Just think back to Ignatieff'sface on the night of the final ballot, this was not the face of a man ready to back down gracefully.
He is unhappy and to tell the truth probably also frustrated with Dion's progressive-wing decisions and policies. He believes that the progressive left is not where he wants the Liberal party to be and wants to pull it in his own direction. He sees votes and power in his tunnel vision and will ignore where Dion's votes and power lie. Ignatieff is not a progressive and taht's why he lost the leadership to Dion in the first place.
Right now he is doing all he can to undermine Dion's authority and leadership, on camera whenever he can manage, always answering "My feelings" "My opinion" "I" "I" "I" rather than "Mr. Dion feels" or "Stephane Dion" or "our" or "the Liberal Party". By making Canada believe he is the "true" leader of the party he will raise his own polling and opinions about him until the next leadership race makes enough Liberals think "This guy is who Canadians like and trust and respect, we should go with him".
It is understandable, to be sure, that he might want to prepare himself for the future, but at what cost is what I ask. By sacrificing party unity? By undermining his own leader, whom voters must come to know and trust in order to secure votes? By upstaging Stephane Dion?
As an actor, no one likes a bit pplayer to steal the scene to make himself look good. That is how a good show works, with cast unity. It doesn't matter if you are the bit player or the lead, a trained and respectful actor KNOWS that the show will not come off too good if someone is trying to steal the focus for their own insecurities. That is a lesson that our Party must learn if our show is to go on.
15 comments:
Do you have a single bit of evidence for any of your accusations and attempts to do the Conservative's dirty work by dividing Liberals?
Are you trying to get the Liberal party fighting again?
I read that Dion okays the questions asked by Ignatieff. Are you acting like Harper wants the liberals to?
Exactly lizt.
Nothing happens without Dion's approval. Everywhere Ignatieff goes to talk to Liberals, he talks up Dion and team and the progressive ideals of the party. A team means a team and we are all better off if every member of the team performs at their best.
"Right now he is doing all he can to undermine Dion's authority and leadership."
I'm with Cerberus. If he is doing "all he can" surely you must have a single bit of evidence? I've heard him say "I" and I've heard him say "we" in about the same proportions as any other leader, including the sub-performing Dion.
childish nonsense.
By RB's logic, i.e. that Iggy's superior performance is proof he's trying to undermine Dion (instead of Harper), then there are a whole heck of a lot of contenders. He should obviously also be looking over his shoulder at Goodale, McGuinty, Holland and even Rae.
We'll see in time but I do belive Ignatieff still believes he is running.
For a common-ground mainstream party like the LPC there will always be a battle to push and pull it further left or further right between factions. Dion is chasing progressive votes and Ignatieff wants a centre-right base. He is currently losing as the party goes more progressive on the environment and on civil rights protections.
What kind of DL grandstands with "I" and "my" when asked about the party direction?
I do not want any fighting but we must protect the leader of the party from undermining. We can do that as friends and not as enemies.
No anon his superior performance would be welcome from a team player. Yes I admit he is articulate and comfortable in front of a camera. That is a positive attribute, and he is very smart. But does a team player talk about "his ideas' for the party? about the direction "he" wants to head in?
I wouldn't worry overmuch, sport. I think that Dion is finding his feet, yes, but will in time impress. He's just learning the ropes.
I know that you've been upset over some of Ignatieff's remarks to the press, but remember to look at the entire picture - I'm sure that most of the time you are going to find him saying quite praising comments, and expressing solidarity.
I don't doubt he still has leadership aspirations - heck, don't you? ;) Who among us doesn't? But I'm certain he's learned the value of patience in his time - and the lesson of an over-eager Paul Martin. Don't stress out, you'll shorten your life by a few. :D
why are you trying to make up something that is not there...Mr.Dion and Iggy each are superb and together make a great team....just because someone does not have the 'gift of the gab' does not make him a loser...Iggy is wonderful in question period and now I know why I picked him to win...but Mr.Dion won and I think he too is great so now I support dion and iggy together...you are trying to make trouble that is not there like they did for the great Paul Martin....who was blasted from all sides from the day he was elected....the reason that harpo and his gang are doing so well is because of the last great prime minister who was driven out by a bunch of rascals making up stuff that was untrue...granny
Red Butler:
You've made some pretty serious accusations against Ignatieff by saying he "has his sights set on leadership", "is carrying out right now a p.r. campaign", "doing all he can to undermine Dion's authority and leadership", etc. etc.
I repeat my request: with such damning comments, do you have a shred of evidence about his doing everything he can to undermine Dion?
My experience and that of most is just the opposite: he spends a lot of time trying to rally support for Dion, even organizing to raise money so the leader can pay off his campaign debts.
Politics is a team sport. It's like playing basketball with Jordon on your team. He's the guy, but some nights someone else has a hot hand so sometimes even Scottie Pippen outscored Jordon. Jordon was a true leader because he let Scottie defeat their opponents sometimes.
Dion is that kind of true leader.
And he doesn't need doubters like you trying to break up his dream team.
talk about over the top. of course iggy is trying to create an image of himself for an eventual takeover, but give him a little credit. he would receive as warm a welcome as martin if he tried to pull a stunt like martin (i.e. he wouldn't last long). besides, the only reason that iggy lost was because not enough people trusted him, he needs time to build up that trust; in his motives, judgement and political skills.
Iggy lost because of a bunch of young liberals who believed all the bullshit they heard about the 'old'party trying to make a break thru and change things...they did so by following kennedy...whether this is good or bad...we will have to wait and see. I liked the 'old' liberal party and surely nothing could be as bad as what we have in power now with 'the cons'
Actually, it seems like it is Rae that Dion has to worry about. It is Rae out there speaking against and undermining Dion, not Ignatieff or Kennedy or Hall Findlay or Dryden or Brison. Everyone else has jumped on board the Dion train. Why is Bob attacking the party?
And Dion!
If Red Butler had taken the time to know the facts, then he/she would realize this is "normal" when a party is in opposition. When Harper was in opposition his caucus and especially MacKay did most of the questioning.
Paranoia is a sickness. Just ask Harper.
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