WAP Leadership race down to two...

[FireFly]

Hey all,

I know some of you are following this, so I thought I'd let you know that tonight during the closing statements, Jeff Willerton dropped out of the Wildrose Alliance leadership race. It's now down to two candidates; Mark Dyrholm and Danielle Smith.

I encourage all of you who are fed up with the way the PCs are running the province to join and vote in the leadership race. It is important for the party that we elect a leader whom all Albertans will feel confident in, and will vote for in the next general election. The leadership forum was video taped tonight and will be posted on our website later, though you can listen to audio from the Edmonton forum already at www.wildrosealliance.ca.

To view the candidates platforms, visit their websites.

www.markdyrholm.ca
www.daniellesmith.ca


It was an awesome turnout tonight... the room held 300 people and it was packed to standing room only. There were at least 400 people there.


*edit* just checked the links and apparently Danielle's website is down at the moment... hopefully they get that fixed soon. Check back.

[FanIn80]

Helpful tip to any geeks who stumble into his thread...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireles...ation_Protocol is not the topic of discussion.

[FireFly]

Wildrose
Alliance
Party

Everyone says WRA, but that would mean wild and rose are separate, and we are not a separatist party!

[FanIn80]

Oh. Good thinking.

[HPLovecraft]

Is this party anything like the CBC TV show? Because if it is, I'm in!

[EddyBeers]

Too bad about Willerton, I really liked his straight talk

http://www.willertonforpremier.com/

I'm not a separatist, but like most Albertans I am anti-liberal, and frankly I believe we should go to the polls to reconsider our options in Confederation - each and every time a Liberal government is elected or reelected in Ottawa. We can't tell people how to vote, but if the east insists on having a Liberal government they need to know they might have it all to themselves at the end of the day. Again, my objective is not to break up Canada

Oh well, I guess I have to hope for Dyrholm, he has Craig Chandler as his strategy/coalition outreach. How Dyrholm could lose is beyond me, Chandler is a light to the world, as he so aptly states on his website

http://www.craigchandler.ca/

Listening to Craig Chandler is like taking a drink of water through a fire house and there is no denying his hard hitting truthful show is because of talent on loan from God.

To go against Chandler seems to be almost sacrilegious

[Kjesse]

While I'm glad its down to 2, the only thing Willerton might have done was cause the party to become further marginalized. He isn't fit to be a candidate for MLA let alone the leader of the party. But hey, Google him and make up your own mind.

I suspect he succumbed to moral suasion from the WAP membership who convinced him his involvement would stunt the party's growth in the midst of their current success. I have no facts to back that up, of course. And I didn't hear his reasons, I'll check that out later. Regardless, having followed his politics over the years I would be surprised if his ego let him quit on his own.

So now its down to Dyrholm or Smith. And Dyrholm has Chandler directing his steps. Bleh. (Did I mention I can't stand Chandler... he is the largest long term liability affecting the party, though he might benefit them in the short term.)

Dyrholm would make a good MLA-- he's a small businessman with solid conservative views, which the party needs... and his religious views are fine, as long as there aren't too many just like him in the caucus... diversity is important.

At the same time, his Reform Party message is 15 plus years old. Though still applicable in some situations, he just rides it too hard in his platform.

Smith as leader will propel this party to a higher ground. Dyrholm as leader, with Chandler behind him, will bury it. Dyrholm on his own would do well without Chandler on a strategic level, though you can't deny Chandler has solid operational experience and knows how to GOTV.

All my humble opinion, of course.

[starseed]

This would concern me if it is true:
http://bigcitylib.blogspot.com/2009/...port-mark.html

[Kjesse]

Originally Posted by starseed

This would concern me if it is true:
http://bigcitylib.blogspot.com/2009/...port-mark.html

First Lady's husband, Cory Morgan, is also a higher-up in the WAP, and is a 'former' member of one of the separatist parties. I think he even ran in an election under a separatist banner, but I might be wrong on that. I think he has recently renounced separatism. I'm not so sure I believe him. I believe First Lady is a federalist first, and I think she is quite genuine.

All that being said, the separatists will all support the WAP candidates closest to them in ideology, and I wouldn't read too much into the separatists supporting Dyrholm. He is running on a Reform platform, and there were plenty of separatists there too in the early 90's.

If the WAP grows, their fringe will have less influence.

EDIT: *Sigh*... I re-read starseed's link and just realized that link was a post from David Crutcher.... he and Chandler go way back...its so sad to see these types of people supporting the WAP and trying to gain influence. They need to be weeded out. All the more reason to support Smith. If Dyrholm becomes leader Chandler and his buddy Crutcher will have serious influence, which means, the PC's will rule without a serious second party challenger.

FURTHER EDIT: Do a search to see what Chandler and Crutcher did in Ontario last year when Chandler's father's ethanol plant (or some other type of gas plant) was challenged by the municipality... I'll post more specifics later... but they reportedly acted like thugs and I think the end result was Chandler hurt his own father more than he helped him.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by starseed

This would concern me if it is true:
http://bigcitylib.blogspot.com/2009/...port-mark.html

All the more reason to support Danielle Smith.

