Thursday 24 April 2008

Harper Valley: Pity, Eh?


As mentioned in my "Quotations of Chairman Harper" post of last week, I have never for a minute credited the media- and CPC-generated hype about Stephen Harper's allegedly sabre-sharp political acumen. To me, this uncritically approving susurrus sounded like a tin-pot emperor being fitted for new clothes.

Now, even though the lamentable aftershocks of last Sunday's ridiculous "Conservative" media minstrelsy should have been powerful enough to rip every last thread of those clothes from Emperor Stevie's back, Harperoid drones seem as eager as ever to strip naked, slather their shivering bodies with blue paint, and hurl themselves in human waves against a withering chain-gun fire of scorn and ridicule that always remorselessly rips to shreds the last remnants of their dignity and self-worth. Pierre Poilievre's abjectly but appropriately rabbit-like performance on Charles Adler's radio show is only one example of a recent CPC self-immolation for the greater glory of the Chairman and of the Great Leap Backward.

Naturally, the Blogging Tories are dutifully following Poilievre into the valley of imbecilic self-abasement--each in his own special way. For instance, a great many of that tribe are valiantly but pointlessly attempting to salvage the Chairman's reputation by arguing that Harper had no prior knowledge of Sunday's disastrous "press conference"--that Sparrow, Findlay, and Lepsoe acted as rogue agents, entirely on their own initiative.

I've already indicated my own total contempt for this assertion. Earlier today, I was delighted to encounter this insider confirmation of my own view:


"Tories privately say Mr. Sparrow should not be held responsible for communications strategies at party headquarters, saying the Prime Minister's Office is calling the shots for this hardball approach to the media".


Of course, I did not require this independent ratification of common sense, and neither, I'm sure, did my non-CPC readers. I offer this merely as a public service to my few Harperthought jihadists--a service which, doubtless, will go deeply unappreciated.

And, guys, I'll understand if you don't thank me. I can take it: I wont cry and run down the stairs.


P.S. Cringing apologies for the awful pun in the title (or, more properly, the pun that is the title), but I thought it might extort a chuckle from those d'un certain âge.

3 comments:

Ti-Guy said...

I have never for a minute credited the media- and CPC-generated hype about Stephen Harper's allegedly sabre-sharp political acumen.

Ah, but you see...you're still playing checkers, while Harper's playing chess.

On that point, I always thought the better metaphor for this political gamesmanship was that the Harperoids are playing chess -- with each other, after school, at a meeting of the Chess Club -- while the rest of Canada has already gone home or is hanging out at the mall.

Anonymous said...

I thought the pun was absolutely brilliant. I'll get back to you about the rest.

Red Tory said...

It’s pretty ridiculous for anyone (like you know who) to contend that last weekend’s fiasco happened merely because “the boss” was out of town. It seems there’s no level to which some of the Harper apologists won’t debase themselves, while insulting the intelligence of the rest of us in the process.