Liberal Race: Rae of light or Death-Rae?

OK. My political nap is over. From cookies to candidates...

Seems like Bobby Rae (I don't think he minds if I call him Bobby) is being touted as a potential candidate to lead the federal Liberal Party (link). That's right, the opposition Liberal Party. (I don't mean anything by that word stress, I just haven't ever had the opportunity to write that. That felt, um, different.)

"To test the appetite for his candidacy, Rae is being urged to declare that he is considering throwing his hat in the ring and then go on a cross-country tour to talk to party members."

I guess it's not that big a deal that Rae is thinking of switching sides. He hasn't technically been an NDPer since 1998 and last time I saw him he was working with Mike Harris at the Goodmans law firm in Toronto. Considering Rae's proposals for post-secondary educations--i.e., let students pay more, tuitions go up--I'm not entirely surprised.

I don't doubt that he's a smart man. He's a lawyer, Rhodes scholar, etc. Which sets the stage for quite a battle for the liberal leadership against, well, I don't really know at this point, but chances are at least one other smart man will be involved: Michael Ignatieff (Kyle, I'm sure you're salivating at the prospect of debating Ignatieff's merits).

To begin the debate on the Liberal leadership, which I'm sure will last forever as the Grits try to steal the limelight from "Harper and the Hounds" (I just coined that, props to me), I'd just like to inform everyone that a personal story might develop if Rae and Ignatieff plan on running against eachother.

See, Bobby and Mikey were roommates in university, I believe at Oxford (though they first met at U of T). I can see it now, the leadership debate to beat all leadership debates:

Ignatieff: Hence, therefore, ergo (insert Harvard word here) Bobby is a schmuk. I made out with his girlfriend during Frosh.
Rae: Mike is an ass. He never cleaned the dishes. Would you vote for an ass?

If I had a PVR, I'd be setting it up right now. But I don't. So the above will have to do.

posted by G E @ 3:02 p.m.