Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Finally...Transparency

Did you see Harper being interviewed by Peter Mansbridge this afternoon or tonight? We finally got some transparency from our PM, meaning that you could see right through him.

My first reaction was, what the hell was that? I don't actually know who initiated this interview, but if it was Harper, it's yet another mistake on the master chess player's part. If you missed it you can watch it here .

He was nervous, visibly uncomfortable, testy and defensive. He also smiled at odd times, suggesting to me that he'd been somewhat coached again, as he was prior to the debates during the last election. Given that, no one should be fooled, because he was anything but contrite. I saw a man that knows he is in a really bad place and he is there because of his own doing. He's aware that he's done damage to his image and to his party and he hasn't been able to rely on his usual propaganda machine to quickly change that, because he has been exposed. He looked almost frantic, trying to regain control by rewriting history and shaping the future into a mold of his liking.

Some telling observations:

Stephen Harper is reaching out to the Liberals in an effort to drive a wedge into the opposition coalition and save his tottering government.

Not very conciliatory of him, is it?


...., Harper repeated his invitation to the opposition parties to offer specific suggestions for managing the economy.
"We have a right to that input. Some of the opposition parties are saying they want to run the government. That's fine. Precisely what is it you want to do?" Harper asked
.

They have the right to that input? He went on to say that the government could then determine whether or not the plans of the opposition were wise. Wise? He's in a position to determine what is wise in this economy?

Harper suggested Tuesday that the coalition had little to do with frustrations over his approach to the economy, but was in fact a conspiracy on the part of opposition parties to bring down the recently elected Conservatives.

"I think, frankly, after the election — if not before the election — the opposition parties decided that they would work against the government as an essentially unified front," Harper said.

He went on to accuse NDP Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe of backing the Liberal party into a corner where it was forced to either vote against the government or be "condemned as sellouts."


Yes folks, it was all a conspiracy. Even though Harper and his minions have been screaming that the opposition really only cared about the party financing provisions in the Financial Update, what he really meant to say was...they were out to get me all along! It's obvious!

This was an interview given by a desperate man who hasn't changed one iota. He'll try to convince everyone that he's willing to play nice, but the qualities required for that simply do not exist in this man. His interest is power and his belief is that he is infallible, but the back pedalling and panic were there for all to see. Harper is who he is and not a sweater vest, not a recession, nor the sudden shock of almost losing power is going to change that.

Anyone who believes otherwise really hasn't been paying attention.

26 comments:

WesternGrit said...

Great post.

Can't wait for the CBC interview with MI. I'm betting it is going to send a chill down Harper's spine...

wilson said...

A desperate man?
PMSH is still Prime Minister,
still leader of the government party,
highest numbers ever in the polls,
full confidence of his party.

After that coalition stunt, Libs polled lower than Oct 14,
another hostoric low, second in 2 months.
66% of Ontarians don't want your coalition and majority will vote Con,
in less than a week Libs have gone from Dion should be PM to no being good enough, so punted ,
and a leaderhip contender pushing for the coalition is railroaded out,
Iggy is successful in his coup.

Libs now have their own bully, meanie, cold hearted, undemocratic leader.

Karen said...

WesternGrit, I only heard tonight that Ignatieff was going to be on. It should be good, not to mention the contrast.

Karen said...

Oh wilson, get with the future would you. You're spinning old material that didn't wash the first time.

Did you actually look at the question asked about the coalition in those polls? It was something along the line of 'would you support a coalition with the Bloc holding the balance of power' or some such nonsense.

Hey, if it keeps you happy, keep trotting out the lies you're being fed, but I don't think even you believe them.

Ignatieff is none of those things, but given the way you phrased your sentence, you seem to at least admit that Harper is.

WesternGrit said...

Wilson... The koolaid, it is good, no?

Michael (or MI) did nothing untoward, and walked to victory because most all of the Liberal Party believes in his skills and tact. The OTHERS decided to step aside when faced with a formidable force. Take-over, schmake-over. You're delusional at best. Don't comment on things you know nothing about...

Now YOU guys on the other hand... My source in Calgary (campaign manager, and working on the Hill now, for you guys) is talking about the changes coming. Deny them if you want (I could care less - it's your loss).

