We Will See What We Will See.

I wrote two posts this morning. Deleted both. I do that sometimes.

More often than not, I  start a post  intending a particular emphasis and  half way through I find it has taken off in its own  direction

The post writes itself.

But the two this morning were not like that. They were in response to different comments. As I wrote I decided I really didn't want to respond to either.

The  comments just didn't warrant response.

I watched the NDP leadership convention this afternoon. I used to watch  leadership conventions of all parties.

I used to attend nomination meetings as well.

Before they became  overcrowded with candidates. People who had no possible chance of winning but wanted to be in the limelight anyway.

If a leadership convention is about getting public attention for  what a party stands for. having half a dozen nondescript candidates on the ballot has an opposite impact. .

The NDP did that this afternoon.

Three serious candidates.  Six in  the race.

Leaders are not hard to pick out from the crowd. 

Time needed for the key candidates to make an impression on the Canadian electorate was not enough.

Too much time  was sucked up by the also rans.

Brian Topp  was  a back room organiser and he is still.  He did not emerged  from a chrysallis. They never do. He offers nothing new.

Peggy Nash has  impressive backers and a strong organisation..Both important factors within the party. They will not convert  a moribund organisation into the living, breathing evolving character a political party needs to be. .

Thomas Mulcair clearly recognises the party's future entirely depends on  broadening its view of what people want  from their government. It's what the old guard fear about him.

Until the last election, I thought the time was already past for the NDP . The  Liberals  had  lost their hold in Quebec. They did it to themselves.

The Bloc Quebecois collapsed.

The NDP  were in the right place at the right time with the right leader.

Jack Layton seized the moment. He recommended a former Bloc Quebcois as interim leader.  Traditionally an interim leader does not run for leader.

Thomas Mulcair had to be key.

Peggy Nash  is strong and confident.  Missed  the  opportunity to introduce herself to voters outside the party but an obvious force to
be recognised.  She will not grow the party beyond its present  alliances.

If the vacuum left by the Liberals is to be filled. If Stephen Harper is to be challenged. The NDP need to build on their strengths and grow
beyond .

They need to capture disaffected Liberals and independent voters.

Thomas Mulcair is the  leader who can do that.

But we shall see.