Saturday, January 25, 2020

Peter MacKay and the Monstrous Mediocrity of the Cons



As I watched Peter MacKay officially launch his leadership campaign this morning, I felt like I was travelling back in time.

Back to the days when MacKay was Stephen Harper's most faithful stooge, even though he had stolen his party from him.

So the idea that Dumbo could now ride to the rescue of Canada is totally outrageous...




And this is simply pathetic.

Even some of the most Con friendly columnists gave MacKay's launch a thumbs down.





But beyond MacKay, what shocks me the most is the dilapidated state of the Con leadership race.

For not only did they lose THREE of their top candidates in ONE day, which has many wondering whether Stephen Harper is trying to fix the outcome from behind the curtain...



The next most popular candidate is another Harper tool, Erin O'Toole.

Who in this latest video is trying to cast himself as Mr Canada...

When in fact he is Mr Ugly Trumpling, and is trying to please far right extremists by going after Omar Khadr...

And what stands out from this mountain of mendacity, is the monstrous mediocrity of the Cons.

For what kind of political party has old hacks like MacKay and O'Toole as the favourites to become its new leader?

What kind of party has Marilyn Gladu as a self styled "change" candidate? 



"We need somebody that's going to bring a better balance of fiscal responsibility and social compassion," she said. "I'm looking at all the people running and it's all the same-old, same-old."

A "change" candidate that believes that legalizing marijuana will lead underage kids to smoke it in toaster ovens.

And what kind of party has a SoCon candidate like Richard Decarie, who believes that gay people choose to be gay, and women shouldn't have the right to have an abortion?

It's beyond belief, it's depressing, but nobody should be surprised.

For as Aaron Wherry points out, another part of Harper's legacy is not what he left behind, but what he didn't. 



What he didn't leave behind was an heir (or heirs) apparent. To the degree that it's still possible for a leader to plan for these things, the Conservative Party might be better off now had it put more thought into a line of succession.

And of course, we all know why. He was so paranoid he couldn't stand the thought of anybody replacing him.



And the Cons are going to pay for that now.

For the one who created their party, will be the one who does the most destroy it.

The Cons are the walking dead.

And they don't even know it...

25 comments:

Jackie Blue said...

And judging by the reactions from Francophones on social media (including a Quebec media personality and former PQ minister retweeted by none other than Chantal Hébert), his French is atrocious, worse than Scheer's even. But the Cons have apparently written off Quebec other than that bogus policy convention in November where they'll come up with no new ideas in a language that Propeller Pete can't speak well or understand. Even though French is not limited only to Quebec! But they're still pandering to the Francophobic knuckledraggers in Wexitopia who can barely speak one language, while hoping for a repeat of 2011, in which the stars aligned perfectly to have an astronomically surging NDP and Bloc combined with a Liberal candidate less popular than a porcupine at a nudist colony (h/t Michael Coren). So much for national unity!

All he did in that presser was bash Trudeau and rehash the same old plutocrat-friendly Harper tax-cut language and nice hair rhetoric. "We need authenticity of diplomacy, not selfies and dancing." The fuck does that even mean? Do they ever quit whining about selfies? He's a jerk, and he signaled to the red-meat crowd that he's more of a "tough guy" than Trudeau because hurr durr, yoga is for sissies while hockey is for manly men. Gave his first interview -- Tim Horton's in hand, not "elitist doughnuts"! -- to none other than Brian Lilley, Sun Media's resident purveyor of Trudeau erotic fanfic. Wow, real male bonding going on there. Did I mention, zero mention of climate other than mealy-mouthed handwaving that "we are stewards of the environment." Yeah, if you count recyclable bullshit as an environmental policy, which all the Cons do.

Yet the media is going to try and package this asshole as an "electable centrist" and whitewash his record for no other reason than he fake-denounced kamikaze Décarie and will probably march at the Pride parade. Don't fall for it, Canada. He's a Judas if there ever was one, and he deserves to wear his betrayal, misogyny, and bootlicking like a stinking albatross around his neck. Anyone contact Rob and Katie yet with a recommendation to court David Orchard and/or Belinda Stronach to help out on the campaign? cc: Liberal war room, someone remind Ontario voters that the last time Harper installed a candidate in a rigged leadership process, that candidate was Doug Ford!

Anonymous said...

The weak field is even giving Rempel thoughts of running. After three Western leaders in a row, apparently the party needs another Albertan whining about how Trudeau's responsible for tanking Alberta's economy. Good luck selling that to the nation.

