Now the kids are fighting. Ontario Liberal campaign organizer David MacNaughton is rejecting potential candidates. You get the bellicose complaints of Zach Paikin in Hamilton who is obviously trying to make a name for himself (other than his father’s). And you show up in Trinity-Spadina to try to smooth the waters and nobody is happy. You do not get many chances to do this right Justin, so listen up.
As Leader of the Liberal Party, you promised open nominations in the ridings. You have not done much else but, we took you at your word. Now you have gone back on your word. You are letting your appointee David MacNaughton make you look bad. It is not only poor timing but it only portends stupider moves in the future.
We have about 19 months before election day and here you are screwing up early. If you let MacNaughton off the hook this time, what is he going to pull later? We are all for second chances but someone has to assume the mea culpa position and it cannot be the party leader. As Prime Minister Harper has proved many times, the purpose of having underlings is to have someone to blame when things do not work.
Former campaign co-chair Senator David Smith would never let it come to this. The late Senator Keith Davey trained him for years before he finally let David take over the party’s electoral reins. While a new broom is often the answer, Justin, there is also something to be said for experience.
Both Davey and Smith could have told you that the problem could be solved with a few telephone calls. They could work those phones like magicians. And you always wanted to be called because you could offer a solution, not because you were the problem.
A five minute conversation with Christine Innes about Trinity-Spadina and the future is all that was needed. It had to be with someone she trusts. She is a savvy Liberal Party supporter and she knows what she wants. And she does not have to take any crap from MacNaughton. She soldiered against the New Democrat’s Olivia Chow through two elections in tough times. Now the tide is changing and this is when she can win.
MacNaughton has to understand that a political party is not a business operation. Nothing is in private and it takes more than a news release to solve problems. As for young Paikin, you might just give him MacNaughton’s job. That would shut him up fast.
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Copyright 2014 © Peter Lowry
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