Rae Days

Bob Rae has officially announced his candidacy for the federal Liberal leadership. Thank you, thank you, thank you God.

Former Ontario premier Bob Rae will formally announce his candidacy for the federal Liberal leadership today with a speech that attempts to explain why he is returning to politics after a decade's absence and why not as a New Democrat, his former affiliation.

The kickoff speech will emphasize Rae's concern about "where the country is going under (Stephen) Harper's Conservative government," said a highly placed source in the campaign.

As for Rae's conversion from the NDP to the Liberals, "The speech will describe a personal political journey and the importance of being able to govern from the centre in a way that is inclusive and is not encumbered by ideology," said the source.
[...]
Rae's detractors in the leadership race point not only to his switching of parties but also to his record as premier, which is remembered by most Ontarians for high deficits, high taxes and labour strife.

On the plus side for Rae: he has more experience in politics and in government than any other candidate; he has a higher profile across the country than any other candidate with the possible exception of former NHL star Ken Dryden; he may be the best public speaker in the field; and his French is better than any other anglophone candidate.

If he wins, the attack ads will practically write themselves. (Something along the lines of these "now Michael Dukakis wants to do for America what he did for Massachusetts" commercials from 1988, perhaps.) It's amazing that Liberals can believe the Conservatives are weighed down with too much baggage from the Mike Harris era, but now they may hand their party over to the most unpopular premier in Canadian history.

Even better, it looks like Rae and Michael Ignatieff have a history:

...Rae's candidacy has also attracted powerful enemies, including former Liberal premier David Peterson, who lost the 1990 provincial election to Rae.

"Here's a guy a lot of people went to war with and now he wants to lead the army without even enlisting," says a disgusted Peterson.

Peterson is backing newly elected Liberal MP Michael Ignatieff (Etobicoke Lakeshore) for the Liberal leadership.

Ironically, Rae and Ignatieff are old college roommates and friends, although associates say the relationship has cooled in recent years.

I take back everything I've said about this leadership campaign being dull. I now believe it's gonna get nasty, and it couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at April 24, 2006 01:05 PM