Evening Lemons Report - Duff & Newman - April 13

Finally - a day with news...
Innovative thinking, they call it. Dion and May. Duff has a long list to talk about this fiasco. (Isn't fiasco what you yell when you want a new bottle?)
Comment on Bluenosers keeping their political party longer than their religion. Steff feels a lot of goodwill, says bring best things from right and left together - calls himself in third party "With Stephanne Dion as Prime Minister"
What about her opposition to abortion and her candidate that hates the west and policy that is anti free trade.
Eliz May done in a very simple and transparent way she says. STEFFI WENT AFTER HER!!! "Perhaps there's something I can do to help??" he said. Has anyone ever seen a picture of his wife?? IS there something here we should know as enquiring minds?
Whose party is Steffi a member of.
May - "Do something innovative and have other parties come along with us."
She spoke in Gaelic?? Even Gaels don't speak in Gaelic. Although there's one old bat in Cape Breton who supposedly speaks the purest Gaelic in the world. One of the riding executives in Central Nova (where are Eastern, Western and Southern Nova) wants to work on her campaign! SO - there are somewhere around 500 Liberal volunteers across the country who have moved to blue.
Over time she wants to earn respect of progressives in CPC, and Libs and NDPs. How much time does she think she has? She won't live long enough to "earn respect" after this trick. Okay, we respect her - as a sleezy manipulator from Connecticut.
Why didn't you run as a Liberal?
She says green to the core. She admires Steffi enormously, deep integrity, extraordinary character. Does not mean that she shares the views of Liberal Party. WTF is she saying? She only loves Steffi but not his parties policies?
Broadbent - preposterous, astounded, Dion leader of once national party. Says she tried to do a deal with NDP with Stephen Lewis - alliance among 3 parties. Self serving by both leaders that disenfranchises people in riding.
Newman - what about harmonization among the left. Ed rolled his eyes.
Layton on Duff - Canadians will rightly be upset about deal - he wants national drug plan - great idea, because our Health Care program only covers about 1/3 of the total costs and then most is spent in last 2 weeks of life. Needs an entire restructuring. Jack says he's gonna take it to Parliament and get it passed quick. Surrrrre, Jack.
Ed charges May with backroom deal.
Monty Solberg says Dion conceding defeat before an election - the once proud Liberal Party. "Would hope that a new party wouldn't start by cutting a backroom deal". Says he was a member of a new party one time and they started with the grassroots.
Newman is onto Climate Change - Baird in DC negotiating new cross border pollution - May and Dion?? Puzzled and stunned - great error in judgement. What is he endorsing - Enviro Plan - would be his seventh.
Is he that worried that he has to do a deal with the fifth party - just ahead of Rhinos and Marxist Leninists.
Canadians will have opportunity to look at Dion's words and Harper's actions. Baird is on message - lets see if he's more interesting on Duff.
Duff says a question of judgement - she loves big carbon tax - does he love fat carbon tax? Is this someone who has what it takes to be a strong leader, to be PM. Our party is truly a national government- will run candis in every riding in Canada. Behind closed door deal, must feel he needs help in own riding.
If he's so wonderful why did she seek leader job to run against him?
"Who knows next week he might come out with an eighth enviro plan." See Paul Wells at Macleans on this.
Baird says he was pleasantly surprised with US talks - they prepared to move quickly to reduce emissions.
Clean Air Act?? Grits looked to weaken clean air side of bill. NDP trying to write own campaign into bill.
Can't wait for Duff Strategists - Newfie Powers, Moonbat Reid and Ed Broadbent (back from the dead the NDP must feel fear.)
Country music ad on TV - where did those people get that hair?
Duff's strategists - - CPC dismissive of Dion May deal, NDP are angry. Ed - The would be Leader of Liberals - first such deal in Canadian history. Incredible. May who denigrates backroom politics was trying to work backroom deals. Oldest and most cynical backroom deal possible.
Reid - Bold risky and runs straight into the face of conventional wisdom. 10 years ago defied conventional wisdom with Clarity Act. Today he's right. Smart thing and right thing to do. Let's have political opponents try to cooperate.
Letter from Ray Heard old LPOC PR hack. Dion's deal is very last straw - denigrates tradition of Liberal party - kowtowing to reactionary party, can't speak for Canada anymore -both Iggy and Rae are eminently qualified to replace him before the next election.
Scott calls Ray a professional whiner. "Let's call him what he is." Okay let's, Scott - you're an idiot.
Tim calls it a bull manure move - both had conventions in last 6 months and there was no discussion of a deal - leaders have lost credibility over this. If such a great deal why are so many Scotian Grits saying this is terrible. Poor leadership.
Reid - You know you're on to something when your opponents hate it. Is a disastrous day for Jack Layton. (loud laughter). Eliz May has excited Canadians - more going on than just politics. (IS this a suggestion that Steffi and Lizzie have something happening?)
Ed B - Just astonished - reality is that the performance of Liberal Party - was piling up surpluses and did nothing about the environment. Why he went back into government. May said she's not a person on the left.
Isn't she doing backroom politics over the membership. Leaves out voters in riding.
Scott goes off and Ed takes a long drink of water. Takes a glycerin pill. Reid says Layton has helped CPC .
Powers, "If was so open why wasn't it on the table at the convention? How does Steffi reconcile with other Green Party policies - anti free trade, cut army in half."
Scott was actually clean cut, and smiling. I kinda liked him today.
Press is on Newman but talking about war. All has been already said on this.
Press on Duff - Blinky Oliver, Gloria Galloway - Dion and May - What about Green case to be included in debate? Doesn't this decision undercut argument with broadcasters?
Gloria says no. Says her kids are gonna vote Green. The rest of us might vote Green. Are her kids old enough to vote? Should we let someone who would vote green vote at all. Shouldn't there be a test of some sort before Green voters can vote?.
Argument will be should someone without a seat in the house have a seat in the debates says Blinky. Gloria sounds pissed off. Is the idea a good one - she says King did something similar. Duff says that the Grits and Tories paired off for Joe Who and Landslide Annie but was unofficial.
Dion says it may be a cunning move and like Joe Clark (that's a great tribute - not). Has been endorsed by an enviro freak. Why didnt she run for the Liberals? Craig - she doesnt agree on other issues. Another gain for Dion - up to now she had no chance in riding now she can compete. NDP can help defeat Mackay if rank and file in Central Nova can remove Mackay (and will see not one federal penny ever be spent there until they die).
Friday the 13th was GREAT!!!
Lot of passion, Old Ed the NDP Talking Horse was great, Duff was excited, Newman looked less corpselike.
9/10 - could have been improved if there was more nudity.