Adroit, salubrious, phlegmatic…hell yeah!

I laughed really hard watching Rick Mercer Report last night. It was one of the funniest of his shows in recent memory. There were several overt jabs at Canadian politics and politicians. Check out the recaps here.

One spot entitled “Ignatieff – Man of the People” lampooned Liberal leadership candidate Michael Ignatieff. The skit was a mock television campaign ad plugging Mr. Ignatieff’s bid to become the next leader of the Liberal Party of Canada (LPC). The ad played on the candidate’s career as an academic; it was another jab at Ignatieff’s supposed intellect. I’m not going to explain it any further – watch it yourself.

Now, I don’t doubt that Michael Ignatieff is a capable politician, but I have gone on record questioning his political acumen. Iggy fumbled his way into the last election as a star-candidate for the Liberals in Etobicoke. He was courted by party insiders to join the Canadian political scene. That’s the way things are done, but they may have pushed him into the limelight prematurely.

It is no secret that some former John Manley supporters and a handful of other party stalwarts are orchestrating his ascension within the LPC. The list of his supporters is growing. Since Belinda Stronach announced that she would not be running for the LPC crown, Iggy’s resources within the party have deepened. Arguably, his team is now the best in the race. They are well organized and well funded. The question is – can they pull it off? Can they make him a saleable politician?

Iggy may be book smart, but I wonder if that characteristic can be translated (spun) into political capital. He might be a hit with some segments of the Liberal party. He might be a hit with some segments of the Toronto chattering classes. But can LPC rainmakers turn Iggy into a candidate who is marketable beyond his already-established support base?

The biggest obstacle to their success, without a doubt, is Iggy’s academic baggage. As a Harvard professor, he has commented, in writing, on several contentious and political topics. His opinions are going to follow him like stink. It doesn’t matter what he said; his statements will polarize voters.

It is going to be a Herculean task for Iggy’s communications team to develop a strategy that will deflect criticisms of his academic writing. He has to define himself before his opponents do. His team will have to put his politics in context without saying too much – without sounding academic (without even using the word academic). Voters don’t do academic. They will have to convince folks like Rick Mercer that there are more compelling reasons to pay attention to Michael Ignatieff other than to call him an egghead.

Iggy’s public campaign will be watched closely. There are more folks like me, who watch politics for a living, waiting for it to implode than are waiting for it to take flight. Still, there is a growing expectation that something has to happen – too many egos are on the line for things to stand still. And when you’re dealing with the Liberal Party of Canada, egotistical ambition is what makes the machine turn.

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This post was written by alevo.