A writer by the unfortunate name of Jeet Heer writes at the Guardian blog site that the scandal over leaked comments about NAFTA and the Obama campaign highlights the growing ties between Canadian and American conservatives.
From news accounts, there seems to have been two separate leaks. The initial and less damaging leak came from an off-the-record statement by Ian Brodie, the prime minister’s chief of staff, who sought to reassure reporters that anti-Nafta rhetoric coming from Hillary Clinton’s camp wasn’t serious. Brodie’s account was then amplified and turned into an anti-Obama smear by a false account given in a diplomatic memo, whose origin is still unknown. Bowing to opposition pressure, Harper has promised to investigate both leaks.
One contextual fact might help explain the whole matter: the increasing integration between Canadian and American conservatives, who tend to be as thick as thieves.
The Right wants two things. It wants to keep the Dem nomination process going as long as possible, and it wants Clinton to win.
Olberman said tonight that Clinton is still pushing the original version of the story, which has been debunked several times. She’s getting to be more and more like the wingnuts every second.
Clinton is a Lieberman “Democrat” now — she would destroy the party to get the nomination, and she would destroy the ideals of the party if she won it.
Re: the growing ties … between conservatives.
Please observe the conservatives (or crypto-conservatives aka Tony Blair and his successor Gordon Brown) that now head G-8 countries (Putin, Brown, Sarkozi, Merkel, Howard, Berlesconi (tentatively), and the countries Japan, China, Poland, or threaten to head (Burlesque-con-ya in Italy). Only Spain now has a liberal head of government and there is an imminent election there and that can be lost to the conservatives as well. As a bankrupt (and corrupt) political ideology, the prospect of any substantive ability to address the economic problems the world faces is about null, corresponding to the void (fraudulency) that passes as todays conservatism. Expect them all to be politically active in US politics in one way or another; the support of the dollar as an internationally used currency will evaporate once the election results become known is the probable devise being used, continuing the support if St. John the McDulluba (son of Dubya) becomes successor, withheld should a Democrat win.
“She is getting to be more like the wingnuts every second”
No, she is a wingnut.
Are there ties between Canada’s conservative cabal and our MSM? I ask because the MSM continues to run the story as an Obama slam.
Excuse me, what did I say a few posts ago? Stephen Harper and George Bush are best buddies. And Preston Manning (look him up) is no doubt in bed with Mike Huckabee.
Speaking of unfortunate names, I used to know a “Joke Noteboom” and I once met a mathematician called “Jet Wimp”.
And I have to agree with Uncledad – Hillary is getting wingnuttier every day. If she is nominated, say hello to President McCain and 100 years in Iraq, not to mention Iran and Venezuela.
The Canadian press is reporting that the comment definitely came from Obama’s camp.
There are strong ties between US conservatives and Canadian ones, yes.
As for Jeet Heer, no, sorry, that memo is entirely credible. It was written by a career diplomat before anything went to hell. It strains credulity to believe that it was inaccurate – you honestly think a career non-partisan diplomat can’t take down an accurate sense of what a foreign contact says or would have any reason to want to harm Obama?
Give me a break. Of course the Canadian government is backpedalling and saying it was inaccurate. That’s what’s expected of them. But only a bloody fool believes them.
My best guess it that both candidates made reassurances. But like it or not, the evidence against Obama is a lot stronger than that against Clinton.