The week that was ... it's a draw!
The Conservatives -- 8/10
Another rock-solid week for Stephen Harper. More positive policy announcements, including more tax credits for senior pensioners, small business tax cuts, and help for apprentices and tradespeople. No major gaffes. Good campaigns ads directed at Quebec were released. Harper looks like he's having fun. Monte Solberg is doing a good job keeping the heat on Ralph Goodale over the potential leak on the income trust announcement, which could turn into a big-time scandal. Good strategy on Quebec, trying to drive a wedge between the federal and provincial Liberal parties. And Harper is right -- Martin has hung Charest out to dry numerous times.
Why points were removed: Despite two good weeks in a row for Harper, he seems to be having troubling gaining momentum. The polls aren't moving -- yet. (It doesn't help that newcasts give Martin's policy announcements the first story slot while relegating the Tories to third or fourth.) MP Brian Pallister -- of course, it had to be a Tory -- gets the first foot-in-mouth mention.
The Liberals 8/10
The handgun ban is like Harper's GST cut: bad public policy, great politics. This was the story of the week. Having David Miller and Michael Bryant present at the press conference made it look all that much better. Definite bonus points for the Clinton photo-op at the Kyoto summit, as well as for leaking the story that the Bush White House "reprimanded" Frank McKenna for Martin's comments on the U.S. record on climate change (which is actually better than Canada's.) Nice ads.
Why points were removed: Nobody's perfect. Martin continues to look awful when speaking without notes -- and equally bad in both languages.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 12:48 AM
