Archive
“I am a Canadian; we accept that we are in Canada”
If the sovereigntist movement is ever to die, this is how it will die:
One thing is clear: I don’t want to define myself as a federalist. I want to define myself as a Quebecker first, but also as a Canadian. … I am a Canadian. We accept that we are in Canada. I think we’ll have a good relationship with Stephen Harper. I think that we agree on many issues, including the economy and public finances. Of course, we have some disagreements on social issues. … I am back in politics for ten years, and I will never promote the sovereignty of Quebec.
That’s the best case scenario for these ex-separatists, and it’s not a terrible one.
Going for the kill?
The proposed Ontario redistricting appears to go after Rae and Bennett’s ridings. The last two midtown Liberal MPs.
Romney energized?
The most interesting thing about the Ryan pick, it seems to me, is how it’s changed Romney. Some Republicans won’t like this, but this reminds me of how the Gore pick seemed to re-energize a tired Bill Clinton in 1992.
See text of speech here.
At several points, Mitt was interrupted by cheers and applause, and at times the crowd broke into chants of “Mitt! Mitt! Mitt!” or “USA! USA! USA!” The candidate was fired up and the crowd was fired up, and it was very exciting to be there with my 13-year-old son Jefferson. Afterwards, as we left, I talked briefly to a National Correspondent Whose Name You Would Recognize and said, “Great speech, huh?”
The correspondent replied: “He wrote it himself, you know.” My reaction was skeptical. Does any big-time politician write his own speeches anymore? I said, “Really? He wrote it himself?”
The correspondent said, “Swear to God. He wrote it himself” — and then did a cross-my-heart motion.
How would the correspondent know Mitt wrote the speech himself? I don’t know, but his confidence was such — and the speech was so genuinely awesome — that I called my source at Romney campaign HQ in Boston and asked him if he he had a text of the speech he could send me. It just arrived by e-mail and so here, ladies and gentlmen, is what I call The Chillicothe Address…
There’s this, too.
Go figure. Maybe something is turning.
Ryan reactions
Dave Weigel: Paul Ryan’s Party.
Fred Barnes: Romney the Fighter.
Mike Allen: Brilliant or Political Malpractice?
Months ago, a Romney official was walking through the pluses and minuses of the various V.P. possibilities, and said at the very end of the spiel: “Only one person on the campaign wants Paul Ryan. That’s Mitt Romney.” The two had just campaigned together, and proved to have superior chemistry.
Althouse saw it coming.
I didn’t see it coming, but I’m glad it came. We’ll get to have a clean fight now.
Instant update: Like many conservatives, I really liked this part of Romney’s introduction.
“He doesn’t demonize his opponents. He appeals to the better angels of our nature.”
“There are a lot of people in the other party who might disagree with Paul Ryan. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t respect his character and judgment,” Romney added. “We’re offering a positive governing agenda that will lead to economic growth.”
I prefer a positive campaign. I’ll take negative if I have to — as we do in Canada just now — but positive is better.
Update again: Seniors seem to like Ryan…
Last day of Veep speculation?
Possibly. Romney’s supposed to announce tomorrow.
And the Weekly Standard says it’ll be Ryan.
Guy Benson’s source confirms tomorrow AM, but can’t confirm Ryan.
If it’s Ryan, I approve — adds substance immediately.
Yes, the Dems will demagogue on entitlements. They’re going to anyway, and Romney’s already on tape saying Ryan’s plan is “marvellous”.
If you’re caught in that trap anyway, bring the best defender out — and that’s Ryan himself.
Instant update: It’s official, announcement is tomorrow. Confirmation from campaign’s digital director.
Ryan or non-Ryan? We’ll see.
Early next morning: The “Mitt’s VP” app has spoken — it’s Romney-Ryan 2012.
Now the election gets real.
8:47 AM: Photos of the roll-out here.
“Obama’s Last Stand”?
That is an odd title for an e-book about a president who’s going to win re-election in a landslide…
I’m sensing some cognitive dissonance among my liberal friends.
The Old Party, the Old Policy, the Old Leader
“This is our most desperate time. Help us, Justin-wan Trudeau-bi. You’re our only hope!“
The Quebec provincial election. More than any other provincial issue, that is the one — comme toujours — with the greatest implications for Canada and Canadian politicians. No other provincial concern comes remotely close to the high-stakes contest now underway in the province of Quebec. The outcome will define our national politics for years to come.
Here’s a possible scenario, in 10 problematic steps. It ends with a solution.
One: The remarkable political career of Jean Charest comes to an end, with a loss on Sept. 4 to the separatist Parti Quebecois leader, Pauline Marois. For months, polls have shown Charest is either behind or tied with his PQ rival. If Marois wins a majority in the first week of September, it is difficult to see how Charest can remain at the helm of his party. Federalism will have lost its most effective francophone advocate since Pierre Trudeau and Jean Chretien. …
Ten: Justin Trudeau, future Liberal leader, future prime minister.
The national question is the only thing the Liberals have left to pry back the votes of the old left-Liberals who’ve fled to the NDP.
Justin makes the most sense for this Hail Mary play.
***
Meanwhile, let’s watch the Quebec election.
Cruz Control
Now that Ted Cruz has trounced his opponents in the Republican Senate Primary in Texas, join me in laughing at this anti-Canadian anti-Cruz site.
Ted’s probably going to be a rock star, and we may yet see him as a justice at SCOTUS or in the White House. (Clerked for Chief Justice Rehnquist.)
If he does run for the presidency someday, expect to see a rather vicious debate on whether citizens “by birth abroad” are “natural-born”. There’s enough contemporaneous evidence to satisfy the originalists that they probably are.
