[Newsbot]

<strong>Filibuster Cartoon</strong>
<strong>Title: </strong> <a href="http://www.filibustercartoons.com/archive.php?id=20061203" target="_blank">Dion-mania!</a> (click to view)
<strong>Date: </strong> December 03, 2006

On Saturday former environment minister Stephane Dion was elected as the new leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. It was a dramatic come-from-behind win, as Dion had previously been considered an also-ran, overshadowed by his two more... interesting opponents. <br> <br>In the end though, frontrunners Michael Ignatieff and Robert Rae apparently proved to be too controversial for their own good. So instead, the Liberals have settled on a bland, academic nerd from Quebec to be their prime ministerial candidate in the next election.

[Rhoffman]

Don't really know what to make of it, but I just can't understand Canada's penchant for uninspiring candidates. At least in the United States we have the good sense to only let them go so high.

[USCAdad]

It could have been a Trudeau... that would have spiced up the board.

[Prestwick]

Sounds like Ian-Duncan-Smith again.

[Psudo]

The USA has had Walter Mondale, Bob Dole, Dan Quale, Jimmy Carter, Ralph Nader, and John Edwards. We have our share of bland nobody officials.

[USCAdad]

Quale was a hoot!

[Rhoffman]

Psudo wrote:

The USA has had Walter Mondale, Bob Dole, Dan Quale, Jimmy Carter, Ralph Nader, and John Edwards. We have our share of bland nobody officials.

True, but Canada has a tendency to elect them to their premiership while dullard presidential candidates have been at an immediate disadvantage in the United States for the past half-century at the very least. Bush II, Clinton, Reagan, and Carter were all fairly exciting candidates, and even Bush I looked better in comparison to Dukakis.

[stratos]

Bob Dole and his viagra comercials were a riot.

[USCAdad]

Aint that the truth!

[stratos]

"....Carter were all fairly exciting candidates...."

Carter was elected because Ford was looked upon as a bumbeler and a fool when he said that poland was its own nation and was not controled by the USSR. This was back in the mid 70's. Poland was very dominated by the soviet union. Also his blanket pardon of Nixon was highly contriversial (sp?) at the time.

Cater was probely one of the most decent men elected as president in the last 100 yrs. But he realy could not be a hard ass when needed and made major errors with the US currency when he took the US off the gold standard market. Best thing I can say about him is he did keep the hostages alive with his very limited response to their captivity in Iran.

[Prestwick]

stratos wrote:

Cater was probely one of the most decent men elected as president in the last 100 yrs.

I'd say Ike would give Carter a run for his money in that regard.

[USCAdad]

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are [a] few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid."

- President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 11/8/54

[Prestwick]

USCAdad wrote:

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are [a] few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid."

- President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 11/8/54

I rest my case. I mean, the guy had to deal with De Gaulle and Churchill! That would be enough to drive anyone nuts.

[knoper]

"So instead, the Liberals have settled on a bland, academic nerd from Quebec to be their prime ministerial candidate in the next election."

Yup. And who is the Prime Minister now? A bland, academic nerd from Alberta.

This was a play-it-safe pick, in my mind...if the party wanted to risk reaching out to the west, Kennedy would make the best choice. Ignatieff probably would have been a disaster, since everything they pick on Steve for he supports, and Rae was just too much of a gamble, with his record. Dion will, barring disaster, keep the "Westmount Rhodesians," the Atlantic seats, and hold on to the Ontario seats, and the party will probably just hope for 15-25 more by circumstances to cruise to a minority.

Inspiring? Of course. When has the Liberal Party not been?

[Prestwick]

Quote:

"Westmount Rhodesians,"

Whoa! Rhodesia still lives in in parts of Canada?!