Ezra Levant Dispatched to Defend Kenney
You can be fairly sure that we have hit a nerve for Conservatives by exposing Jason Kenney's double standard. Proof of that comes in a dispatch by Western Standard editor, Ezra Levant, who's defense of Kenney is lame and actually kind of funny. The following defence was posted August 26th, 2006 on the Shotgun Blog:
Liberal counter-attack on Kenney
I have to disagree with conservatives for giving ink to the pretend news story about Jason Kenney's five-minute, off-the-cuff speech at a rally on the Hill that turned out to be organized by a terrorist front.
The differences between this and the Borys Wrzesnewskyj situation are so obvious, it's absurd that the conservative blogosphere has treated it as anything more than the transparent distraction that it is.
Wrzesnewskyj deliberately travelled to Lebanon; he deliberately met with Hezbollah; he deliberately called for negotiations with them; and he deliberately called for their legalization (though he later recanted, under great pressure). This was a thoughtful act on his part, over a long period of time. It wasn't a gaffe or a mis-step or an accident. It was really him.
Kenney, by contrast, popped by a rally on Parliament Hill between meetings, and gave his boilerplate speech on freeing Iran. That the rally was actually organized by a terrorist front, unbeknownst to Kenney, is embarrassing only in that it is a snafu. But that's the point: it's a snafu, not a thoughtful, pre-meditated act on the part of Kenney. It's clearly not his policy to support Iranian terrorists.
Kenney never endorsed the group; never mentioned its name (he didn't know it was behind the rally); he never called for dialogue with it, nor for its legalization. When informed of the identity of the rally organizers, he immediately repudiated them.
There is no comparison here whatsoever. Wrzesnewskyj engaged in a thoughtful, meaningful, planned, sustained moral apology for terrorists. Kenney was tricked into speaking somewhere -- though he still delivered his party line.
I'm rather embarrassed that I've just given this subject so much time, but it's to point out the absurdity that much of the conservative blogosphere has treated this as anything more than the obvious attempt to shift attention off of Wrzesnewskyj. It's akin to treating Joe Volpe credibly when he complained that our Libranos poster was anti-Italian. Uh, nice try, but the public wasn't so easily distracted from Adscam.
Isn't this obviously a desperate attempt to change the subject by a Liberal party clearly at war with itself over foreign affairs?
Posted by Ezra Levant on August 26, 2006
Ezra said "Kenney never endorsed the group; never mentioned its name (he didn't know it was behind the rally); he never called for dialogue with it, nor for its legalization. When informed of the identity of the rally organizers, he immediately repudiated them."
A number of Canadians think it quite unfortunate that the Rt Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada has such a bumbling, fumbling, inept Parliamentary Secretary ... Get real ... Jason Kenney is so worried about trying to save his job that he has to get the big tory guns to try and blow smoke you know where.
The double standard here is glaring. The Lib and NDP MP's merely suggested that talks occur with a terrorist organization. Kenney actually DID what he accused his opponents of merely suggesting. To even defend him, sir, validates a double standard.
Posted by
leftdog |
12:48 am, August 27, 2006
Funny, I think a few of us who caught wind of this first are Dippers, yet Levant says its a 'Liberal' ploy.
What a tool.
Posted by
Mike |
10:04 am, August 27, 2006
Ezra is like a 2 speed blender: 1) he is a master at minimization for things that the tories need to quickly get around. 2) he is a master of 'spin' - when he gets going it is like watching a top spin and spin and spin.
The Kenney thing hurt the tories - Ezra would not have come out in his defense if they were not trying to get Kenney off the hook.
The main stream media has been very disappointing in this whole thing. BUT wait for the first few Question Periods when the House reconvenes - Kenney is such a chicken shi@ that he will likely dodge the first couple of days.
Posted by
leftdog |
10:27 am, August 27, 2006
Rick Mercer on Jason Kenney:
"I love Jason. The honorable member from Calgary Southeast is the Conservative bright light that likes to point out that gays are allowed to get married; as long as they get married to members of the opposite sex! Stupid and talking, my favorite combination in a politician. Needless to say, when Jason Kenney opens his mouth, I listen."
Rick Mercer's Blog
June 21, 2005
Posted by
leftdog |
8:31 pm, August 28, 2006