As far as the "meanie" - try asking Canadians who the "meanie" is. You'll have your answer. Canadians KNOW Michael. He has been someone Canadians have been aware of for years. Can't assassinate his character like your "war room" managed with Mr. Dion - the "nice guy" who never fought back. Good luck doing that with someone who you know, damned straight, will fire back with both barrels.

I look forward to the 27th of Jan.

sassy said...

KNB - I saw the same things in that interview. I wonder who Harper thinks he's trying to fool?

RuralSandi said...

Wilson - we know you don't have a life or anything to do all day - and quite frankly not very bright, so I'll give you a little help.

(Oxford dictionary) Coup - violent or illegal act to take power.

The act was neither violent nor illegal.

We have the Westminster parliamentary system, we are not a republic.

Got it?

Wilson - a desperate man is a man who can only win by demeaning someone, to bully and who is a paranoid. Harper is the desperate man.

Wilson - polls say that with Ignatieff at the helm for the Liberals Conservs. 38, Libs 33. You forgot that little poll quite conveniently.

Anonymous said...

Did you notice the body language? Harper was sitting with his face averted and looked down a lot. Like a little kid saying "I didn't do it, they did!" Lots of phoney smiling while he was talking about co-operating with the Opposition. I'm looking forward to watching him squirm in the days ahead.

Anonymous said...

Wow...you Liberals really have a talent for self-delusion, don't you?

(..not to mention childishness; do you guys maintain a central database for unflattering/Photoshopped pictures of PMSH? Or do you painstakingly seek them out out at a time? Grow up!...)

Harper looked poised, confident and relaxed during that interview, and he frustrated every attempt Mansbridge made to trick or intimidate him into saying something embarrassing or controversial. I laughed out loud when Harper called Mansbridge out for interrupting his answers. :)\
\

Loraine Lamontagne said...

Anonymous - be honest - did you write to the Conservative Party of Canada to complain about their childish behaviour when they had millions of leafleats with a photo of Dion with his arms up distributed in Canada at taxpayers' expense?

Did you write to the Conservative Party of Canada every day while they hosted a section on their website dedicated solely to ridiculing the physical image of Dion?

Did you approve of conservative backbenchers reading statements in the HoC about the Dion family dog?

Are you an honest, grown up and ethical person yourself, Anonymous?

penlan said...

"...., Harper repeated his invitation to the opposition parties to offer specific suggestions for managing the economy."

He continues to make it sound as though the other parties did not present suggestions to him prior to the economic update - & he's said it many times since it was presented. The truth is they did. And Duceppe & Layton have both spoken that they did & that Harper soundly rejected everything they had to offer. But Harper is spinning to make it seem as though they didn't approach him at all. Making it look like the parties did nothing, that they didn't want to. Liar.

"We have a right to that input." Since when? Seems he has no good ideas & wants to now "steal" the other parties ideas. If the parties do make suggestions I strongly suggest that they also release them to the media at the same time so that Harper can't claim credit for any he might choose to use.

Also, the day after the budget is announced the coalition comes out with their budget so the people can see the difference between the 2 & decide which one they prefer.

He is, as you said, trying to drive a wedge between the coalition by using "they planned a long time ago to bring him down." Meaning the Bloc & the NDP. Same talking points from when they released the tape of the NDP caucus which as far as I'm concerned they illegally taped & dispersed. Why did Mansbridge not bring that up when Harper said the above? This is going to be spun & "out there" as a big talking point for the Cons.

Mansbridge let many things slide by but when he occasionally did confront him Harper raised his voice above Mansbridge's & talked over him til Peter stopped. Bully.

His angled head, dark eyes, & the looking down at the table a lot actually made him look a little sinister to me as well as disrespectful of Mansbridge. Like a mob boss laying down the law & intimidating who was sitting in front of him.

He's learned nothing from what has happened so all it means is he will, once again, try to ram through his undemocratic agenda at the same time as he presents a budget that includes many things that the people of this country need.

I can only hope the coalition stays together & brings him down on the budget vote.

Karen said...

All of us Sassy but I think primarily he's hoping that the media will once again transmit his message. Not his words so much as the ruse he's trying to sell.

I see this morning that some are still buying it, but he's on a different footing now and my sense is there is no turning back.

Karen said...

Sandi, what I find interesting about the poll you cite is that it was based on a general perception of Ignatieff...what the people have seen thus far.

