He knows a majority Conservative result is (just) possible and is looking for Canadians to overlook that -- Canadians don't want a majority government just now.
Bottom line -- we need to get out the vote because Prime Minister Dion is also (just) possible.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper suggested voters should ignore the opinion polls in the closing hours of the federal election campaign ... . Mr. Harper urged voters to disregard what pollsters predict for Tuesday's general election.
"There's a million polls. Don't be fooled by any of them, this is a close election," Mr. Harper said in London, Ont.
...
A Conservative official said the party is considering not having Harper take any questions from reporters on Sunday, or possibly a reduced number from his usual 10 questions.
Full story here:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/election-2008/story.html?id=876091
James Morton
2 comments:
I think the Liberals are going to be in a very difficult position after this election.
They have probably not performed well enough to form the government but, at the same time, Dion did well enough that he deserves another shot.
Like Liberal leaders before him, Dion can rightfully claim that he should get to fight one more election. After all, he seems to have secured the parties' base, likely held on to the Official Opposition post from the NDP and resurrected the party from being wiped out in Quebec.
Also to be factored into this equation is the financial state of the party. Can they mount another leadership campaign right now? How divisive would this be for the Liberals (Iggy-Rae splitting the party just like Martin-Chretien)?
A final consideration, if Dion puts his leadership to a vote of the party faithful, he might do okay. After all, the party base is further to the left than where the party sees itself. Dion would probably have surprising strength with this group after campaigning on the carbon tax, women's representation, Kelowna and poverty.
Do Liberals want him back? Will they go out and vote Liberal knowing that this is the outcome they will be securing?
Interesting times.
All the Liberals have left to offer is negative talking points. They have resorted to this because all that is left to them in this election is to energize their base and that is what partisan attacks are for: ‘saving the furniture’.
The recent Liberal rise in the polls appears to have been a one day wonder. Information confirming Harper’s more optimistic view of the Canadian economy has rolled in and stopped Liberal growth. Also, CPC support appears firm and unmovable at better than 30% while Liberal support is more tentative and changeable, and somewhat lower.
Dion continues to be hamstrung both by his Green Shift and by his obstinate character. Canadians are in no mood for higher taxes (however dressed up) and reject Dion’s inability to admit compromise. His extreme idealism and unwillingness to admit the possibility of changes to his plan are reminiscent of religious fanaticism, although Dion’s extremist views are secular in nature. Canadians have traditionally been a practical people, not given to fanaticism …
The ATV interview has showed Canadians Dion’s fundamental weakness as a candidate: no, not his poor English, but rather his lack of mental flexibility. The result is his bumbling episodes and a public image to match. He is the sad pathetic clown of Canadian politics, who might cheerfully and self righteously strangle us with heavy taxes (‘for our own good’) if given the opportunity. He is simultaneously contempible, amusing and terrifying. Many make allusions to ‘Kim Campbell’ or ‘John Turner’ moments, here’s a new one for you … Dion is a Liberal version of Joe Clark. I remember PM Joe Clark, and what an absolute disaster he was. Like many others at that time I was as relieved when his bumbling government was defeated as I was appalled to see him elected in the first place. I doubt many of my generation would willingly vote in another ‘Joe Who’ …. Even once was definitely too much. The ATV interview confirms the Tory contention that Dion is a bumbling incompetent on a scale comparable to Joe Clark … and the message is resonating with the public.
What about a backlash against ‘mean Steve’? Well, perhaps the subdued Harper of the debates had a greater purpose than we first imagined. None of the opposition parties can credibly claim injury or offence after not one, but two gang ups in that uneven debate format. He took his punishment without complaint, and now that he is putting the boots (and in quite restrained fashion at that) to Dion, there is much crying and whining and talk of ‘low blows’. Dion makes himself out to be a whiny little tattletale who tells half the story and expects sympathy and redress. His complaints about ‘dishonesty’ only underscore the fact that he himself is not completely truthful … this comes off as denial, an especially bad characteristic in a zealot.
If Canadians decide they need a majority government, they will give one to Harper. That will be the deciding factor
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