Day-after media coverage of Chretien’s testimony before Gomery;
“…golfballs …. took out golfballs … golfballs … signed golfballs … Clinton’s golfballs … Bush’s golfballs … law firm golfballs … golfballs… “
Now, I ask you – if a commercial artist in the middle of rural Saskatchewan can spot a an intentional ploy to divert media attention from the denial, the obfuscation, the excuse making that passed for testimony from Chretien at the Adscam inquiry, why did every media outlet in the country fall for it?
Legitimate reporting would have ignored the made-for-tv stunt. Competent editorial review would have discarded that portion for more relevant testimony. Intelligent journalists would have recognized that Chretien wasn’t playing Gomery – he was playing the media as fools. And today, they look like fools, fawning over his cleverness, his craftiness, his successful attempt to one-up Justice Gomery.
Not one of them – not a single one – stopped chuckling long enough to ask whether it’s a wise tactic to attempt to embarrass and humiliate the judge who will be ruling on your involvement in a $100 million theft of public funds – and who may yet have the last laugh.
Your post below this has the title, “The Science of Evil”.
Ironic?
Chretien personified “The Science of Evil” at the Gomery Inquiry. Let him burn.
Canadians must rise above this evil; Canadians shall rise above this evil.
It would be interesting to know if the people who supplied all of the golf balls Jean displayed during his testimony paid $83 apiece for theirs, too.
Chretien was loved by the Canadian media because he hated the US. Simple, non.
Your post below is named “The Science of Evil”.
This science was on display yesterday at the Gomery Inquiry.
Not every media person was fooled:
“And, whenever anyone dared to lift a voice against them, of crude attacks and smears, whether in the determined attempt to destroy Francois Beaudoin, the president of the BDC, or the vile little whisper campaign against the Auditor-General, or the current all-out assault on the Gomery inquiry. Mr. Chr�tien’s smirking appearance, with its calculated displays of contempt for the judge, was of a piece.”
Andrew Coyne, National Post, Feb 9, 2005
I could only get through the opening statement before nausea overwhelmed me, but it was enough to get a whiff of the defense: “There may have been mistakes but we saved the country”. Leaving aside the assumption it was worth saving in the first place, has anybody told Dubya “the end justifies the means” is now an acceptable defense to offer up to the progressives less than enamored with his little escapade in Iraq? And did JC at any point offer up that, having claimed credit for all the warm and cuddly unity the sponsorship program engendered, he was now willing to accept responsibility for cretinous (pun intended) criminal acts of his subordinates and confidantes? Didn’t think so.
“Not every media person was fooled”
No, but most were. For example, in the same paper as Coyne, John Ivison on pg.8, played the nail to Kate’s hammer and was hit square on the head with comments such as “Chretien’s dip into his golfing goodie bag was the hole-in-one that rescued the day for the former prime minister.”
Kate, I think embarrassing Gomery WAS the point of his testimony.
The report will be what it is (damning in parts, at the very least). Kinsella and friends didn’t really have a bias beef that they could sell before; now they do, even though they created it themselves.
Someone that knows Harper must be reading this, feel free to tell him this is your idea.
Search 1)Price the US. and the others payed for there balls .
and 2) The fact that they’re not bought out of a secret f’n slush fund from their old college room mate.
I don’t know why you’re jumping on the media over this. It was a brilliant bit of political gamesmanship…and every commentary I’ve seen and heard has pointed out that it was gamesmanship, and that it was designed to distract from the rest of the issue…and then described the rest of the testimony.
Maybe you’re just no paying close enough attention…
“Not one of them – not a single one – stopped chuckling long enough to ask whether it’s a wise tactic to attempt to embarrass and humiliate the judge who will be ruling on your involvement in a $100 million theft of public funds – and who may yet have the last laugh.”
C’mon, Kate, do you think Da Boss cares one whit what Gomery will ultimately rule? I’ve watched enough Ally McBeal to know a lawyer like Cretin isn’t likely to consider “mock the judge” to be a trial strategy likely to succeed. Therefore, the only explanation for his clever little golf ball trick is because he has nothing but contempt for the whole inquiry (either that, or he wasn’t close enough to Gomery to strangle him or he couldn’t convince Aline to hit him with a statue).
