… give the Liberals another election victory!

Great news that the PC’s walking-talking campaign disaster has been given the nod to continue to “lead” the party... probably into another election!

Awesome! That is just about the best present that the Liberals could hope to receive! They get to trounce Hudak ONE MORE TIME…

Woo-hoo!

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

Rob Ford! That’s who!

TORONTO - Mayor Rob Ford came out swinging at left-leaning councillors Tuesday.

“These people are all two steps left of Joe Stalin,” Ford told AM 640 host John Oakley in a radio interview.

Ford specifically referred to Councillors Adam Vaughan, Gord Perks, Janet Davis, Paula Fletcher and Josh Matlow when making the comment.

The good Mayor should research what Josef Stalin did during his reign and honestly assess whether these Councillors are comparable.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

… how childish and petty the “Mayor” of Toronto can be!

Mayor Ford has no obligation to speak to or be interviewed by the Star. That is entirely his choice. However, when it comes to public press releases and public notifications from his office as mayor of all the people, that is another matter. That directly affects our ability to cover city hall and serve our readers.

Indeed, the Ford freeze recently went a step further. The mayor’s staff was holding a briefing on arts funding and other members of the city hall press gallery were told about it privately. In this case, they were also specifically asked not to tell the Star about it. In other words, the mayor’s staff was trying to use other journalists to enforce its freeze. Thankfully, they did not go along.

What’s next? An attampted expropriation of the CBC HQ on Front Street?

Grow up, act like a Mayor of a major city and less like the petulant Mayor of some rural backwater!

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

… in our election predictions?

Final count:

OLP: 53 (37%)

PCO: 37 (35%)

ONDP: 17 (23%)

Now to compare the predictions:

Conservative-leaning Twitter bud @RunnertheFirst on the popular vote:

Now for the fun part. Based on past history of the pollsters I will predict LPO at between 36-38%, PCPO at 34-36% and the ONDP at 24-26% of the popular vote on election day.

As he pointed out in a comment on the original post, he nailed it.

And yes, he should open up a polling firm!

Squid-dude’s prognostication (seats):
Um. Not quite. I think this was more a case of wishful thinking… I wonder if he used some cephalopod ink in his tea leaves?

And me?

Timmie Hudak and his merry band of tax fighters and gravy finders have managed to totally screw things up for the PCs. Yes, they have projected the wrong messages in the wrong way. And yes, they have alienated many in their own party… BUT… they will still win 30+ seats. Maybe as high as 35. However, the real threat to the Libs at this point is that lingering “Layton effect”. I think that some soft Grit supporters will switch to the Dippers once the ballot is in front of them. And this will lead to some NDP gains in some close ridings (i.e., Ottawa Centre). So I see the NDP in the 25-30 range while the Liberals will limp out with a minority government with 45-50 wins..

Well, I overestimated the NDP vote but was pretty close with the Grits and Hudakians…

Soooo…. the winner is @RunnertheFirst… congrats Allan! I’ll buy you a pint the next time you’re in town (I think I already owe you one).

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

…and golf!

It really is October, right?

I wonder if any researcher has ever run a statistical analysis of the correlation between weather conditions on E Day and the success rate of incumbents?

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

Yeah, yeah… I and everyone else was off base last time when all of we so-called “pundits” tried to pick the outcome of the May 2 election.

And I have learned my lesson and won’t do it again.

….

NOT!

I love trying to predict outcomes of elections! Back in the old days (before May 2, 2011), I was even pretty good at it… came close a few times to nailing it.

OK, Here’s what ThreeHundredEight says:

And I think they’re close… of all the prognosticators out there, I put the most faith in these guys because of their methodology (I won’t go into details, but I as a statistician can attest to its robustness).

Yet I think this projection gives to little weight to the NDP factor. Yes, Timmie Hudak and his merry band of tax fighters and gravy finders have managed to totally screw things up for the PCs. Yes, they have projected the wrong messages in the wrong way. And yes, they have alienated many in their own party… BUT… they will still win 30+ seats. Maybe as high as 35.

However, the real threat to the Libs at this point is that lingering “Layton effect”. I think that some soft Grit supporters will switch to the Dippers once the ballot is in front of them. And this will lead to some NDP gains in some close ridings (i.e., Ottawa Centre). So I see the NDP in the 25-30 range while the Liberals will limp out with a minority government with 45-50 wins. What follows next is anyone’s guess.

But who knows? This is a mug’s game, after all…

Um, am I dating myself? “Mug’s game”??? Really, Trashy???

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

When I was a municipal pol back in the day, I didn’t have a whole lot of use for MPP Eves, but he did watch out for his constituents – much like Norm Sterling did.

So it is a shame that Hudak’s right-hand hick man sees it fit to slam one of their own…

BTW – how can such a moron have 1921 friends?

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

Gee, these so-called debates are becoming more and more irrelevant with each passing election.

Really now, because of the long period of time that Ontarians have had to cast their ballots (great idea, BTW… it’ll be interesting to see if the turnout is bumped up) and the lateness of the debate AND that these things are so incredibly tightly scripted… Well, c’mon, what’s the point?

And let’s face it, the only folks who tune into these charades – or attend the local versions – are those who have pretty much already made up their minds (if they haven’t yet voted).

Yet the pundits are out there this morning declaring that one side won or the other side won. And of course they will. They are either paid to do so or are fiercely partisan.

In reality, after watching the puppets rail against each other, no one “won”. McGuinty simply had to show up and look and sound somewhat “leaderlike” : which he did. And Hudak just had to pretend to be smarter than really is, and not drool too much: mission accomplished there too.  I guess Randy stayed home. And the Dipper CEO had to come across as someone less loony than the conservative pundits and media have claimed. And she was successful too.

So yup, ask yourself if that orchestrated sideshow last night made any difference whatsoever.

Didn’t think so. The Leaders’ time would have been better spent on doorsteps.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

… for my MPP…

Not so good for Hudak and Hillier and their merry band of tax evaders!

Let’s hope that the momentum carries into next month… and it likely will if the PC’s (minus the “progressive” part) insist on shooting themselves in the foot election after election…

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

…that HarperSun news has an ad for Lockheed Martin pushing the F-35?

And check out the geeky guy from CFRB who is being interviewed by Kinsella – definitely the face of a guy who belongs on radio…

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario