Saturday, October 03, 2009

A Man Seeking an Election

Um. Oh, my!



I think he is singing to you Jack!

39 comments:

rockfish said...

Sounds like Mean Mister Mustard to me...

Karen said...

Had to look that up, but far too much credit given on your part, ;)

A Eliz. said...

My , Harper should get Jack to play guitar with him.
Hitler played a litle piano and violin, too.

A Eliz. said...

Hardly Mister Mustard, by the Beatles.

Karen said...

Lizt..Harper playing the piano with Layton playing guitar would be hilarious actually

(correcting the typo)

A Eliz. said...

just said to my other half, that it would be nice if Michael could play piano or something, and play a nice rendition of Chopin. One upmanship.

Robert McBean. said...

Am i the only one here who objects to the Hitler reference? Isn't that what the other side does?

Christian Conservative said...

LOL. Try and spin all you want, but let's see... front page of the CBC, CTV, Canada.com, praise from the likes of Jane Taber. STANDING OVATION, from members of the Arts community no less, for over a full minute.

Newsflash, this one was a public relations COUP for Harper tonight... and it's kinda fun watching you guys desperately trying to cast it in a bad light. ;-)

wilson said...

KNB, you may as well post the entire song , CTV has it
(extended version)
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091003/harper_piano_091003/20091003?hub=TopStoriesV2

Kirbycairo said...

Yes Christian conservative . . . 'public relations.' Because nothing this man does is real or authentic. It is always and ever about PR. Only a year ago this man was turning his nose up at such events because he thought that he could do the "I'm a man of the people" thing. If that doesn't work, start going to Galas. What ever it takes to win. It is sad that you call yourself a 'Christian" at all since any authentic Christianity must surely be about honesty. Harper is neither a Christian nor a conservative, just an opportunist.

wilson said...

PM Harper didn't wear a black tie, kirbycairo!!

penlan said...

I, a Lib, actually enjoyed this performance. I found it surprising, amusing & entertaining. Now that doesn't mean I've changed my mind about Harper - I want him gone!

As for those who say "what can Ignatieff play?" I say "why does he have to play an instrument"? The Arts contain many different mediums. Ignatieff writes books, Harper plays piano & only talks about writng a book - on hockey. They have different creative lines. So enough already.

And, KNB, I think you are right that Harper is playing this song in particular with tongue-in-cheek to Layton & the NDP.

KC, I agree it's all strategy for PR & it will have it's desired effect.

Karen said...

Robert, I'm not crazy about Hitler references either, but knowing this commenter, I think it was meant more as a leopard not changing spots, analogy.

Karen said...

CC, who is spinning? All I said is Harper is doing this as pr vis a vis an election and pointed out the song was fitting re'Layton propping him up.

Geez, even the CTV announcer said that later, when showing the vid on the news.

Stating the obvious isn't spin.

Suggesting that this is a coup?, now that's spin.

RuralSandi said...

So, Harper plays piano. So, Harper trades blue sweater for a casual jacket and for one of the easiest Beatles song to play or sing. So, if you don't really care - you're a jealous Lib?

Christian Conservative - a really good Christian who's partisanship of the max may not get him into heaven.

I'd like to see Bob Rae have a piano challenge with Harper - because Bob Rae can really play.

RuralSandi said...

Oh, forgot to say - standing ovation. Ah, wouldn't you think they would no matter what out of politeness, but keep the Con spin going.

Gayle said...

Honestly, I think it was neat and I probably would have given him a standing O too.

I think everything he does is politics - so he is out there singing songs with a musical genius while the LPC are licking their wounds from the latest rumours of internal strife.

Anyone know what Denis Coderre said last night?

Tomm said...

Gayle,

It was very much in contrast to Harper's public personna. Great song selection too. He also has the guts to sing in public.

If you listen very carefully, you will hear the sound of 2% of Harper's new numbers getting laid into concrete.

He had the guts to do this at an arts gala! Amazing.

Karen said...

Gayle, do you mean Coderre on Tout le monde en parle? That's tonight, but from what I know of the taping, he was fine and fully supportive of the leader and the party.

Karen said...

Tomm, it was a cute stunt, transparent, but cute.

I'm afraid though that you confuse hubris for guts/courage.

wilson said...

I was surprised to read today that it was Laureen Harper that convinced hubby to perform,
she said "'I knew I had him when he said 'maybe'"
and the 'strategists' were nailbitingly nervous about it.

Gayle said...

Sure they were wilson.

"If you listen very carefully, you will hear the sound of 2% of Harper's new numbers getting laid into concrete."

I listened very closely and heard no such thing. You see, that kind of publicity stunt only works on stupid people, and Harper already has those votes in the bag. :)

Ti-Guy said...

"'I knew I had him when he said 'maybe'"
and the 'strategists' were nailbitingly nervous about it.


Gee, I thought the strategists knew that Harper has a legion of burbling and chirping sycophants like Wilson, Christo Con and Tomm who'll cheer him on no matter what he does.

Tone down the gush, please. All the treacle is giving me a toothache.

I'm entirely indifferent to political stunts like this. I wouldn't have cared at all about this had Harper not made his arrogant comments about galas last year. I'm more impressed with a politician's theatrics when they're unscripted and Harper is an abject failure when it comes to that.

Anyway, you can imagine the bile and scorn coming from Wilson, Christo Con and Tomm if an opposition politician did anything similar. Got help us with Iggy writes a book review again.

