Revolutionary Moderation

Year in review - if by "year", you mean the last week and a bit

Mike "Keep 'em laughing" Klander. The name strikes hilarity in the hearts of none. Well, laughing at, perhaps. He compared Olivia Chow to a Chow Chow dog. Get it? Get it? Stephen Taylor has a nice collection of Klanderisms from the blog before it came down. He also way overestimates the importance of this guy. An executive vice president of the provincial wing of a federal party is no one. I bet you couldn't name me one other, for any party, off the top of your head, unless you're deeply involved in that party. There are some candidates I won't give a prominence of two, so this guy sure doesn't get one. Some in the comments have argued that his resignation was a big splash, but again, he only became prominent because of the gaffe. His pre-gaffe prominence was essentially zero, though a (prom)0 wouldn't produce much of a score. The error in judgment, though, was really dumb and high profile, and was made worse by being committed to print instead of muttered at a meeting. (Prom)1 x (Sig)3 = three for the Liberals.

I find it much harder to judge David Emerson's alleged "boiled dog's head smile" comment, though. Should Cantonese insults be judged by Cantonese cultural norms? Even if the comment was made by a European, about a European, in English? (I'm told, for instance, that "chicken thief" is pretty derogatory. If I had a dollar for every time someone called me "chicken thief" at a poker table, in what I suspect is Cantonese... well, in fact I do, because it's when I've just taken down a pot with a bet. I have several dollars for each occasion. I digress.) The fact that this wasn't even a comment made publicly, but was an aside to a party operative who in turn blogged it, clinches it. I should have listed this one with the other blanks on Thursday. No score. Maybe some points for David Emerson knowing what a boiled dog's head looks like. Call me culturally relativistic, but eww.

Finally, Oakville Liberal riding association president Elie Betito telling a constituent to take her "gun-loving ass" back to the US. A nobody, a quick resignation. 1x1=1.

Did I miss any? I think I got them all. But I'm sure my alert readers will let me know if I've missed a personal favourite. And I have yet to check my gaffe report e-mail, so I might find another jewel or two yet. Scores above and summary below will be updated later today.