Conservative blogs have been all over the Saskatoon kerfuffle between liberal Chris Axworthy and Conservative incumbent Maurice Vellacott.
I take mild exception to a statement by Paul Wells from McLean’s magazine. He plays the story straight and responds to Chris Axworthy’s apology and speculation with this:
Because the campaign offices of trailing candidates tend to be so empty in the week before an election that anyone can just stroll in and do some freelance smear work. That’s plausible.
Thing is, it is plausible. When you cover a national campaign and follow the leaders, hitting a local campaign office is like a sports event, a celebrity walkabout or a sale. It’s packed. People are spilling out of the doors. For an hour or two. Local reporters and citizens know campaign offices can get very quiet.
I’ve stood in a campaign office for 15 minutes being the only none worker in there. No one has paid me any mind.
The tape of the all candidates meeting in Saskatoon-Wanuskewin has been released to the media, as has the text of the call. An affidavit has been released on a conservative blog. It is plausible Axworthy workers were glued to the TV set Tuesday, watching the debate while someone used the phone.
Liberal, Conservative, CHP, NDP, Green, undecided.
A lot of things are plausible and possible. Maurice Vellacott didn’t make his move until yesterday. That makes a fair bit of buzz plausible and possible.
Without the findings of a proper investigation anyone can speculate.
People in Saskachewan are being told by the Conservative party who they believe made the call.
That’s politics.
By the time investigators confirm the caller’s identity, and possible charges are laid, the election will be over.
That’s life.
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I have worked on campaigns. There is ALWAYS someone manning the front entrance. If there is no one in the room, they lock the doors.
I have also listened to Liberals talk about these kinds of the things being said about Vellacott in the city. When I heard what the question was, I realized it was a Axworthy supporter. I just can’t believe they were so stupid to use the campaign office phone.
The problem is not everybody knows who all the volunteers are. Yes there is usually someone at the front and usually paying attention but they aren’t a guard asking people to sign in. I’ve walked in and out of a campaign office to fix email problems not knowing anyone there and nobody stopped me.
I’m not saying someone snuck in and did this. Axworthy acknowledged it could have been a supporter. I think that is probably more likely.
Well gentlemen it is your riding and you have the political experience as candidates and workers. I’ve merely covered politicans. Jordon, I’m sorry, it has not been my personal experience that all campaign offices are not zealously guarded, I have no reason to disbelieve your experience.
What Paul Wells said is true. It’s plausible. Several scenarios are possible. It’s probable the liberal named by conservatives in his zeal assisted in derailing his candidates campaign.
In the absense of the rest of the facts, forgive me for not drawing final conclusions as yet.:^)
Now that I’ve heard the audio of the call I’m very sure it wasn’t a mole planted in the organization.
Thanks Jordon, thanks LT.
Since it is your local riding and it is a story that became national I think it was wise of Shaw Cable to release the information to local media.
I think it is prudent for bloggers of any political stripe to speak up, especially local bloggers following campaigns.
I appreciate your comments very much.
The local and national media did not fail - any candidate can have people work for them that do not believe they have to operate within acceptable legal and societal boundaries.