Ignatieff one-on-one with CBC Mansbridge

[betsy]

Mansbridge was well-focused and knew how to push the buttons. I'm not sure if I'm reading it right....but it seems to me that he is not fond of Ignatieff. The interview was gruelling.

Mansbridge was relentless with Ignatieff during their 15 minute interview. Replay tonight at The National. He managed to "push" Ignatieff that he (Ignatieff) went on details as to what will happen if Harper wins a minority government. Ignatieff squarely set the coalition back to the table! Pundits, including former Liberal strategist Scott Reid agreed that Ignatieff made a big mistake.

[punked]

Well Iggy said it tonight people vote NDP. He said he doesn't have to get more seats then Harper so it doesn't matter how many the Liberals win no more strategic voting because a Vote for the NDP wont be a vote for Harper at all.

[WWWTT]

Ignatieff is very bad at debating period.

I don't believe there is anyone that could help him.

My best advise for him would be to register in MAPLELEAFWEB under some inconspicuos name and get his hands dirty with the conservative low-lifes here.

Once he can start getting his head around how the conservative brain works(or doesn't)he will have no problem with Harper.

Same goes for Harper.

Actually by May 3rd they will both have lots of free time to persue such ventures.

WWWTT

[capricorn]

Mansbridge was well-focused and knew how to push the buttons. I'm not sure if I'm reading it right....but it seems to me that he is not fond of Ignatieff.

Mansbridge did a good job in that interview. I kept wondering if he was annoyed at Ignatieff for bringing a prop (red book) into the interview. (The good professor showing off his newest essay. ) Ignatieff seemed more interested in selling the party line and he did not come out looking like he has the right stuff.

The interview was gruelling.

Mansbridge was relentless with Ignatieff during their 15 minute interview.

Ignatieff showed a degree of nervousness. Perhaps it's just tiredness from a fast paced campaign. IMO a lost opportunity to present himself as a Prime Minister-in-waiting.

[msj]

I assume this is the link that should have been included in the OP?

[punked]

I watched and wow was it bad. You know are losing when you spend 12 minutes of a 15 minute talking about everyone but your party and its ideas. Seriously you can't win talking about the other guy. Jack was so much better last night.

[August1991]

I assume this is the link that should have been included in the OP?

Thanks.

I watched and wow was it bad. You know are losing when you spend 12 minutes of a 15 minute talking about everyone but your party and its ideas. Seriously you can't win talking about the other guy. Jack was so much better last night.

Layton clip here.

Edited April 20, 2011 by August1991

[ToadBrother]

I watched and wow was it bad. You know are losing when you spend 12 minutes of a 15 minute talking about everyone but your party and its ideas. Seriously you can't win talking about the other guy. Jack was so much better last night.

Layton has taken advantage of every opportunity. His performance during the debates was impressive for how he managed to slag his opponents, promote his own party and policies, and in the French debate, even drop the name of his Quebec MP a few times.

[Slim MacSquinty]

most enlightening interview yet, I wonder if Mansbidge thought Iggy would perform best if he annoyed him and riled him up, you know the "rise up" BS. Mansbridge is know to be a "friend" (and golfing buddy) to several Liberal leaders.

Iggy is the archetype elistist, as though he is saying "I'm smarter, better and more important than you, defer to me now", seemingly annoyed at being questioned, I could sense disdain and fear coexisting in his expression.

His personal hatred of Harper clearly fueled by the attack ads, "he questions my patriotism" so smug with himself that he is naive of the process of election campaigning and yet unaware of the hypocracy of his own attack and smear campaign.

Layton is relaxed and self confident, a little too much like a car salesman, but certainly more likeable and transparent than what I saw tonight.

Looking forward to Thursday night.

[g_bambino]

Mansbridge was relentless with Ignatieff during their 15 minute interview.

Now, who's going to rant about the CBC's pro-Liberal bias?

[mikedavid00]

Mansbridge was well-focused and knew how to push the buttons. I'm not sure if I'm reading it right....but it seems to me that he is not fond of Ignatieff. The interview was gruelling.

