Well it had to happen sooner or later.
Today’s news conference on the Hill that saw Stockwell Day sparring with reporters who eventually accused him of “not making any sense” on crime data and the census, is telling. Has the Ottawa press gallery finally turned on the government?
The Harper government should take solace in the fact that it happens to all governments eventually- some sooner than others. And five and half years is a respectable honeymoon by any measure.
But once it does, it’s so hard to right the ship.
I had the honor of working on Mr. Chretien’s tour in the 2000 election when the media turned on then reform party leader Stockwell Day. Whether it was man mingling with dinosaurs, the water flowing the wrong way (sorry Tim), or announcing his tough on crime platform the day Stats Can put out the quarterly crime stats showing a 20 year low-Day just couldn’t do anything right in the eyes of the media.
The shoe was on the other foot in the 2005 election for the Liberals when the gallery just grew tired of all Paul Martin’s fundamental priorites and started to paint him as a spent force.
The 5th estate are still a powerful influence in Canadian politics, despite the proliferation of voices via digital media. And when they feel you’re trying to dupe them, man, they will turn on you in a heartbeat.
I think Mr. Day felt that this afternoon. It will be interesting to see if this is a trend or a one-day wonder.
Because this much is true: for all the talk about strategy, fundraising and war-rooms; having the media gunning for you is way more of a threat. Like Napoleon in Russia, you can’t win fighting a war on two fronts.