Anonymous said...

The Cons have created a cesspool that not many fish want to go swimming in. It takes a special type that somehow believes they can don an impervious shield that allows them to swim completely unaffected by the crap swirling around them. For the Tool its the shield of religious bigotry, Poilievre could not find his shield possibly because of the skeletons or perhaps he truly cared about exposing his young daughter to the toxic environment they created. People like MacKay are more of a mystery, there seems to be an element of narcissistic dumbo combined with entitled royalty but its not the type of impervious shield required for a toxic cesspool. Its ok when flying 10,000 feet above but actually diving into the sewer is another story. Even Trump has the good old lying mafia take no prisoners cartel to fall back on but Mackay?? Have I missed something are there other species of politicians that can thrive in a cesspool or is he just a sell out stooge ...dive in, bathe in the stench and get out before it permeates the shield. The only thing for sure is that he is certainly no red Tory coming back to save the party from the Reform-A-Cons.

RT

Steve said...

she already has her American Beau.

Anonymous said...

Peter MacKay betrayed his party to the Harper Reformers, and now he wants to be rewarded? With this kind of leadership race Justin Trudeau is going to get a majority even larger than the first one. Two years of Scheer have set the Cons up for a real disaster, and It will take them many years to recover.

Steve said...

Globe and Fail is all in on Airshow, bring back the F35, the best form of public transit is a helicopter. You get a comfort dog and you and you. Irving up your cabinets. Who Ha, going get me some shock and awe shucks.

Jackie Blue said...

Especially if the LPC war room brings up the really horrible elements of his past. Orchard and Stronach the most obvious ones, the F35, his history of sexist remarks.

But how about supporting the death penalty for minors?

https://twitter.com/RobSilver/status/1221434099732307968

I'm sure Katie follows her husband on Twitter...

Anonymous said...

"while this government makes life harder for our citizens."

Our citizens? He must mean the 1% the Cons so desperately covet to line their war rooms and pockets with cash because I consider ourselves middle class and life is much better financially and directionally under JT than it ever was under Harper and his mutant justice minister MacKay. In their defense, making life better for average Canadians was difficult when their priorities were multiple affronts to democracy, 24/7, so what's a busy dictator to do? Let's not forget the criminal activity that went on as well.
Dumbo's big announcement(yawn) was a preview of more of the same shit Scheer's been slinging at us for the last four years. All attack, no substance. No substance equals no choice. I suspect that when the difficult questions invariably face him he will 'um' and 'er' like a deer in the headlights or belch out complete nonsense. Of course, as was the same as Beverley McLachlin, that's just my opinion.
JD

Jackie Blue said...

I suspect that when the difficult questions invariably face him he will 'um' and 'er' like a deer in the headlights or belch out complete nonsense.

I mean, that's assuming he'll face difficult questions. At least from the English media, which is full of Cons and seems desperate to prop him up as their great white hope. Not so much QC. La Presse and Le Devoir have been reporting on his unilingualism for awhile now. A QC radio personality and former PQ minister -- retweeted by Chantal Hebert -- was indignant yesterday and expressed a feeling of disrespect. Today, the front page of Journal de Montreal laughed at the abysmal French in his opener. To get the message out to him, they did the unthinkable and printed their headline ("Good luck, Mister") in English. Note: JdM/JdQ is owned by PKP's Quebecor, which runs the TVA debates. He won't be able to read off a teleprompter jousting with PMJT and YFB. I hate to defend Scheer, but as bad as he was in French, when he put his foot in his mouth he was still better at thinking on his feet!

There are 34.5K Francophones in Nova Scotia. He's been in politics since he was a teenager and clearly had no interest in picking it up. Can't wait to see him photobomb PMJT at the Acadian Day parade. Oh, and as if his utter disregard for Francophones wasn't bad enough, his macho old-stock tough guy dog-whistling about yoga, which he intended as another homophobic slight at PMJT, has offended people of South Asian descent. This is their "moderate"? What a bigoted prick!

rumleyfips said...

Is anyone selling " Belinda Was Right " shirts ?

Jackie Blue said...

I sometimes wonder if PMJT may be playing the long game. What would the Cons do if he surprised Patriarchy Pete and upended their strategy altogether? 🤫

Think: Trump hovering over Hillary. I dare him to call her a dog.

https://twitter.com/CanadaOooh/status/1221476631543472128
https://twitter.com/JaroGiesbrecht/status/1220864056514338821
https://twitter.com/AndreeLyne_H/status/1221105226532511745

And

https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/backgrounders/2020/01/26/deputy-prime-minister-letter-party-leaders-regarding-new-nafta

Also, Barack Obama visited recently. Sophie posted to her Instagram: "It's always nice to see you and walk with you towards a better future."