During the forum last night, I was asking myself why Willerton was even bothering. Of the three candidates, he was the least prepared, the least thoughtful, and as he admitted himself, the worst public speaker by far. He was so nervous trying to talk to the crowd that he wasn't even able to think of answers for several questions, literally saying he couldn't answer a question because he was too nervous.

The only thing he managed to say with any confidence was his promise to hold a separation referendum within 6 months of the election of any Liberal government federally. That didn't resonate at all with the crowd, and I doubt Willerton's more extreme views will help Dryholm at all.

If I were to have any doubts before, Willerton's support of Dryholm cemented my support for Smith. Alberta does need a legitimate alternative, and Dryholm isn't it. I'd say that was the overwhelming sentiment of the crowd too, as she was given a standing ovation both when she opened and wrapped up her closing speech.

[REDVAN]

I'm considering a membership... because this is a party that could really stand up for my political position.

I'm not against separatism, but iff and only if there is a damn good reason (ie/ Quebec and ONtario being ######s).

[mykalberta]

I personally am pulling for smith.

A debate with her and unsteady Eddy would have more comedy than a Friday night Comedy Central.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by EddyBeers

Oh well, I guess I have to hope for Dyrholm,

Yes, because God forbid that Smith wins and the WAP can provide an effective voice against the conservatives.

I wonder how the response would be if a bunch of us would buy Liberal Party of Alberta memberships and try to disrupt the voting process so we can screw over all the Liberal supporters.

[Bobblehead]

Interesting blog about the previous leadership meeting.
http://daveberta.blogspot.com/2009/0...hanger-in.html

The opinions on the leaders he has seem to correspond with what has already been written in this thread.

A strong pro-life social conservative and former PC organizer, Dyrholm strikes me as the kind of person who would excel as an organizer for the right-wing party, but as leader would not increase its appeal much beyond its already loyal base.

Describing "the slimy Liberal tentacles" of "the rotten octopus of the Liberal Party of Canada," Willerton took the position that if elected Premier he would hold a province-wide referendum on separation within six months of each time the Liberals form government in Ottawa. He was adamant that he wasn't a separatist, but was convinced that this would send a message to the Liberals (I'm still unclear on what kind of message that would be).

Danielle Smith largely steered clear of the expected right-wing sophism, and offered a more nuanced and articulate vision of where she would lead the Wildrose Alliance. While she appears to have mastered the art of talking points, she spoke passionately of building a big tent conservative party, the need to look beyond out borders to fix the problems with health care and poverty, and her values as a libertarian and fiscal conservative.

[Azure]

Danielle Smith largely steered clear of the expected right-wing sophism, and offered a more nuanced and articulate vision of where she would lead the Wildrose Alliance. While she appears to have mastered the art of talking points, she spoke passionately of building a big tent conservative party, the need to look beyond out borders to fix the problems with health care and poverty, and her values as a libertarian and fiscal conservative.

No wonder there are people here on CP that want Dyrholm to win. Smith scares them because she makes sense. Unlike any candidate the Liberals had running for leadership.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Azure

No wonder there are people here on CP that want Dyrholm to win. Smith scares them because she makes sense. Unlike any candidate the Liberals had running for leadership.

HAHAHAHAHA

They have a chance if Smith wins, no chance with the other guy IMO. Smith gives them exactly what they need, someone who has plausible deniability from some of the more extreme-right-whackish policies.

The choice for them IMO isnt that of leadership, its future.

If they eventually want to govern they will choose Smith. If they are ok with being a fringe party with no more than 10 seats and little or no chance in the cities then they will choose the other guy.

I agree with the 2 above poster, he seems like a great organizer type. Smth isnt the best leadership candidate, but she is a great transitional leader.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Wildrose
Alliance
Party

Everyone says WRA, but that would mean wild and rose are separate, and we are not a separatist party!

While you are correct, anyone searching for information about your party using "WAP" will need to search through years of articles about the wireless protocol.

WRA you will only need to beat the Wildlife Rescue Association and the Wisconsin Realtors Association.

[Azure]

I guess I should have said no wonder some of the 'Liberal' supporters on here want Dyrholm to win. Smith scares them because she is the voice none of the Liberal candidates could ever be.

I like her more and more everytime I read about her.

She's pro-choice and pro-universal health care. Go figure. Some right wing loon.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by starseed

This would concern me if it is true:
http://bigcitylib.blogspot.com/2009/...port-mark.html

Why do they always leave out the part about having a standing army? Or were they thinking about enforcing Alberta's sovereignty via finger wagging and tongue lashings?

[EddyBeers]

Originally Posted by Azure

I guess I should have said no wonder some of the 'Liberal' supporters on here want Dyrholm to win. Smith scares them because she is the voice none of the Liberal candidates could ever be.

I like her more and more everytime I read about her.

She's pro-choice and pro-universal health care. Go figure. Some right wing loon.

I guess you missed the dripping sarcasm in my post (unless you actually think that I believe that Chandler is like drinking from a fire hose and that he has talent on loan from god). I actually think Smith would be the best option for the Liberals, she could present vote split opportunities that would open a number of seats to them.