You know the sickening thing – they could haul half his PMO off in leg irons after all the sleaze is finally revealed and the Lieberals still won’t come close to losing a seat in GTO (but of course Belinda will because of all the homophobes in the CPC). I don’t think there’s any doubt as to who will have the last laugh.
They don’t fall for it, but the media have no interest in exposing the corruption.They are as one with the Liberals, and it’s professional suicide to rip T’Jean.Rule of law and respect for judicial process is for chumps, and the media are too sophisticated for that game that only the rubes care about.These shitheads have to look at themselves everyday, and after a lifetime of being Liberal pooperscoopers, will have to wonder…was it worth it? They are corrupt to their very marrow, and all that keeps them in line is the grasping hand of personal ambition and the tempting target of a greasy pole.
At least with a hooker, you know the score and no one’s fooling anyone else.
Gamesmanship is a parlour trick, to amuse jaded watchers who have become decadent and contemptuous of law and ethics.What’s there to be proud of, when it’s spinning for a bunch of political theatre critics? Christ, that’s what Bill Clinton did for 8 years.There is nothing admirable about the display put on by Crouton.
Way to go Howie! Who needs hockey when we’ve got hnic Howie.
As I explained before, the whole point of the recusal application was to embarrass the Judge. Yesterday Chretien showed his contempt for authority. His lawyer, David Scott, should be ashamed of himself for orchestrating the golf ball charade. One thing for sure – if the golf ball is Chretien’s there’s no relationship between the number of times it was stroked and the score marked on the card.
I can’t believe they finished with him in one day. Is he scheduled to testify again? How many days was Dash Domi on the stand in the Bellamy inquiry?
So much for Liberal respect for the rule of law. They respect only power. I have said since he became Prime Minister that Chretien is the most cynical man in Canada. He’s proved me right again. Yes, he even beats out you, Kinsella, but just barely.
Terry Gain, Lawyer
This is how it works in Quebec, this is how he ran the country. With a smirk. This is the little guy who hid by the bed while his wife was prepared to take on the burglar. Does he really think he’s a winner? Sure must do because look at all the money he’s worth. Started with nothing, wow. Every Canadian boy’s dream. Be Prime Minister and make money!!
He was so puffy and full of himself,the arrogance should have been comical.
He is now like Joe Clark a walking characture of himself.
One day of questioning, no hard questions, he was pompous and disrespectful because he knows he’s untouchable.
I got the feeling I was watching OJ try on the glove.
Our government is a racket run by mobsters .
We’re too busy waiting by the maibox for our cheque to notice.
Who is really the Little Godfather Chretien or Galiano??
Is the whole golf ball issue foolish yet disruptive, is it all appropriate or not? Why did he not pay for the golf balls out of his own budget and not the sponsorship budget?–if he wants to give out $44.00 golf balls pay for it himself.
Was there not another politician that paid out of funds not his own and got charged with fraud, or is my memory fuzzy?
If Gomery had had his wits about him, he would have reminded Chretien to be sure to return those balls to Mulroney when he was done with them….
“I don’t know why you’re jumping on the media over this. It was a brilliant bit of political gamesmanship…”
Sure, if you’re six years old. Come on now… It was an immature gimmick. I can already see clips of Chretien fondling his golf balls turn up in a beer commercial.
When Chretien took the stand …er, his seat, Justice Gomery should have apologized to Chretien for his inappropriate remarks. Chretien would not then have dared to engage in the contemptuous and contemptible theatrics, which so impressed our clueless left wing media.
Alas, rather than advising the commissioner, I am a lawyer beavering away on more prosaic matters in the backwaters of Ontario. Damn.
I’ll put your rural SASK. intuition up against anyone’s.
Don,t be so quick to dismiss your sense that something smells about this lot. Being from rural MB. I can attest to the commonsense of the typical
prairie inhabitant.
Vive le Quebec libre, vive le Canada ouest libre.