(Ummm...
Ok, so maybe the headline looked misleadingly romantic, sorry. But I love the catchy headlines, right?)
Charles Adler, and certain other (cough* Winnipeg Sun staff... cough*) journalists have been lovin' them some Rana lately.
Q: Cute, or creepy?
I mean, sure, Rana is, as Charles points out in yesterday's interview, charming as all get out when you first meet her. She actually bats her eyes, which is a lost art that breathes a little energy into the new political air. Today's Liberals being all about the 'new way' of politics, seems to fit.
But still... does a pair of fluttering lashes or a big hug or enormous smile really get you this kind of positive publicity from the crotchety old right-wing reporters in Peg-city?
I mean, look, Charles is smart. Like, super-smart. Not a word drops from his lips that isn't moulded, shaped, and directed with deadly serious purpose. Guy is Mensa-smart in the mouth. We all know that.
Sooo...
How can Chuck spew the kind of bullshit about the party's 'increase under Rana's leadership' that he did yesterday?
(Answer: guided missile aimed at the NDP wafflers.)
How does he accept the above false premise, then ask if Rana is considering the effect of the 'Liberal surge under Rana' on the NDP and PC parties?
(Answer: guided missile aimed at wafflers generally, and strategic voters. Smart cluster bomb... oh, Charles!)
Why wouldn't he ask about the increase in Liberal Party support _after_ Rana was elected?
(Answer: shaping the message.)
So, should I go on?
I know some say that any press is good press. Sure, and Charles is a neat guy, so cool, let's chat with him.
But folks, to be so blatantly used in the manner in which the new Liberal Leader has been in these interviews....
I gotta call it. Creepy. Not cute. I have spoken.
So, now, let's please looks at facts.
Threehundredeight.com is a national treasure. Go there, check it up.
Once there, you will find a lovely chart which details the Provincial party support of the last few years. Yes, Manitoba is neatly labled and well treated. Science based stuff, distilled down to a grade 2 level graph for us.
Look at the Manitoba picture (its a bloody picture, folks, so kinda hard to misunderstand.) Hint: the Manitoba Liberals are the Red line.
Go ahead, look at it. You will see, in crayon-coloured simple-line-drawing truth, that:
1. The polls show MB Liberal Party support rise right after Justin is elected, and the PST debate got real. Rise starts around April, goes until about Sept.
2. Then it stops rising, and flatlines.
So the increase in support, if it is to be tied to a change in leadership, is clearly tied to Justin's leadership. Like, crayon-clearly, right?
The Liberals 'new political way', with bold ideas and even bolder decisions started in April of 2013 (dude, the Senate turfed from caucus? Masterful. But the new commission for choosing non-partisan Senators...? Thank you.)
Rises, rises... and then... Rana was elected. And then it is as flat as the farm.
It seems everyone has been holding their breath since Rana was elected. +20% have not decided to vote for anyone, yet. This is significant. Flat-line support. Which is fine, Manitoban's are bright. Kind of Missouri-North, show me people.
The by-elections prove what I am saying (and the frickin' crayon-coloured line drawing shows), as they mirror the polls despite the cold weather, gas explosions, and mondo-apthy. Almost bang on the prediction (remember, the Grits poll lower in the country than the city, but had the advantage of some momentum in Arthur-Virden.)
No increase in support since Rana was elected.
Chuck lied.
(Let that sink in.)
Chuck... lied...
Charles Adler does not get this stuff wrong. Too frickin' smart. No, folks, he lied. On purpose, or knowing Chuck, likely on multi-purpose. Mensa-mouth can hit more than one target at a time.
It will be interesting to see what the new MB Liberal Party leadership comes up with, and how folks eventually respond to it. Could be a lots of ink in 2014, and perhaps a lot fewer undecideds.
And lets leave it at that, ok Charles?
(You kooky guy.)
Ciao