While Iggy has admittedly had a higher profile than many Grits, he hasn't made any grand speeches etc., or spent much time presenting himself to Canadians.

Going in as leader with that much approval is not a bad thing for the Lib's and a very bad omen for the Conservatives.

It's early days though.

Karen said...

Anon @ 12:12, yes I noticed. It was telling wasn't it?

He kept putting his hand on his thigh and turning at a weird angle toward Mansbridge. That's not a natural way to sit, yet it's supposed to present a relaxed but engaged picture. (Watch Jim Prentice, he does the same thing so he presumably has the same coach.)

That said, all the coaching in the world cannot disguise the discomfort and tension that Harper's body language demonstrated.

Karen said...

Speaking of delusional Anon @ 12:52, I laughed out loud when I read your comment.

He called Mansbridge out? No, he basically told him to shut up like any man who is accustomed to having 'yes people' around him. His message of lies was being called out and he reacted, defensively.

As for the photo's of Harper, well they are easy to find. That's just how he looks. Unlike people in the Con war room who manipulate text, audio and images, I have no need to change a thing. Harper gives me those precious expressions, visual and verbal, all on his own.

Karen said...

Loraine Lamontagne, you rightly point out that not only did the Conservative war room manipulate images, etc., it was with the sole intent of destroying a man.

Karen said...

Penlan, my sense was that Mansbridge was up against the clock and couldn't get everything in. He's certainly given Harper a much easier ride in the past, so it was good to see some push back.

What are the odds of Harper doing one of those famous year end interviews do you think? Slim to none I'd say at this point.

penlan said...

"What are the odds of Harper doing one of those famous year end interviews do you think? Slim to none I'd say at this point."

Especially if he's ousted eh? ;)

Anonymous said...

I thought it was a good interview, PM Harper was open, and didn't require any embarrassing do-overs, retakes and such, as someone we know too well did. PM Harper comes across as strong, in charge, and focused. He knows what he is talking about. Any you know, the crises was now of his making, it was the coup-plotters who brought the house down on their heads. Until Liberals can take a long hard look in the mirror, nothing will change, and they will continue to appear desperate and out of touch.

Karen said...

PM Harper comes across as strong, in charge, and focused. Any you know, the crises was now of his making, it was the coup-plotters who brought the house down on their heads.

Speaking of out of touch...

Anonymous said...

Ok, enough with the "harper doesn't need a do-over", we are in the middle of a PArliamentary do-over at the worst possible time for crying out loud! DIon fumbled the response to an asinine question from an asinine newsreader; Harper caused a unity crisis in the middle of a global economic crisis. Harper is the one who went crying to the GG to help save him from the weaklings who suddenly pushed the bully back. Harper has set the standard for do overs.

Dame said...

It was completely incoherent act he didn't make sense at all he stated untruths he is actually denying the Parliament basic Rules and ways .. especially when it comes to the "coup" Voting him out of his Minority Government is the most legitimate thing Opposition parties can Do...
his "wiggling twisting " presentation was almost painful To watch.
He is Done and he knows it..

Karen said...

Kevin T., it is astonishing how they twist facts isn't it?

Karen said...

marta his "wiggling twisting " presentation was almost painful To watch.

Almost...;).

penlan said...

"marta his "wiggling twisting " presentation was almost painful To watch."

Not painful for me. He's inflicted so much pain on others that it's nice to see him feeling some to. Unfortunately it's only for himself - no compassion in that man.

Anonymous said...

Wow...

Like I said before, a real talent for self-delusion. That poll showing a mere 5 point difference between the current government and an Iggy-led Liberal party was hilarios for as long as it lasted (until today, when the real numbers were released). You guys still don't get it, do you? When your party chose to be part of an attempted coup and Stephen Harper foiled your plans (oh yes, he did...you don't seriously believe that those 'poison pills' he included in the budget update were actually just a 'blunder' or 'miscalculation', do you? Please tell me you're not that naive...;)
the GG did the only thing she could reasonably do. Since there was *no* real crisis of confidence in the House as required by law to hand government over to another party (no, fake ones don't count, sorry) the House ended up being shut down a whole week or so early...big deal.

The real story here is the reaction of the Canadian public, and they spoke LOUD and CLEAR. You guys are toast if you even think about voting down the budget in January. Period.

You may now return to your fantasy world...:)