Good Chretien Quote Today

[AD]

Talking to a bunch of Iowa business people, it got off into the US military actions lately, he said "Don't worry, you will win all the wars. It's winning the peace that's the problem."

I miss that guy.

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[Velvet]

Wow. Good quote.

[bokonon]

most down to earth politicain since trudeau!

[zero]

Chretien is the Slick Willy of Canada. I truly believe him to be one of the greatest prime ministers ever. He is shady too though but that's how you get sh!t done. I was thinking about it last night, sorry it being the referendum of '95, people don't realize how very close we came. I was in Montreal very briefly that morning as I was on the train from Halifax to Toronto to then drive to Chicago for Halloween '95 at the Rosemont Horizon. So I went up towards the McGill campus and the radio shows were out on the streets and you could just feel this vibe. The sponsorship scandal and his shadowy Unity fund of $37 million was really a response to the referendum and he thought he was at war and that dollars were the bullets and the Canada wordmark were the grenades. Now this memo came out at the inquiry yesterday from Sylvie Bergeron telling him in the back channels that he would be responsible if this came up on the floor of the Commons. This was '97 so he has known for years he would be held accountable. The whole thing is really saucy.

[Freeker]

After what Martin accomplished last night, I never thought I'd see Cretien beign praised today. Last night was an unpresidented victory for our new leader, for all of us. Cretien wouldn't have had a "televisied, round table, no one gets out of her alive without signing" summit. He would have told us what we needed instead of asking us what we needed and then sitting down with us to figure out a way to get it. I love Cretien, don't get me wrong, and I was already to hate Martin....But last night proved to me that responsible goverment can still exist in ths greedy over consumption world. Kudos to Paul Martin and all the Premiers

The best was last night after Paul's final words, he was so giddy he prematurly ended the summit and had to ask everyone back to the table for a press conference and group photo, which he called a group hug. Guess you had to see it to find it funny, it just seemed vewry Canadians to me.

[Hux]

....can you tell Freeker's been hitting the late-night CPAC with Hux or what!! atta-boyeee....!

"most down to earth politicain since trudeau!"

....that was a joke right? Trudeau down-to-earth? that's um...a slight stretch....

"Chretien is the Slick Willy of Canada." -bwhaaahahahaha...

Please don't denigrate Clinton like that.

Oh, and it was assface Chretien by the way that nearly lost the country in '95, by doing absolutly NOTHING. It was Charest and others who pulled it back from the brink.

Chretien is a manager, not a visionary, and a poor one at that. To hear the Premiers say, in past meeting it was "take it or leave it", now it's "give and take", says it all really.

Oh, and it doesn't take much political skill to beat a divided right for 3 elections led by Preston Manning, Stockwell Day and Joe Clark.

JC got real lucky.

[AD]

That said, I voted twice for the Liberals under Chretien, and NDP when the Liberals were under Martin.

Can't stand Martin, loved Chretien.

Oh, and it doesn't take much political skill to beat a divided right for 3 elections led by Preston Manning, Stockwell Day and Joe Clark.

Easy to say now... With nothing to back that up... If Martin's so great why does he have a very slim minority government? If he has all this 'political skill' why couldn't he do better?

(I know I'm wading into the fire that is Hux, but I'm just sticking up for my guy. I don't know too much about politics, I just liked Chretien when he was PM. And now I don't like Martin.)

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[zero]

Would you not agree though Hux that the role of a world leader is to look and act the part. Chretien has really created a compassionate, erudite yet plain spoken voice for our country internationally. He is a prime minister straight out of central casting. Your take on the referendum I would need to know more about but I think you are grossly underestimating just how intelligent and prescient this man is.

[Velvet]

"He is a prime minister straight out of central casting."

Name another national leader with a speech impediment.

[zero]

Joaquim Phoenix has a hairlip and he's a hotty and played a Roman Emperor. Chretien had a stroke for christ sake you can't fault him that. Besides it's like that David Byrne thing of work with the voice that you've got.

