A few thoughts on the debate, which I finally sat down and watched today. The two most impressive candidates on the stage were Gerard Kennedy and Martha Hall Findlay. Gerard was impressive for staying away from personal attacks and sticking to issues. Findlay looked like the elder statesmen in her foreign affairs debate with Rae and Ignatieff. I think her "Gentlemen!" may be the best line of the campaign so far. I didn't really hear anything out of Bob Rae. I have no idea what he stands for. His main message seems to be I've been around longer than the rest of you combined, I'm smart and I have name recognition. I was unimpressed. Iggy looked great in the environment debate and horrible on foreign affairs. While he had Dion crying "that's not fair" in the enviro debate; Rae had Iggy appealing to their friendship on foreign affairs. Dion looked like a school yard bully. He attacked everyone he could and when someone hit back he acted like a wounded animal. It is fair game for someone outside of the Chretien/Martin government to bring up their weak record on the environment for most of their thirteen years in power. It's so fair that Jack Layton would bring it up repeatedly if Dion became leader. Words and policy proposals are very nice Stephane, actions are even better. Also, Dion had annoying habit of appearing to be bitter about the last election. Competitiveness is fine, but Dion was acting like the Liberals were entitled to govern. That's the kind of attitude that got us into opposition in the first place. I generally like Stephane Dion. He is probably my second choice after Kennedy, but he really gave me pause in the debate.
I absolutely refuse to prognosticate the convention. Conventions are about as predictable as a superball; there are too many variables to calculate. Having said that, it is interesting to note that there is the possibility that it may take more than one ballot to get down to the big 4. No one is obliged to drop out after the first ballot except for MHF (I'm assuming she'll be last on the first ballot, not a stretch). Even if Dryden and Brison clear the deck, do you think Joe Volpe is in this race to make people happy? We could be looking at the end of the third or fourth ballot before one of the big 4 has to drop off. That is not the news a front runner at any convention wants to hear. I don't care who you are.
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Man, I feel like Kennedy has a lot of Mo developping around him just as Iggy is crashing and burning.
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