of the work they did outside of Canada.

King particularly spent a lot of time out of Canada, lost his seat in the House was defeated in a by-election later after that. Two years after his last defeat, he was elected Liberal leader and about three years after that became prime minister.

After so many years in Chicago and Boston and working for the Rockefellers, I think King knew what was going on.

For Pearson, he spent much of adult like in Britain and the U.S. in the Foreign Service. I think he knew what was going on.

He has spent the last 37 years outside of Canada hobknobbing with elites from Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard.

Many people would consider that a worldly education. Some Tories seem to think higher education is snobbery and treat it that way.

What does this have to do with the average Canadian?

How in touch can this elitist possibly be?

Some might call working for a think tank elitist. Do you?

He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Canada doesn't need another arrogant PM, sorry.

We already have one.

Edited November 19, 2008 by jdobbin

[blueblood]

Not if he backs the wrong horse. Look at Kennedy.

hence the huge risk. it would be "easier" to be kingmaker in a 3 person race with 2 heavyweights. dom has a hard choice to make.

[drewski]

http://farnwide.blogspot.com/2008/11/red-flags.html

In Question Period today the Conservative's are already using quotes from that interview against Bob and the Liberals. The Tory War Room must be salivating at all the juicy quotes they have and are sure to get regarding rae and the economy

[madmax]

http://farnwide.blogspot.com/2008/11/red-flags.html

In Question Period today the Conservative's are already using quotes from that interview against Bob and the Liberals. The Tory War Room must be salivating at all the juicy quotes they have and are sure to get regarding rae and the economy

Love Ya Bob!!! I almost thought the leadership race was over.