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Blog of Adam Daifallah -- author, journalist, law student. Lover of politics, writing, golf, curling, fitness, fashion, bacon and maple products -- not necessarily (but probably) in that order. Partisan of the Anglosphere. Contact me via email at adam@daifallah.com. This summer I am joined by Keir Wilmut and Omar Soliman.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Deifying Bob Rae
Dropping by just to note a great case study of how the well-oiled machine that is the Toronto establishment media works.
All of sudden, elite liberal opinion has decided that Bob Rae, the failed socialist Ontario premier, is a hero. They are now trying to coax him into a political comeback.
It started in Saturday's Globe and Mail when Michael Valpy weighed in with a puff profile. Entitled "The Comeback Kid," the piece came with a giant photo that took up the entire page above the fold in the Focus section. Since Rae is being touted as a potential successor to Adrienne Clarkson, the timing of the piece couldn't have been more perfect. (One has to laugh at Valpy's list of whom he considers Canadian "statesmen"; among them are Stephen Lewis, Roy Romanow, Mike Harcourt and -- wait for it -- Gerald Caplan!)
Valpy, a defeated NDP candidate, is back again today with "Rae risks life to build Iraq constitution." What Rae is doing in Iraq is certainly admirable, and I admire him for doing it. But this hagiography is getting a little over-the-top. (If you can't directly access the Globe stories, go to news.google.ca and type the story name, then click on the link.)
Also today, the Ottawa Citizen joins the chorus with "Liberal insiders look to Rae as possible successor to Martin". The piece quotes Senator Terry Mercer, a rock-ribbed Chretienite, as saying Rae is a possible contender for the leadership. Rae's brother, John, is a honcho at Power Corp. in Montreal and a long-time Liberal backroomer.
Perhaps its just that it's summertime and there's nothing else to write about. Maybe Rae really is that great. But I think the more likely explanation is that Rae's new Establishment pals are trying to elevate him to high political office again.
Since his conversion to third way politics (he jettisoned socialism sometime back in the 1990s) he has become the toast of Toronto. Now that crowd wants to see their new star rise to the top. They're doing a great job positioning him for it with this media campaign.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 9:56 AM
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Goodbye Jack
Just popped in to say hi. Won't stay long. Thanks to those who've kept commenting. For all the golf fans out there, a terrrific article on National Review Online today about the career of Jack Nicklaus, who is playing in his last big tournament starting today, the British Open at St. Andrews.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 11:06 AM
Thursday, July 07, 2005
London and hiatus
Regarding this morning's London bombings, well, what can one say? All the words have been used -- horrific, sick, barbaric. I have every faith that Tony Blair will make the right call and do what is necessary in response. He has already proven himself a great leader.
Anyone still claiming that Islamic terrorism is only about hatred of the United States or "getting even" with America should have their head examined. That is not what it's about. It is clearly about hatred for Western civilization and everything it stands for -- democracy, freedom, pluralism, human rights and liberalism.
This will also serve as a wake-up call to all those who've (mostly innocently) slipped back into "life is back to normal" mode. I admit I pretty much had. But we can't do that -- especially those of us in countries that are targets but have not yet been hit. Don't forget that Canada is on Osama's list.
You hear people talking about "eradicating" or "defeating" terrorism. That's impossible. You can never defeat terrorism, because terrorism is not a movement or a group or something you can touch. Terrorism is an action, it is act committed by a person. The West must never lose its resolve to defeat what is behind these acts of terrorism -- radical Islamic fundamentalism.
This will be my last blog post for a few weeks while I finish up the book I'm working on. Who knows, I may come back once every few days -- I find it hard to stay away -- but my intention is to stop this until at least August so I can focus. All the best.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 4:07 PM
The CCA makes a good decision
The Canadian Curling Association has nixed its TV coverage deal with the CBC, and is now looking for other offers. Great news for curling fans across the country.
UPDATE: Curling fans will want to check out Dean Gemmel's latest interview on his curling website, this time with former Werenich teammate John Kawaja. I had wondered what happend to him -- the last I heard he had moved to Oregon to head up marketing at Adidas. Well, his career has continued to progress -- he's now president! Great to see a Canadian curler doing so well.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 9:24 AM
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Judith Miller is a heroine
Have to give a shout out tonight to a courageous woman, a brilliant and hard-working journalist, and a true fighter for freedom whom I respect greatly: Judith Miller of The New York Times.
Because of her refusal to abide by a court order forcing her to reveal a confidential source (for a story she never even wrote), Judy is in jail tonight and will be until October, unless she changes her mind about revealing the source's name. She knew that refusing to testify in front of the grand jury might result in prison, and she was willing to accept that pusnihment.
Judy is taking a bullet for the cause of press freedom, and she's to be commendend for that.
UPDATE, July 7, 10am: Great editorial on this situation in today's New York Sun. They say it so well.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 10:14 PM
Not him again
I see former federal Progressive Conservative MP and Joe Clark lackey Rick Borotsik is considering a political comeback. Appears he hasn't changed much -- he still has no class:
Borotsik confirmed the [federal] Liberal advances, and said that if he does return to federal politics, it will be as a Liberal. The performance of the Conservatives in the raucous minority Parliament has only confirmed his worst fears about the party and its leader.
"I feel personally vindicated watching the Stephen Harper situation right now," he said. "I could see all this coming. I don't care how much lipstick you put on the pig, it's still a pig."
(From the Winnipeg Free Press, via the Smyth Report)
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 6:02 PM
Bombshell
I look forward to seeing this shocking revelation on the front page of all the major dailies tomorrow morning:
...at least 565 organizations and individuals are identified in reports and testimony related to the Gomery inquiry. The original 2003 Auditor General sponsorship and advertising report cited only 71 organizations. The activities under investigation are therefore quite widespread.
The people identified in these reports and testimony are politicians and bureaucrats (government insiders), and political party members and business people(government outsiders). This paper finds that almost all of them have an exclusive financial link to the Liberal Party of Canada (hereafter referred to as the Liberal party). They donated at least 40 times more to the Liberal party than to all of the other main political parties combined from 1993 to 2003.
This paper finds that these individuals privately donated at least $3.9 million to the Liberal party and received at least $7.4 million in private payments from the Liberal party from 1993 to 2003. The Gomery inquiry forensic report found only $2.5 million in Liberal party donations.
All I can say is thank God for the Fraser Institute. They do great work.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 10:07 AM
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Another one to bookmark
Danielle Smith, the host of TV's Global Sunday and a columnist/editorial board member at the Calgary Herald, has joined the blogosphere. (Happy to accept the blame, Danielle!)
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 4:25 PM
Monday, July 04, 2005
New book review
We were all misled
That article I lauded below -- the one where the Toronto Star reporter recounted a trip to Kingston pen to see Paul Bernardo in his jail cell -- was misleading. It wasn't at all clear in the piece, but this trip actually took place some years ago:
As agent for the public's right to know, the press has an obligation to practise what it preaches.
First principle — do not mislead the readers.
You were misled last week.
On Tuesday, June 21, readers were invited to walk with reporter Nick Pron through the doors of Kingston Penitentiary, down its airless corridors and past Paul Bernardo's home for a look in at the killer.When did that happen?
Years ago. Although the story did not say that.
This really isn't that big a deal, but at least the Star is coming clean.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 12:01 AM
Friday, July 01, 2005
Happy Dominion Day
Blogging will resume next week.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 12:34 PM
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