Mansbridge was relentless with Ignatieff during their 15 minute interview. Replay tonight at The National. He managed to "push" Ignatieff that he (Ignatieff) went on details as to what will happen if Harper wins a minority government. Ignatieff squarely set the coalition back to the table! Pundits, including former Liberal strategist Scott Reid agreed that Ignatieff made a big mistake.

I thought Mansbridge was a friend of the Liberals and always biased towards them?

Going to watch it now..

[Smallc]

I thought Mansbridge was a friend of the Liberals and always biased towards them?

That's because you aren't all that smart.

[TimG]

Now, who's going to rant about the CBC's pro-Liberal bias?

CBC is more biased towards the left than any political party in particular. They will fawn over the Greens, NDP or the Libs depending on what the issue is. That said, they are not always baised. They do periodically present information fairly. Edited April 20, 2011 by TimG

[August1991]

Mansbridge was well-focused and knew how to push the buttons. I'm not sure if I'm reading it right....but it seems to me that he is not fond of Ignatieff. The interview was gruelling.

It wasn't gruelling at all.

Betsy, you have never seen an interview in Quebec of a Montreal mayor. You have never seen the US MSM interview a Republican president.

Now, who's going to rant about the CBC's pro-Liberal bias?

Mansbridge lobbed constant easy questions to Ignatieff. But Ignatieff turned each one into a tutorial discussion.

Bambino, this was no hard-ball interview. Mansbridge gave him every chance to hit the ball. Trudeau or Levesque would have knocked each of these questions out of the park.

Iggy is the archetype elistist, as though he is saying "I'm smarter, better and more important than you, defer to me now", seemingly annoyed at being questioned, I could sense disdain and fear coexisting in his expression.

I thought that Ignatieff is out of his depth, doesn`t know what works and now is following script.

----

I`m going to stick my original opinion. Ignatieff is a flake and this explains why he can`t connect with Canadians.

Edited April 20, 2011 by August1991

[Evening Star]

Just watched it. That was kind of amazing. Man, I do not agree that Mansbridge gave him softball questions.

And imo Ignatieff didn't even succeed at making those tutorial discussions... He just seemed like he was weaselling and covering his ass to me...

Edited April 20, 2011 by Evening Star

[Mr.Canada]

conservative low-lifes

I thought people claimed that the Conservatives had all the money. Which is it? Are we low lives or do we have all the money?

[August1991]

Man, I do not agree that Mansbridge gave him softball questions.

Mansbridge: "Jack Layton would say, if you want all those things, vote NDP. That he's offering much the same."

And this soft-ball question came far into the interview, after Ignatieff had exasperated Mansbridge with his academic, flaky responses.

Mansbridge: "You're new to politics. What has this taught you?"

Mansbridge: "You can negotiate that in a coalition. What's wrong with a coalition? Why has it become such a dirty word?"

---

Trudeau, Levesque, David Lewis, George W. Bush would have easily turned such easy questions to their agenda.

Mansbridge lobbed easy questions, gave him the rope and Ignatieff hanged himself.

Edited April 20, 2011 by August1991

[Evening Star]

Mansbridge: "Jack Layton would say, if you want all those things, vote NDP. That he's offering much the same."

And this soft-ball question came far into the interview, after Ignatieff had exasperated Mansbridge with his academic, flaky responses.

Mansbridge: "Your new to politics. What has this taught you?"

Those two questions, yes, perhaps. I thought that Mansbridge gave a number of tough questions though:

- on how Ignatieff squares his earlier desires for greater civility in politics with his current negative ad campaign

- on why Harper's attacks on Ignatieff's patriotism are worse than the Liberal attacks on Harper's trustworthiness

- mentioning how Ignatieff voted for the CPC's 'jets and jails', against which he is now campaigning

- on why people are in fact saying "So what?" to the CPC actions that Ignatieff lists in his "Rise up" speech and then nailing Ignatieff on this when he tried to claim that actually people are listening to him... Ignatieff can't have it both ways and Mansbridge makes this come across.

