CTV: Joe Volpe not dropping out

[kimmy]

CTV news reports that Joe Volpe is going to announce he's going to stay in the Liberal leadership campaign.

And he's picked up a big public endorsement... from none other than Alfonso Gagliano!

Alfonso says that this whole problem is actually just another ugly example of anti-Italian prejudice.

''History repeats itself. Whenever an Italian-Canadian tries to go up and succeed in politics, somebody tries to do something to bring him down,'' said Gagliano, comparing Volpe's troubles to his own as outlined in his recently-released book.

Volpe will lay the blame for his latest troubles at the feet of a smear-campaign by Ignatieff's team, and blame the media.

It's anti-Italian prejudice. It's a smear campaign. It's the media's fault.

It has nothing to do with signing up people without their knowledge, or people who are in fact dead. It has nothing to do with the spouses and children of drug-company executives all somehow donating the maximum amount to his campaign.

I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, as somebody who somewhat supports Stephen Harper, I wouldn't mind seeing Volpe win the Liberal leadership race, as I think Volpe is about as weak a candidate as the Liberals could possible choose. But, whoever the Liberals choose will have a strong chance of becoming Prime Minister, and in Volpe's case I find that idea nauseating.

Throughout this whole affair, I've been wondering what constituency thinks Joe Volpe is the guy who should lead our country. Who? Is there a significant number of Liberals? Or is it limited to Toronto? Or is it limited to Toronto's Italian community? Or is it limited to Toronto Italian-Canadians named Volpe? Is this an example of Toronto-centricism, where the guy's profile in Toronto makes him think he's a national figure?

Maybe his supporters come from the old Chretien Liberals who long for the days when the rules are more like guidelines and da proof is da proof.

-k

[August1991]

Gagliano claimed that he was able to register his membership in the Liberal Party on line:

«L'ordinateur m'a dit tout de suite : «Vous êtes membre, et bienvenue. Vous pouvez participer aux activités du parti», a dit M. Gagliano.

La Presse

The Liberal Party has issued the following press release:

MONTREAL - The Liberal Party of Canada (Quebec) reaffirms that Mr. Alfonso Gagliano is not registered on the list of members in good standing of the party.

Indeed, Mr. Gagliano has tried to register online on the national Website of the party and may have received an automated message acknowledging the receipt of his request. The latter, however, still had to be approved by the provincial wing of the party.

As such, the Liberal Party of Canada (Quebec) confirms that Mr. Gagliano's request has been refused.

www.liberal.ca

[gc1765]

Wow, the fact that gagliano is endorsing volpe adds even more credibility to an already extremely credible candidate

And of course gagliano tries to blame it on prejudice. No it's never a person's fault for being corrupt, it's all a massive conspiracy against italian-canadians

Seriously Joe, drop out.

[geoffrey]

The way to get a job isn't to bitch about being discriminated against. It's been proven many times that while Volpe may stay within the law most days, he's never lived within ethical principles. Out of all the candidates, even former candidate Hedy Fry, he was the least qualified to be the leader of anything let alone a country.

He's defending taking money from children, and now dead people, saying it was illegal. Well, he's right, I don't think what he did was illegal. But defending such actions shows he's definitely a member of the same Liberal scum that robbed us through the Sponsorship scandal.

[watching&waiting]

I am loving this. It seems that the Liberal party will be reminding the voters about their own corruption, with articles like this coming out. I think they seem to want to make a scene of things, and what better way to do so then shoot yourself in the foot. Volpe is never ever going to win the leadership race and he will never garner enough support to make a difference support wise to who he throws what little he has. But the smear affect that having his support will cause will be more damaging then anything else anyone could do.

[Argus]

I have never been a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, but Joe Volpe has been for twenty-five years, and since we know Joe Volpe is a man of honour and integrity I guess we have to take his word on it.

The Liberal Party doesn't like Italians.

I feel sad, that in this day and age, the Liberal Party of Canada is so prejudiced against Italians.

But hey.

The Italians can feel free to vote Conservative next time around!

We like Italians.

Maybe that should be one of the election themes.

[August1991]

I am loving this.

It gets better!

After the press conference, Mr. Volpe was chased down the street by two young men in ghost costumes waving a sign that said: Joe Volpe has spirits. They refused to tell reporters, who chased one of them for several blocks through downtown Ottawa, who they worked for.

G & M

So now the question is which campaign sent these guys to run around Ottawa in bedsheets.

What did Hedy Fry say about Prince Rupert?

[gc1765]

So now the question is which campaign sent these guys to run around Ottawa in bedsheets.

What did Hedy Fry say about Prince Rupert?

It wasn't Hedy fry, she's dropped out of the race. Why do you assume it was another leadership candidate? It could have been the conservatives. Or, more likely it could have been someone who is not associated with either party.

[August1991]

It wasn't Hedy fry, she's dropped out of the race. Why do you assume it was another leadership candidate? It could have been the conservatives. Or, more likely it could have been someone who is not associated with either party.