[Alexis]

Hux you're awesome.

To be honest, Chretien embarassed me more than anything else. He certainly isn't the face, voice, attitude or personality I wanted representing Canada. I can't say any of the other options are my first choice either, but Chretien was pretty much near the bottom. Some of the things the guy did were good, some were bad, I'm not going to get into details, there were 12 years, but overall I think we declined as a country while under his leadership.

[zero]

This is interesting because I just so don't agree. I mean Martin is likely better for the country but look at how smug and smarmy he comes across. Whereas Chretien had some real cahonies and called things like he saw them. Also a MASTER Politician- if you look through his record of things he said say in the commons and the impression people were given and compare it to the written transcript you can see how shrewd he is. He would give people the impression they were going to commit money to this or that but the lawyer in him phrased everything in such a way that the written record shows none of it. Pure genius.

[MarcO]

I miss Chretien already.

And like AD, I voted Liberal for several election cycles, switched to NDP this time around. No regrets.

[secondtube]

i'm not arguing the merrits of this but, I BELIEVE Cretien was the BEST prime minister EVER. He was, without a doubt, my favorite since i was alive...

I can't really compare him to PM's before my time, as i never really had an interest in Canada's Political History...

I hope we have another PM someday that i can honestly say i'm 100% behind, and incredibly proud of!

[Hux]

...alas, won't get too much fire from me outside of election time AD, don't get me wrong, I don't dislike Chretien, maybe came down a little hard on JC before I had a coffee this morning (actually we were out).

"If Martin's so great why does he have a very slim minority government? If he has all this 'political skill' why couldn't he do better?"

He actually did better than expected, and it is by noones definition a "slim minority", it's a strong minority (20 seats from a majority, and 36 more than the C's) and if Chretien had've been around wearing the whole sponsorship during the election, it would've been worse. People forget public support was overwhelmingly behind a Chretien retirement, in the 2000 election, Liberals campaigned on the fact that Martin was next, and this was Chretien's last go around.

Also his whole "activist agenda" only came out his last year+, when he had already been forced to announced his retirement and had nothing to lose, we didn't hear anything about decrim or gay marriage the first 8 years of the mandate, he had nothing to lose so he becomes all balls.

I'd say he had the biggest case of polka-roo kahuna's on record.

Kung, I agree JC is a master politician, and highly intelligent - but I assume you're kidding if you're luading his speaking skills...haha...

In reference to last night, just listen to how many Premiers, many from opposing parties, and who have served for years under Chretien, talk about a new era or new style.....proofs in the puddin'...

[Alexis]

zero, i'm not denying he's a good politician and can masterfully spin anything into politically correct banter off the cuff, that's what makes him so good, BUT that doesn't make him a good leader.

[zero]

I agree and disagree with your last two points Hux and Lex. It will be funny when you and I end up in the ring together Hux. We should switch up and work each others campaigns for a day, just go with the cut off sleeved tshirt and we'll be unmistakeable.

I truly believe Chretien was a good leader. He defines many of the ineffable attributes of leadership. Hux your read of Martin shepharding through the health package is quite valid and the same thought struck me as I watched the coverage. Chretien was 'wearing' far too much at that point and it wasn't limited to the sponsorship scandal. Although this hand picking of candidates and strongarming that Martin is involved in is not suiting the Party in the least and he's gonna wear that for a while I am sure. I'm curious what the backbenchers really think of him and not just Carolyn Parrish.

As to Chretien suddenly growing balls I really think you're way off though. His last year was obviously about the legacy but I thought it legitimate and only possible if he wasn't worried about repercussions. As someone personally affected by marijuana prohibition I took his unabashed decrim package to be one of my last chances and I really doubt that much is going to advance that way on this watch. Interesting though to see the difference of opinions. I still think my candidate will kick your candidate's ass though- come on he's got kung and zero on his team.