- questioning why Ignatieff has ruled out a coalition after signing on to one in 2008 and also questioning what is so wrong about a coalition. He pushed Ignatieff on this when Ignatieff claimed that he rejected the coalition earlier.

- how he squares his fearmongering attack ad about the danger of Harper gaining 'absolute power' (a majority) with his stated belief that the public's decision is final and all that matters (even if the public does elect a CPC majority)

Edited April 20, 2011 by Evening Star

[Evening Star]

Mansbridge lobbed easy questions, gave him the rope and Ignatieff hanged himself.

Ha, maybe.

[mikedavid00]

Just saw the interview.

They were all softball questions and I was under impressed.

I give Kudo's to Ignatieff for actually answering questions directly. I can't remember a Liberal leader in history that actually answered questions directly. Liberals always just change the subject, self promote, and double talk on every questioned asked to them.

He should have asked why they are lying about Harper making cuts to healthcare. God willing if Harper gets a majority, he'll bring in private care. We need it very, very badly.

[August1991]

Those two questions, yes, perhaps. I thought that Mansbridge gave a number of tough questions though:

- on how Ignatieff squares his earlier desires for greater civility in politics with his current negative ad campaign

- on why Harper's attacks on Ignatieff's patriotism are worse than the Liberal attacks on Harper's trustworthiness

- mentioning how Ignatieff voted for the CPC's 'jets and jails', against which he is now campaigning

- on why people are in fact saying "So what?" to the CPC actions that Ignatieff lists in his "Rise up" speech and then nailing Ignatieff on this when he tried to claim that actually people are listening to him... Ignatieff can't have it both ways and Mansbridge makes this come across.

- questioning why Ignatieff has ruled out a coalition after signing on to one in 2008 and also questioning what is so wrong about a coalition. He pushed Ignatieff on this when Ignatieff claimed that he rejected the coalition earlier.

- how he squares his fearmongering attack ad about the danger of Harper gaining 'absolute power' (a majority) with his stated belief that the public's decision is final and all that matters (even if the public does elect a CPC majority)

Thanks for the research. You source my point.

Mansbridge gave Ignatieff leading questions. And Ignatieff flubbed them.

Knowing Levesque, he would have turned the questions around and made a journalist (sympathetic to his viewpoint) feel important.

And to think that the BBC hired Ignatieff to interview people. If you have ever watched late night BBC, you'll understand the point.

[youshouldknowbetter]

He laid out his plan for the non-coalition coalition. I can't help but think that that will come back to haunt him given that this issue has been the elephant in the room since the start. Everyone has known that he will bring down a Harper minority very quickly. This has to be good for the Tories

[betsy]

Just saw the interview.

They were all softball questions and I was under impressed.

I give Kudo's to Ignatieff for actually answering questions directly. I can't remember a Liberal leader in history that actually answered questions directly. Liberals always just change the subject, self promote, and double talk on every questioned asked to them.

He should have asked why they are lying about Harper making cuts to healthcare. God willing if Harper gets a majority, he'll bring in private care. We need it very, very badly.

That wasn't answering directly. That's as August 1991 stated - he was giving a tutorial!

No wonder he cannot connect with the people, he treats everyone like students!

Either he hasn't been prepped by his strategists (which Scott Reid explained that likely questions are anticipated and Ignatieff should've been prepped how to deflect and change the channel), or Ignatieff ignored the advice and dealt with the interview on his own!

Of course, perhaps he was let on his own by his strategists too. Sort of throwing their hands up in the air!

[M.Dancer]

That's because you aren't all that smart.

Be nice..he's the only poster here unashamed to have his IQ in his user name

[Shakeyhands]

I watched the interview, and I'm just not seeing what you guys are. While it certainly wasn't a game changer (these sort of things rarely are) I think he laid out his vision and the alternatives pretty succinctly. I must be biased, because it certainly wasn't as horrible as I thought it might have been after reading the comments here and then watching it.