There's A Weirdness Abroad

Even with  talking heads on the boob tube chattering as always,  there's a feeling  of incredulity abroad.People are stunned by what was  wrought on Monday night.

A gargantuan battle was fought. Low blows struck again and again. But none of that  new.

Our local  results were not surprising. Sufficient credence is never given to the work an incunbent does in the community.Comments are  made about  low profile on Ottawa if that's the case. But if people need  help locally and get it,  what's going on in Ottawa. doesn't carry the same weight.

There was a dual  drama on Monday night.  First was what happened to Michael Ignatieff. He worked hard. He got better.He clearly had  intellect and competence to do the job.

But  he came late to politics, He lived in the States, earned his living there and apparently, at times, identified himself as an American. Political acumen comes in the school of hard knocks.  It was   just too big a hurdle to go around.

The demise of the Liberals began earlier than Ignatieff. I think it began with Chretien. He was never  big enough  to share the stage.He grew less  as he grew older. Bad feeling between Martin and  himself.  The sponsorship scandal in Quebec that Chretien didn't catch.  The wrong choice of leader to follow Martin and  bitter resentment against unseen enemies when he went down.What was his name?

A political party full of turmoil and bitterness with a leader who did not emerge naturally, does not do well.

I watched a Liberal  called Dan Donovan  with a publication in Ottawa, tear savagely into Bob Rae last night. Hardly a good start to recovery.Tear each other apart why don'tcha. Let your enemies peck at the pieces.

If  the Liberals  had been in good health  Jack Layton would not have taken over the vacuum  left by the inevitable collapse of the Bloc.

Mr. Layton didn't win Quebec. Gilles Duceppe lost it. The Bloc was a changeling child in Canadian Politics. It could  not survive.

The last great drama we witnessed was  in Quebec. The night Rene Leveque lost the Yes vote by less than a point.

He stood on the stage in a massive arena  facing  followers, with  a look of  such  sorrow , arms half  raised in a gesture of  helplessness, hands upturned.  Thousands wept shamelessly.  Then gradually,their voices rose and grew stronger in song.  I remember the tune...  never knew the title ...didn't need to, to understand the  passion.

So, now Dapper Dan Layton  inherits the mantle. Sweet irony.

The N.D.P. has seen its fortunes rise and fall this way before.  Diehard Liberals and Conservatives  both park their votes from time to time with the N.D.P. It never  proved to be permanent and it has never been fraught with the same complexity.

Creating  Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition out of such a mixed bag will undoubtedly prove  difficult.

It's going to be a play within a play

How many acts remains to be seen..