Bob finished third in the previous contest in 2006 and was assumed to be running a distant second this time, despite his articulate and passionate representation of liberal values and his leadership experience. HIs inability to excite Liberals to his candidacy surely was largely based on his record in government in Ontario and concern that he would be too easy a target for Conservative attack ads.
There was another reason, in my opinion. Bob seemed to sleep-walk through most of the 2006 campaign and failed to come alive before the candidates’ speeches on the convention floor. He exhibited an aura of inevitability; of course the party would choose the most experienced retail politician when it was most in need of his prime organizational skills. As the second runner-up attempting to stage a comeback in 2008, his heart never appeared to be in the contest. It was as though he was going through the motions to give the appearance of a race and stimulate interest in and excitement about the Liberal party.
When the circumstances changed in Parliament and the need arose to expedite the choice of a new leader, it was as if Bob has his escape route opened. The rationale for chasing the frontrunner across Canada for 5 months – creating a false sense of suspense – was super-ceded by the urgency of uniting in support of the new leader and getting-on with rebuilding the Liberal Party.
Credit is due to Michael Ignatieff too, for working extremely hard in Parliament and across Canada to assemble a winning team and build the alliances he would need for the new campaign. Michael had the drive to succeed which Bob appeared to lack, in my opinion. It’s a hunger that will serve him well as he prepares to go head to head with the prime minister in Parliament and the next election campaign.
