MSM Columnists: Useless

[August1991]

Chrétien and Harper a lot alike

Both men would almost certainly beg to disagree but there is a lot of Jean Chrétien in Stephen Harper — and not just because they each were given up for dead just before becoming prime minister.

Chantal Hebert in the Toronto Star

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Before the Internet, Chantal Hebert and Jeffrey Simpson and James Travers and Richard Gwyn and John Ibbitson relied on insider information (schmoozing) to write their columns. That was the justification of their salary. Maybe too, they had a talent with written English. Now, they are like any poster to any Internet political forum who brought any God-given knowledge to the subject at hand.

Hebert's column is sad. The Liberals are no longer in power, Chretien's no longer PM, Murphy's no longer Chief of Staff, and Hebert and the Toronto Star are apparently out of the loop. But Harper is apparently speaking Loud and Clear to ordinary Canadians.

Hebert's comparison of Chrétien and Harper is absurd and pathetic. Her column is just another Internet forum opinion, and a rather pointless one at that.

Harper and Chretien, whatta joke...

[Nocrap]

Chrétien and Harper a lot alike

Both men would almost certainly beg to disagree but there is a lot of Jean Chrétien in Stephen Harper — and not just because they each were given up for dead just before becoming prime minister.

Chantal Hebert in the Toronto Star

Thank you for a link to the article. I just read it and do agree to a certain extent. The take charge...my way or the highway...not open for discussion attitude IS pure Chretien. However, Mr. Harper has to be careful because Mr. Chretien had something he does not....a majority government.

And perhaps more importantly, he has inherited something from Mr. Chretien that will not fit well with this attitude. A record of what can happen when a PM tries to rule with absolute power: SCANDAL.

If the Gomery Report has taught Canadians anything, it's that there has to be more checks and balances, and a little more transparency in government. Mr. Harper promised this, but so far has not delivered. Fastracking your campaign manager to a cabinet post and the whole Emerson deal; and then refusing to even address it; other than I am Prime Minister and can do what I want; is just not going to fly.

----

Before the Internet, Chantal Hebert and Jeffrey Simpson and James Travers and Richard Gwyn and John Ibbitson relied on insider information (schmoozing) to write their columns. That was the justification of their salary. Maybe too, they had a talent with written English. Now, they are like any poster to any Internet political forum who brought any God-given knowledge to the subject at hand.

Hebert's column is sad. The Liberals are no longer in power, Chretien's no longer PM, Murphy's no longer Chief of Staff, and Hebert and the Toronto Star are apparently out of the loop. But Harper is apparently speaking Loud and Clear to ordinary Canadians.

Hebert's comparison of Chrétien and Harper is absurd and pathetic. Her column is just another Internet forum opinion, and a rather pointless one at that.

Harper and Chretien, whatta joke...

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear August1991,

and Hebert and the Toronto Star are apparently out of the loop.

Indeed, it used to be, that 'reporters' and columnists couldn't be too critical of incumbent govt's, lest they lose 'schmooze access'.

Now, they are like any poster to any Internet political forum

Err...not all of them, I should say.

[Montgomery Burns]

Rabid Jew-hater, Eric Margolis, is writing for the Commondreams conspiracy theory website.

[August1991]

Now, they are like any poster to any Internet political forum

Err...not all of them, I should say.

I used to think Hebert was a francophone who could communicate intelligently to Toronto voters. (To be honest, she was a Le Devoir writer who was objective. I have never met her.)

With this column as evidence, I think rather that she was just a mouthpiece of the federal party in power. She got her line from smart insiders (and the Liberal Party has many).

Now, Chantal Hebert is out-of-the-loop. Evidence? Comparing Chretien and Harper is total nonsense. So why did Hebert write this, and why my conclusion? Harper and his staff don't talk. Journalists (Hebert) are left to do what the rest of us do. Use God's gift to figure out what is happening. MSM journalists can no longer schmooze because politicians can better get their message out, through the Internet.

Frankly Thelonious, I (and others, cool-hunters) prefer your freely stated opinions to Hebert's out-of-the-loop opinions. In the past, MSM columnists had an edge over Internet posters. Now, they don't.