More Martin Slagging

[bcholmes]

So once again, I think the latest Ottawa trope in regard to Martin is a bit behind the times. In 2003 everyone said he'd be a star even though everyone knew he was rarely particularly impressive. This weekend everyone's calling him a disappointment. I think the real point is that the Canadian voter market has discounted Paul Martin. He no longer disappoints because it has been most of a year since Canadians expected anything in particular from him. He plainly doesn't understand that -- he's still living in a Boys' Own rocket-ship adventure of the mind -- but Canadians have also discounted his utter lack of self-knowledge. As long as he doesn't screw the big things up -- budget balance, a reasonable level of public service, manageable danger on the Quebec secession front -- nobody is in any hurry to see the back of him.

-- Paul Wells at Macleans