[Rusty Bedsprings]

I just saw iggy make a speech and it seemed like he was on some sort of tranquilizer. He seems pretty daffed and if this is the best the liberals have then it's easy street for us.

[goward4u]

Rusty Bedsprings.... funny name.

I think Iggy has been compared to Herman Munster among other lugubrious figures. CPC should play this up just enough to make him seem silly.

Nothing takes the "elite" out of a person more than being laughed at....in the nicest way; nothing cruel.

[teenagetory]

i would agree with rusty, although im prety sure iggy would be a formidable debate opponent. as i recall, ignatieff was the one who made stephane say some dumb things in the liberal leadership debates that would later be used in the "not a leader" ads.

[paisley_cross]

[Rusty Bedsprings]

seeing him with his head looking like it was about fall off the front of his body, only then to be slowly brought up to look at me (exageration, but still really bad for a guy who wants to be PM) might give you a better vision of his speaking ablities.

[ReachingWest]

I saw Iggnatieff's speech today and was unimpressed. He's not a fellow I've paid a lot of attention to in the past and was curious to see how he would come across.

His body language wasn't great - he seemed to be looking down constantly (perhaps it was the camera angle).

As far as what was said - it was just more partisan crud, IMO - why can't these guys try (for once) to take the high road? He did say one positive thing, in that he thought they needed to look at the Harper Government Budget first before deciding how to react to it ( Dah! ).

[DavidK]

He can speak English and doesn't look like a bafoon when he talks. That's the only plus about the 'Next PM' as all the MSM and Lib MPs put it. He's not the everyman, that's for sure.

[darkstorme]

While, of course, I can't really speak in defense of Dion's abilities as a public speaker (though I'll fight anyone who claims he's a poor writer!), I should say that those who live in silica-based domiciles ought not to hurl neolithic weapons.

Harper, from the moment he stepped onto the political stage, has unbent from his robot persona long enough to get reupholstered. While his abilities in both official languages are enviable, he is uncharismatic and, in fact, a little frightening, especially in person.

I attribute his recent strong minority showing to several factors:

• The lack of a charismatic leader in the liberals - Dion was smart, but not a great politician.
  
• The inevitable Canadian fatigue with the party in power. It's happened to virtually every stretch of party power, unless a charismatic leader (think Trudeau, or Cretien) is holding a majority.
  
• Voter apathy. (This is, in many respects, due to the above factors, as well as the election hoopla to the south.)
  

I do not attribute the minor victory to his public speaking skills.

[ReachingWest]

[Rusty Bedsprings]

the chance of charismatic pm rolling around to canada is slim to none anyway. Plus generally i'd take calm and over flamboiant anyday.

[Craig]

[fiscalconservative]

[DavidK]

PM Harper is very charismatic actually. I've seen him several times this past 5 months and I was very surprised. the MSM paints a very different picture, and that's all that the majority see, sadly. Those ads during the election with Harper just talking, sitting in that chair, was very real. When you see the man, in person, it is actually a good feeling. He isn't fake, he doesn't need to be.

[teabag]

I find Mr Harper comes across as a very strong man when speaking. He is straightforward and quite appealing. I listen to him speak and am very impressed. Then unfortunately I have to listen to the media twist and malign him afterward.

Today I watched Iggy. He repeated the party line over and over ( Harper is to blame blah blah blah) Looks down at the floor and pastes that phoney smile on. He is arrogant and condescending. It was almost as if he was chastising a student while looking at his notes. The student being Stephen (in need of some firm talk).

Sorry I actually found Dion more likeable in spite of his flaws. Losing his integrity in order to gain support from the Bloc. Pretty Sad.

The Liberals will try to hype Iggy as the know all and be all. Now they will attempt to sell it. I believe it behooves Conservatives to counter that campaign. Canadians may turn out to be smarter than the Liberals take them for.

If not at the end of January then some months down the road these guys are drooling at the prospect of taking Mr Harper down.

[eshutton]