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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.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
That "leaked" Tory memo
I can't remember a week when there's been so much news to write about. Can't possibly get to it all. I see Paul Wells has already picked up on this -- which I was planning to write about:
Toronto MP Michael Ignatieff is the Liberal leadership candidate the Conservatives would fear fighting the most in the next federal election. And, of the top contenders, the Tories would most like to take on former NDP premier Bob Rae.
The conclusions are contained in a confidential memo obtained by the Toronto Star, and written by Conservative national campaign chief Doug Finley.
Addressed to the CPG, or Campaign Planning Group, the memo assesses the Liberal leadership race from a Conservative campaign perspective to determine "which leadership candidate would be most formidible." It came after extensive polling and focus groups conducted by the party during July and August, including surveys of both the general public and so-called election "switchers," who could change their vote to the Tories.
Finley, a key Tory war-room strategist in the last federal election, says Ignatieff (Etobicoke-Lakeshore) "worries me most." However, a hand-written margin note by an unknown person adds: "Puts his foot in his mouth too much. Will be problematic (for Ignatieff)."
Wells, as usual, is right: no one ever leaks such a document without a pre-determined agenda to get a message out. In this case, the recipients of the goodies were the Toronto Star and Le Devoir in Québec. (Yes, I know, it's amazing: two reporters from two key papers got a leaked memo -- at the same time!)
If I could hazard a guess as to what's going on -- and I could be totally wrong here -- it's that the Finley group actually wants Igantieff to win. Does that make sense?
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 11:46 PM
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