Hedy Fry, burning crosses on lawns, guys in bedsheets.

You're right though that we don't know who did it. Whoever it is has a good sense of humour.

To think. The grand Liberal Party, the Party of Pearson, King, Laurier and Trudeau, has been reduced to having candidates chased around Ottawa by guys in bedsheets. This photo is a keeper. Too bad the two guys didn't have UNICEF boxes.

[gc1765]

I forgot to mention that Hedy Fry probably couldn't find two supporters period, let alone two supporters willing to dress up in a ghost costume for her...not even in prince george.

For the most part, I'd say the liberal party is the best of the three parties...but it sure has some idiots...then again which party doesn't?

[Ricki Bobbi]

I think Paul Wells said it best about these guys.

In fact, come to think of it, anonymous sheet-covered cowards are a pretty good metaphor for the current state of the Liberal Party right now, because with the exception of Carolyn Bennett, no prominent Liberal has been willing to call, on the record, for Volpe's departure from the race.

[geoffrey]

I think Paul Wells said it best about these guys.

In fact, come to think of it, anonymous sheet-covered cowards are a pretty good metaphor for the current state of the Liberal Party right now, because with the exception of Carolyn Bennett, no prominent Liberal has been willing to call, on the record, for Volpe's departure from the race.

Well, it's risky to call for someone's departure... your unlikely to get their support when they do step out of the ring.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Well, it's risky to call for someone's departure... your unlikely to get their support when they do step out of the ring.

And risk losing the dozen or so delegates committed to Volpe?

[geoffrey]

Well, it's risky to call for someone's departure... your unlikely to get their support when they do step out of the ring.

And risk losing the dozen or so delegates committed to Volpe?

The two big guys are close. Every vote counts now.

[Ricki Bobbi]

The two big guys are close. Every vote counts now.

That's Paul Martin thinking. Peddle your arse for support anywhere you can get it. That's not leadership.

Besides, I would trust the commitment of a Joe Volpe delegate as much as I would trust Volpe himself.

[gc1765]

Well, it's risky to call for someone's departure... your unlikely to get their support when they do step out of the ring.

And risk losing the dozen or so delegates committed to Volpe?

Not even a dozen. They would probably lose the support of one delegate (Volpe himself). The rest would vote for whoever they wanted. I doubt any of them would be so commited to volpe that they would avoid voting for someone else just because they called for volpe stepping out.

[geoffrey]

The two big guys are close. Every vote counts now.

That's Paul Martin thinking. Peddle your arse for support anywhere you can get it. That's not leadership.

It might not be idealistic leadership, but it's reality.

[Argus]

I forgot to mention that Hedy Fry probably couldn't find two supporters period, let alone two supporters willing to dress up in a ghost costume for her...not even in prince george.

For the most part, I'd say the liberal party is the best of the three parties...but it sure has some idiots...then again which party doesn't?

The difference is most of those running for the leadership appear to be the idiots in question.

By the way, why doesn't the Liberal Party like Italians?

[Ricki Bobbi]

It might not be idealistic leadership, but it's reality.

And the reality is it caught up to Martin and bit him in the butt.

There is so little that Volpe could offer in terms of credibility or actual delegates it is truly more throuble than it's worth.

[kimmy]

So now the question is which campaign sent these guys to run around Ottawa in bedsheets.

What did Hedy Fry say about Prince Rupert?

They are burning canneloni in Prince George as we speak!

By the way, why doesn't the Liberal Party like Italians?

Volpe was the guy who wet his pants in rage over the "Libranos" gag, so there's a certain symmetry in him blaming this on anti-Italian prejudice and receiving an endorsement from that other persecuted Italian, Alfonso Gagliano.

-k

[August1991]

By the way, why doesn't the Liberal Party like Italians?

I heard Joe Volpe interviewed this morning on the local CBC radio and the interviewer just couldn't bring himself to asking that non-PC question. And Volpe, in a lapse of discretion, didn't bring it up on his own.

His line about the kids? "When I found out about it, we returned every cent to those children."

About the dead people? "These things happen in all campaigns. But I want to know why I'm being singled out?"

[Ricki Bobbi]

Volpe is an embarassment to the Liberals. But his staying in the race is a gift for the Conservatives.

Any bets on how many more emarassing Volpe stories between now and the convention? Two or three I figure...

[Riverwind]

Volpe is an embarassment to the Liberals. But his staying in the race is a gift for the Conservatives.

Any bets on how many of the supporters that urged Volpe to stay in race work for Conservative campaign teams?

[Ricki Bobbi]

Any bets on how many more emarassing Volpe stories between now and the convention? Two or three I figure...

Here is one. Link. Maybe I guessed too low. Does Joe have four or five more embarrasments for the party left in him?

[August1991]

I think Volpe will start to get the sympathy vote. Why did the party establishment go after him and not Ignatieff?