Election first, campaign afterwards
"I'm not going to start laying out a program for an election I haven't yet won."
Thus John Tory, to Warren the K's immense amusement. Funny -- I seem to remember another political leader saying something strikingly similar. It was long ago, but ... yes, I have it. It was Jean Chretien..., during the 1993 election. The precise quote: Let me win the election, and after that you come and ask me questions about how I run the government.
It was in reply to a question about what changes he'd make to social programs -- the same subject, and more or less the same sentiment, as Kim Campbell was pilloried for. By Jean Chretien, as it happens.
4/04/2007
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Yes, laying out your ideas for governing is so boorish. I mean only hopeless idealists do that. Us hard-hearted pragmatic technocrats have no such need for silly things like 'programs' and 'vision.'
Excuse me while I vomit.
(And no, McGuinty isn't an improvement).
Well you see, of course, that the problem with delineating one's plans before the election is that if one then finds upon taking office that the circumstances are not what one thought, before one was elected, or if the circumstances change after one was elected, and then one changes one's plan, then the opposition, the media, and the trough-feeders far and wide will go into overdrive complaining about it, and other people will focus on the complaints, woefully ignoring all that is working, and getting better, as it has been (though not monotonically) for the last ten-thousand years.
We saw exactly this sort of situation in the case of the matter of the increasing proclivity of some corporatists to engage in income trusts as a mechanism for destabilizing the field of tax avoidance. The commentariat went into overdrive because some people had unwisely over-invested in such instruments.
So thus we see the politicians, human that they are, retreat under the relentless assault of the gotcha electorate and their proxy mouth-pieces to the point where it is a lose-lose situation for the politicians to engage us. Better to connive with the permanent civil service, as prime minister Hacker found out.
Tocqueville wrote, "In a Democracy, The People get the government they deserve". If you want to know why we are treated by politicians the way we are treated, look in a mirror -- not necessarily at yourself, but at least at your species.
Then, deal with it. Pious aphorisms and intensive introspection are not a plan, but that's what politicans do because that's what humans want.
Last time I checked an oppositions leaders job was to oppose and criticize and hold to account not propose and defend.
Of course if you want to remain opposition leader that is what you'll do. So at election time, which is in about 6 months, then you can reveal.
Warren is having good sport, as it is his job, but AC you are doing your job by pointing out the sweet irony of it all.
But Tory would have been better off with a different quote, no question...somehow I think he meant election called rather than election won...not that it matters anymore.
It will be an interesting election, given that everyone is working up to the known date. We will see how it changes the plan, knowing that everyone has their setpieces in place and back up plans and back up plans of back up plans.
No excuse for anyone not to have platforms. I dont sense any big changes in the air so right now my expectation is McGuinty wins. People ave forgotten the tax promise. PRoperty taxed and the olg scandal might be where they are vulnerable but for the moment there is no burning issue in Ontario.....but who knows....
Nobody likes McGuinty...period
I think Warren K is a bit spooked by the recent reminder by Ian Urquhart in the Star about his links, and those of John Warren to John Tory and Mel Lastman.
http://www.thestar.com/columnists/article/197950
What Tory is saying and what Chretien said are quite different.
Even John Tory, the guy who considered mocking Chretien's facial paralysis to be good strategy, would understand that.
Then again, maybe not.
God bless,
W
The car comes down the street, slows down, the headlights go off, the window rolls down and then the verbal shots ring out as a drive by takes place leaving a message and possibly a wound somewhere.
Warren is good at his job no question, he slipped in the paralysis part without saying how the statements are different even though they appear the same....nicely done
I have always admired the masters, and Mr K is a master at this.
But back to regualrly schedled programming....
It seems to me that how you run a government(which could include who you appoint to various position, how big a role the PMO plays, as well as policy) is not necessarily the same as an election platform. That might just be a question of semantics, though.
Warren K,
You can't say Tory didn't learn something after running Campbell's campaign.
He did hire you afterwards to run his.
MississaugaPeter
Are we ever going to get past this who did what when and how?
Considering the last two Ontario governments (Harris/Rae) I would think McGuinty's doing a terrific job.
Me thinks that even if Cretien grew horns and started eating babies for breakfast Kinsella would still defend him.
Love is blind, as they say.
"Are we ever going to get past this who did what when and how?"
I guess you would have to get past all that to think that McGuinty's done a terrific job.
Warren knows it's gonna be a tough campaign in Sept/Oct. Tory's name recognition is among the highest ever for an Ontario opposition leader.
That's why, after initially giving the boot to the NDP (no official party status) after the last election, the Liberals are in full deep-throat mode for Hampton and co. They know they might need them in a minority scenario.
Like most provincial elections people wont pay too much attenion until
1) There is a major issue, ie blackouts in the summer
2) A scandal like OLG
3) The election coverage starts and there is a debate.
The Cheri di Novo thing caused the government a bit of worry.
But as i said the Ontario electorate is pretty sleepy right now, I wouldnt expect a big change unless Tory or Hampton say somethig to capture the imagination of the public or unless Dalton does soemthing really goofy....but the Tory vote will go back up versus Ernie Eves....
Question is will it be about old battles (Harris) or will it be about new battles...
Coyne sucks.
Great, now everyone will think us anonymous types are morons.
This must be what Liberals feel like when Stephane Dion says something.
Yes, that was an odd sentence from WK’s former “guy” Tory. Here are some from his current one, Premier Pinocchio:
“I’m very reluctant to make any kinds of promises, uhmm, I like to give some careful thought to them and go into the election with as few promises as possible.”
--Talk of Town, CJBK-AM, Aug. 12, 1998
“Well I can tell you that I’m not prepared to unveil my campaign platform today.”
--CKPR-TV, Oct. 2, 1998
“They [the tories] are very anxious to find a target. I am not anxious to provide them with a target any earlier than is necessary.”
--CBQ-FM, Jan. 25, 1999