Liberal Party Re-Election Strategy ala David Herle (en francais)

You've got to give credit to the Liberals. They have what they believe to be a tried and true election strategy, so they stick with it.

Liberal majority in sight, chief strategist tells MPs
By JANE TABER
Thursday, August 25, 2005 Page A1
SENIOR POLITICAL WRITER

REGINA -- Paul Martin's chief strategist told Liberal MPs yesterday they can win a majority government in February by adding seats in the West and Ontario, with or without gains in Quebec. Senior insiders said David Herle, the national Liberal campaign co-chair and the party's pollster, characterized it as a "daunting task" but said "if I pull it off they won't talk about David Smith any more, they'll talk about me."

Nice to know this coming election is all about Mr. Herle's ego and not about what might actually be important to us average Canadians.

Mr. Herle said, too, that the Martin Liberals have to keep the Conservatives "marginalized on the right," an insider said.

The Liberals also need to be solid on economic issues and keep the social conservatives in a "box," the source said. He said they also must play to the "10 per cent of the centre left" who swing between the Liberals and the NDP.

Insiders described the discussion as generally optimistic.

In a nutshell, Mr. Herle's strategy:

1. "keep the Conservatives marginalized on the right" - read continue demonizing the Conservatives as that scary party with a hidden agenda

2. "keep the social conservatives in a 'box' " - What? The Liberals have social conservatives in their party? Apparently, and their marching orders will be to shut up like a good back bencher and just soldier on. That's fixing the democratic deficit for you.

3. "play to the 10 per cent of centre left" - Ouch! Hold on to your wallets people. I guess the $32 billion in non-election goodies that the Liberals have been doling out lately isn't enough. Keep your eye out for various Liberal Cabinet Ministers and MPs showing up in ridings with those big presentation cheques. On the other hand, this could also be a reference to Belinda Stronach's Liberal Get Out The Vote consultation tour this fall, courtesy of our tax payer dollars.

I guess the only thing Mr. Herle is missing is the fact that this strategy really didn't work all that well for them last time out. With the new Conservative Party barely formed, and no policy in place all PM Martin and Mr. Herle could eke out was a minority government.

The Conservative Party of Canada is now one year older and much wiser. We have a policy in place, a team of dedicated MPs and a grassroots organization raring to go. I guess if the Liberals wish to stick to the same old, same old, who am I to discourage them.

Personally, I think Mr. Herle is right. After this election they'll never forget his name. It just won't be remembered in the way he might want it to be.