The Seinfeldian media

The latest installment of the “will there or won’t there be an election?” drama of As the Hill Turns, the Canadian Press reports that Quebec Liberal candidates at an election readiness workshop had their election “mug shots” done — these are the official photos that Elections Canada and the media will use to report on the election (and while these are Quebec Liberals, I say “mug shots” for lack of a more descriptive term).

Will they or won’t they? — that is the question that has the media scrambling to fill their columns and air-time. Today, I was on Montreal drive-time talk radio and despite mentioning that party leaders themselves ratchet up election timing rhetoric to fundraise and to fill nominations, we still chatted about the prospects of a fall election.  I fear that I didn’t play my role and let the audience down when I explained that all of this election talk is just the empty thrill of a cheap drama.  I explained that prior to the summer break, Michael Ignatieff had just six additional nominations filled beyond his caucus compliment.  Further, despite healthier second quarter fundraising numbers — buoyed largely by Liberal leadership convention fees — the Liberals still have a steep hill to climb when it comes to fundraising.  Party leaders (or their proxies) amp up imminent election talk to create a sense of urgency that compels people to give and to act.

As for those Quebec Liberal candidate photos that were snapped — indicating that we just be going for it soon — it’s pretty standard fare, I’m sorry to say.

Though I fear this will fuel even more election speculation, the Conservative candidates — all of them — had their election mug shots snapped at the Conservative training convention early last month.

A summer of communion wafers, G8 photo-ops and inuktitut spelling gaffes has professional flacks looking for something else, and instead of hopping on an expensive jet to cover news where its happening, most of the bubble-locked Ottawa media are in a standard holding pattern and doing their best as bit players in a show about nothing called When is the next election?

Because perhaps when those glorious days come, they’ll have something more to talk about.

NDP – what could have been

To the tremendous disappointment of those of us who are biased to breaking news and having something to write about,the New Democratic Party — despite teasing us with their brand new blue and orange coloured website, their importation of US Democratic strategists, and promised debate on party identity — failed to change their party’s name on the weekend. To be honest, probably best for them that they didn’t get around to voting on a new name. The worst possible time to change your political brand identity would be the day before an election. Changing the party’s name is also not a wise move with a potential fall election and an uphill climb as fourth party trying to re-introduce itself to the electorate. Best time to rebrand: the day after you win a majority government.

But what might have been? You know Brad Lavigne and Anne McGrath were sitting on top of a party rebranding campaign ready to be unleashed at the word “go” by the party delegates. However, any investment in putting the “new” into the New Democrats (or whatever the new name) would have to be shelved until next time.

Would the NDP be well-served to rebrand as the “Democratic Party”? Or would have another name worked out better for them?

Here are a few suggestions for names for the next time the party thinks of rebranding:

  1. The Jack Pack – “cause it’s all about Jack”
  2. The New Emo-crats – “the only thing we’d ever cut is ourselves”
  3. The Obama Hope and Change and Hopechange Party – “we’re all in on this one”
  4. The Liberalist Party of Canada – “making coalition governments that much easier”
  5. The Orange-cha glad I didn’t say nationalize Party – “* we still might”
  6. The Not-in-Kansas Anymore Party – “rainbows and windmills and weed, oh my!”
  7. Everything for Everyone Party – “not to be confused with the ‘Everything to Everyone’ Liberal Party of Canada”
  8. The Farm Team – “if you work really hard, someday you too can be a Liberal cabinet minister.”
  9. The Local Party – “we’ve run cities and on occasion we’ve run provinces. But, for God’s sake, don’t let us near the army”
  10. The not-conservative Party – “because with that Ignatieff guy, you really can’t be sure”