Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Returning the Favor?



What others are suggesting, not myself ;):

Andrew Mitrovica, a journalism instructor at Sheridan College, near Toronto, says that agreement raises questions about Duffy's political leanings in the past. Mitrovica, a former investigative reporter for the Globe and Mail, said Duffy should have turned down the offer.

"Mike Duffy and I are friends. We've exchanged e-mails on a number of issues. But I feel Mr. Duffy has made a terrible choice here, a terrible choice," he said.

Stephen Ward, a former political reporter who later went on to head the Centre for Journalism Ethics at the University of B.C., said he believes journalists have a right to accept Senate appointments. However, he added Monday's events will prompt valid questions about the relationships both journalists had prior to their appointment.

"Did one, or both of them, [act] nicely to the sitting prime minister or to the Conservatives to be favoured with this appointment?" he said. "It's a legitimate public issue. I don't think Mr. Duffy was hanging around Mr. Harper looking for a Senate appointment. But I do think people wonder."

Christopher Waddell, a journalism professor at Ottawa's Carleton University, says the timing of the offer is an important piece of the puzzle.

"It's always the same thing, which is when were you approached and how much time were you seriously considering it and what were you doing during that period when you were seriously considering another job offer," he said.

National Post editorial:
'Long-time CTV Parliament Hill journalist Mike Duffy is an exceptional selection"

3 comments:

WesternGrit said...

Anyone who saw Duff hanging around (on?) Liberal big-wigs during the 04 and 05 Conventions knows he was always digging for an appointment. He has been about that all along.

I distinctly recall some senior Liberal sources indicating, "ah... he's just digging for an appointment".

We're talking about the Mike Duffy - who after "what seemed like an obvious few" at the bar of the Westin Hotel in Ottawa had his hands literally all over the "Liberal firmament", or so to speak. He was "one of the gang", with several senior Liberals. Spent the entire evening there (so did we), and was quite obviously currying favor with the Martin team - he said so much. I'm sure he doesn't remember much about that evening, but others certainly do... I also know there are photos... somewhere (I recall them being taken). Would be interesting to see some of the pics now... Especially a couple of them.

Duff was pretty keen on being a "buddy", it was clearly pointed out by comments, and by his actions.

This guy is a "friend" of whoever he perceives in power. It is a quite shameful, and mocks journalistic integrity. Give it a year or two, with a change in Government, and watch him come bouncing back by supporting some Liberal votes in the Senate. Mark my words.

Sean Cummings said...

Senate appointments matter to only three classes of people in Canada: pundits, partisans/bloggers, and a large swath of Westerners.

Westerners care about the Senate because they know we’re never going to have the kind of political clout that Ontario and Quebec have due to Central Canada’s larger share of the population, so the triple-e Senate has long been seen as a method of balancing the perceived power imbalance.

Pundits care about the Senate because it’s something they can dissect, discuss and ultimately, ponitificate about what’s right or wrong with the institution as opposed to, you know, running for office and putting their amazing ideas into workable legislation to solve all of Canada’s ills.

Partisans and bloggers care about the Senate because, depending on which side of the partisan fence you’re standing, you can either cheer the eighteen appointments or say that Harper broke yet another promise. That he’s a liar. That he’s got a hidden agenda. That he’s got “666″ tattooed on the back of his head somewhere. Insert partisan snipe here…

Being that I’m non-partisan, I tend to look at the Senate less as a function of our parliamentary democracy and more of an extention of the Prime Minister’s Office. Am I bothered that Mike Duffy was appointed? You bet! I love Mike Duffy and CTV is going to have a helluva time replacing him. I disagree with some opinion columns that are questioning the nature of the relationship between the media and politicians including some that are questioning whether Mike Duffy was a truly unbiased journalist in all his years covering Ottawa. Here’s what I know: I’ve read blogs that accuse Mike Duffy, CTV, hell, the Ottawa Press Gallery for that matter as being pro-Liberal, anti-Liberal, pro-Tory, anti-tory, for years and years. Those complaints generally come about when your party (be it, Liberal, Tory or Dipper) is getting some shitty press coverage more often than not because of some dipshit policy or worse, a scandal your party got itself into and now has the audacity to complain about being exposed for the scandal your party frikin’ created!

It is with some measure of amusement that I am reading Liberal bloggers and commentators trying to slam Harper for “abandoning his base” or for “breaking yet another promise”.

Give me a frikin’ break! Look, voters who are actually paying attention to this are sophisticated enough to know that all political leaders break promises: it’s what they frikin’ do for shit sake! It doesn’t matter whether that leader is a Tory or a Liberal - they all break a promise, usually for political expediency, neccessity or more often than not, for political advantage. With this in mind, kindly shut up about it because nobody is going to punish Harper, and nobody gives a rat’s ass! His base will be there come the next election: why? Because his base ain’t made up of Liberals and Dippers!

I will say this much: it is beyond hypocritical for Liberals (and their supporters) to slam Harper for making the appointments all the while refusing to address the reason he waited three years to appoint Senators. For clarification: you don’t support Senate reform and now you’re pointing your finger at Harper and saying… what? That he’s an asshole because he’s acting just like YOU guys when your party is in power: the Prime Minister of Canada is appointing Senators! Stop the presses because, holy shit, it’s business as usual in Ottawa!

Cripes, what a country, eh?

To quote sage Kinsella:

"Journalists are entitled to have views; they are entitled to receive appointments, too. Anyone who suggests otherwise is just being partisan, or conspiracy theorist, or both.

Again, to my Liberal friends: get over your CTV fixation. It doesn't help your leader, your party, or yourselves"

Steve V said...

"It is with some measure of amusement "

Well, I guess amusement is better than what I feel when I half read your tripe, BOREDOM. Who cares Lumpy.