RuralSandi said...

Personally, I don't care if he played at the Gala or not. You see, if the media hadn't played it up we wouldn't know unless we were there.

I have to say though, that Harper plays the piano better than Layton plays the guitar and neither is much of a singer.

And to be shocked, surprised and in awe because someone has a hobby other than politics is pretty naive. We would hope he does something other that attack and play mean and lies.

Ti-Guy said...

I just find right wing forced exuberance at this kind of non-event creepy. We all know they can turn vicious and bilious if one of their sworn enemies (ie. the rest of us) does something similar, or even far more trivial, such as when Dion ate a hotdog with a knife and fork.

Karen said...

I would expect his supporters to make a big deal out of this, so no surprise there.

I am a bit disconcerted and disappointed by all the fawning by the media though.

Tomm said...

Ti,

Just so I can watch you fall off your chair...

I just heard Ignatieff's speech in Quebec City thanks to CBC and it was quite good. Upbeat and with some new inflection.

He highlighted green energy, trade with Asia and Brasil, multiculturalism, and culture, culture, culture, culture. I now know that he is a subscriber to the Montreal Symphony, and a big fan of Laliberte.

He is also a fan of Radio Canada, helping build up Canada's regions, and culture, culture, culture.

But it was a good speech. He needs more of these. I would complement Pablo and Marlene on their very photogenic smiles.

Ti-Guy said...

Will Ignatieff's speech send a tingle up Wilson's leg, as she gushed over at MacLean's?

I think not. Ergo...FAIL!

Ti-Guy said...

I would expect his supporters to make a big deal out of this...

It's just so forced. Kind of ruins it, really. And given Harper's scornful speech in Sault-Ste-Marie about teaching us all a lesson will not soon forget, just reinforces my conviction that Harper suffers from a worrisome personality disorder.

RuralSandi said...

Apparently Loreen's idea and it came to me that everyone loved Layton's stint at the press dinner and wondered - did she get the idea from that? It didn't matter what political stripe, everyone got a laugh and enjoyed Layton's performance.

Jane Taber swoons over anything Loreen for some reason.

Tomm said...

Ti,

Ignatieff doesn't need Wilson's vote only 5,000,000 other votes. That would be about 1.5 million more than Dion won for the Liberal's.

It may be a mountain but it is climbable. If may have cliffs, but they are scalable. It may be a technical climb but it is amazing what someone can learn from books. He may be 61 but he can increase his flexibility with pilates...

I've gotta stop before I make myself barf.

Karen said...

Ti, imo, Michael could save Harper from a burning building and wilson, etal, wouldn't give him credit.

It was a good speech.

Antonia Maioni gave a pretty objective overview.

We need more of these, or I should say, we need more of these being covered by the media.

Ti-Guy said...

None of this is a partisan issue for me. It's another manifestation of just how disastrously infantilised our culture has become. Not child-like, but childish. Delirious over-enthusiasm one minute and adolescent fury the next.

Paul Krugman lost his temper over the Right's reaction to Obama's failed Olympic bid. It's high time we start taking this seriously.

Karen said...

I know it's not partisan for you Ti...I was using the royal we re'the Lib party.

I don't disagree with you.

I'd like to see a little Krugman around these parts, but he/she doesn't seem to exist.

Twitter had a few reporters live-tweeting Ignatieff speech and while it's Sunday and they were just being themselves, the comments were telling.

RuralSandi said...

Part of me almost - "almost" feels sorry for Wilson (who doesn't seem to have much to do). This kind of groupie, hero worship reminds me of tweenie boppers.

Wilson/he/she spends all her/his time commenting on articles, blogs, etc., drooling at anything Harper does - even his lies.

Actually - it's sad.

Ti-Guy said...

I know it's not partisan for you Ti...I was using the royal we re'the Lib party.

Sorry, KNB...that last comment wasn't a response to you. I was just throwing out my usual complaint. And no one influential seems to be taking that seriously.

The right wing politicians pander to it and the media just can't seem to find time to feature anything else. It's created a culture that treats serious things frivolously and frivolous things seriously.

I had been mostly indifferent to or slightly amused by this until the Iraq invasion. Then it really stopped being funny.

Wilson's not an exception among the Conservatives. She's the rule.

Tomm said...

Ti,

Where were you when USA Today became the largest selling US newspaper? I think that was 1985

The problem with the media has been there forever. It is down right ugly in places like Honduras and Iran, bad in the US, and Malaysis. A little better in Canada.

The problem with the media in Canada is....

worth a book or ten.

I know you don't want me to start on this topic. Suffice it to say that it looks as bad from my vantage point as yours.

Ti-Guy said...

Where were you when USA Today became the largest selling US newspaper?

I remember exactly where I was because it marked the beginning of the end. One of those "I have a bad feeling about this..." moments.

Tomm, people who live in places like Iran and Honduras aren't under any illusions about how free they are. Americans, on the other hand, are accorded a tremendous degree of freedom which means that the elites *have* to use very sophisticated propaganda to control them.

Which is worse? Increasingly, the latter, since it creates a population that is intent on preserving the systems that control them, as opposed to one that will abandon them the first chance it gets.

Tomm said...

Ti,

Good points.

I had some Argentine friends who you would have seen eye to eye with.

With respect to the USA Today thing, me too. When I heard, I thought, this can't be good, McPaper KO's the New York Times.

Great sports, and I always loved the color.