From small things, big things one day come.

Steve said...

Get ready kids for the sequel

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/braid-conservative-field-shrinks-as-harper-talk-starts/wcm/c833484c-cbc8-4478-87a0-c1205f722f80

Steve said...

national post is all Harper will sacrifice his current life of luxyery to save Canada.

Simon said...

Hi Jackie...Peter MacKay served Stephen Harper long enough to build up a sleazy record, and we will use it all against him. I'm still going through files I had totally forgotten. And what sticks out for me is his incredible dumbiitude and his appalling misogyny. As for his French, when the entire front page of the Journal de Montreal, mocks his lack of knowledge of the
Language of Moliere, suggests that he is big trouble already..

Jackie Blue said...

OK, I am being honestly serious right now. Polybius Pete's ad campaign needs to be flagged and reported to the Epilepsy Society of Canada. In 1997 almost 700 people, most of them children, in Japan were hospitalized because of a Pokémon episode that had flashing animations similar to his color motif. I mean really, what the fuck, is he trying to kill people?

Simon said...

Hi anon....Yes, I am lining up my fils and graphics of a Rempel so I can be ready for the magic moment when she comes charging out of the barn, with the Western Manifesto in one hand, and a wine bottle in the other. Alberta's day in the sun is over....

Simon said...

Hi Steve...yes, an American Trump supporter who complains that you can't fart in Canada without paying a carbon tax. I can hardly wait to have some fun with that one....😼🎉🎉🎉

Simon said...

Hi RT....I think you're right about MacKay. He has a narcissistic force field that insulates him from the real world. And he is no longer a Red Tory if he ever was one. His father Elmer was no model of rectitude and Dumbo isn't either....

Simon said...

Hi JD....you're right, Mackay's speech was warmd up Scheer vomit. No policies just the same Con attack ad shit. When will those idiot Cons realize that kind of stuff doesn't work against
Justin Trudeau. Whether you agree with him or not he's a nice guy, and all the evil stuff the Cons throw at him only makes them look bad...

Simon said...

Hi anon @ 9:38 AM....I agree with you. I don.'t think the Cons realize how much Scheer has damaged their already tarnished brand. But don't worry they will, we'll make sure of that...

Anonymous said...

He wants to be like Sir John A. who was out of office for 5 years then came back in again

Simon said...

Hi Jackie,,,. I saw that yoga comment, and I thought it was disgusting. MacKay has a foul record of misogyny so he needs a homophobia rap like he needs a hole in the head. I started calling him Dumbo years ago, and he has never let me down...🙄

Simon said...

Hi rumleyfips....I haven't heard of anyone selling that t-shirt but mine will be better: "Belinda is not a Bitch." I should have had that dog in my post say that, but there will be many other opportunities...

Gyor said...

Peter McKay was the Justice Minister who created Bill C-36, I nether forgive nor forget that vile act. Surely there is someone better this clown to lead the CPC?

Jackie Blue said...

I actually like Michael Chong as a person even though I could never support Harper (and MacKay's) GOP, which is why I think he's on the wrong side of the aisle. I left a comment over at Dale Smith's blog saying that with the vicious Sinophobic racism emerging from the Con base amid the coronavirus and Huawei issues and the farcical China committee, he probably would do well to stay out, lest he get eaten alive by the paranoid racists within his own party. Personally I think he should just read the writing on the wall and cross the floor.

Mike Gibbs, former Ontario PC staffer who has made some credible allegations against the vile John Baird, has a soft spot for old Joe Clark. The Mulroneys are execrable. I think Kim Campbell made a horrible decision to follow John Tory's advice and run that ableist ad against Chrétien, but other than that I think she's a hoot on social media. Trudeau trusts her. I've often thought she and Maggie Trudeau should do a podcast. And speaking of podcasts, Chuck Adler should throw his hat in as an outsider. Harper wouldn't allow it, though, because on his radio program, Chuck called out the IDU.

But to answer your question, no, it doesn't look like there is anyone with integrity or decency available to lead the CPC. I woke up this morning with an earworm, suddenly recalling that Carly Simon had a few things to say about an entitled pain in the ascot who went to Nova Scotia to see his reflection in the total eclipse of the sun.