Leader losing

Dion expected to make a speech today announcing he will be resigning as Lib party leader. Nothing shocking about that. S and I talked a couple times during the election about how uncomfortable she was with the idea of Dion being the PM. She just felt that he was weak and impersonal.

And while I never necessarily agreed with her perception of him I knew that if she felt that way, then voters who were far less sympathetic to Dion and the Lib brand were probably doing some soul searching on election day. The Con advertising and messaging has done its trick and Dion was branded with a reputation he was unlikely to change.

That's the bare knuckle world of politics for you.

I think that Dion was a very smart man with some good ideas, several of which Harper and the Con are already appropriating. I applaud the Green Shift plan and I'm sorry we won't be able to see it implemented. But Dion does lack the charisma that is a staple of any career politician, an ability to connect with undecided or wavering voters. And with the Left split to high heaven you need to have a leader who will draw people in.

I think we'll get to see a 'do-over' of the 06 Lib leadership convention, only this time fewer people will be casting their ballot with rose coloured glasses.