[Rerun]

Originally Posted by octothorp

But the problem is that the party has largely glossed over their rank-and-file candidates and instead chosen to focus entirely on their leader. So when an issue like this pops up, we, as a voting public, lack the perspective to say where the rest of the party fits. All we've really heard from in the media are the leader and the nutters. Maybe that's in part the fault of the media, but it's something that they could have definitely prepared for and addressed.
I felt from the beginning that the Wildrose needed to focus on themselves as a team, give us some star candidates outside of Smith so we'd feel comfortable with the government and cabinet that they'd create.
This whole incident confirms something that a lot of people suspected all along: that there are a few nutters in the WRA. Like you say, not a shock, and every party has a couple. I think a lot of people were prepared to vote for them despite that, given an apparently very strong leader. But if the leader isn't strong enough to stand up when someone says something really offensive, then it magnifies all those concerns that a lot of people might have been willing to overlook. It does raise the question of where the balance of power within the party lies.

I made up my mind a while ago who I was going to vote for. But I was talking to my parents this week. They're highly christian, rural, lifelong conservative voters. They had made the decision to vote for the WRA this time around, and now have switched back to the conservatives in the last couple days as a result of these comments and the lack of response to them from Smith. I'm sure they're not alone in that... the question is how many people will be making the same decision.

All good points. IMO she should have come down harder on those candidates who made the stupid comments... but she's new and she's in the front end of the learning curve. Give her time and give her the benefit of a doubt. She'll do better with time.