Conservative Leadership Debate: Who's the Next Premier of Alberta?

[Kipper is King]

I just watched the leader's debate on Global.

It was interesting. Up untill an hour ago, I was a jim dinning supporter.

I thought he had the best plan for education: now I think you can stick a fork in dinning- he is done like dinner! (very punny, eh? )

Jim Dinning rambled on and on. At some points he was incoherant, and he did not directly reply to any question asked of him. He was very nervous and very unprepared for a crucial debate. Even though Dinning lead after the first ballot, this debate has virtually crushed him. He made a mess of the sheets!

Ted Morton looked alright. But he is super right-wing. I disagree that privatization of healthcare will solve Alberta's healthcare problems. If you are a doctor fresh out of med school, you are not going to help "Joe Average" in the public system, you will go where the most money is. Hence, the majority of Albertans will lose access to quality healthcare with privatization.Ted Morton scares me.

Ed Stelmach looked confident. I think he won the debate by a mile, and I like his plans for municipalities. I am not sure yet, but I think Stelmach earned my vote. I need to research his policies a little more though, before I put the "x" on my ballot.

What do others think?

[Azure]

I certainly wouldn't have a problem if Stelmach won. He does look confident...

But I want Morton to win simply because people hate him..and I feel Alberta needs a hated man to run our province.

[Kipper is King]

Originally Posted by Azure

I certainly wouldn't have a problem if Stelmach won. He does look confident...

But I want Morton to win simply because people hate him..and I feel Alberta needs a hated man to run our province.

They already had one! His name was Ralph Klien. He abused homeless people, got **** drunk, and let our hospitals and schools fall into de-kline!

[flamingchina]

Originally Posted by Kipper is King

I just watched the leader's debate on Global.

It was interesting. Up untill an hour ago, I was a jim dinning supporter.

I thought he had the best plan for education: now I think you can stick a fork in dinning- he is done like dinner! (very punny, eh? )

Jim Dinning rambled on and on. At some points he was incoherant, and he did not directly reply to any question asked of him. He was very nervous and very unprepared for a crucial debate. Even though Dinning lead after the first ballot, this debate has virtually crushed him. He made a mess of the sheets!

Dinning's been like that the whole time. I've never heard a claer answer from that man.
Already voted, since i won't be in the city on saturday.
I definetly did not vote for dinning... consider that Anne Mclennan is supporting him...

[Reggie Dunlop]

Evil evil evil....

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Azure

But I want Morton to win simply because people hate him..and I feel Alberta needs a hated man to run our province.

Why?

[The Goon]

I find it odd that the party can continue to sell memberships in the week between the first and second ballots.

[Thunderball]

I thought Morton ran away with this debate, frankly.

He landed a few zingers (maybe not knockout blows, but they were pretty good), and really took the edge off of his so-called extremism. Like he said, he wrote that "accursed" report with Harper, and 70% of Albertans seem to be pretty cool with him... plus Ontario and Quebec are doing the same thing.

Dinning really looked unconvincing at a time where he really needed to look like a winner. He needed to prove he was more than a flash in the pan that people rode the bandwagon on.

I wonder, if its Premier Ted on Sunday, how many of these dissenting MLAs either resign, or do some serious damage control. Not that losing Gary Mar is a serious loss.

Stelmach was average, and that's all he needed to be. A consensus #2 candidate, and a potential to slide on in. Seems very sincere, but seemed to lack a coherent plan of action pertaining to municipality money, aside from, it'll be there.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Why?

Call it Alberta mentality.

My belief anyway...Klein wasn't very well-liked...and look at what he did for Alberta.

Sure the last few years haven't been such a high point for him...but you can't deny what he accomplished.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Azure

I certainly wouldn't have a problem if Stelmach won. He does look confident...

But I want Morton to win simply because people hate him..and I feel Alberta needs a hated man to run our province.

That's one of the worst reasons I've ever heard to vote for anyone. Come on, atleast tell me you believe in his platform or something, then atleast it would be understandable. But to vote for a guy just because you want your leader to be seen as some sort of rebel, or to **** people off? That's just lame.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Table 5

That's one of the worst reasons I've ever heard to vote for anyone. Come on, atleast tell me you believe in his platform or something, then atleast it would be understandable. But to vote for a guy just because you want your leader to be seen as some sort of rebel, or to **** people off? That's just lame.

Of course I agree with the majority of his platform...except for bringing up the same-sex marriage issue again.

Being hated by so many just puts the icing on the cake.

[Table 5]

I'm still confused as why you want somebody to be hated, and why it makes you so happy? It's not like being hated automatically makes someone some kind of rebel or underdog who is just going to show everybody wrong.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I'm still confused as why you want somebody to be hated, and why it makes you so happy? It's not like being hated automatically makes someone some kind of rebel or underdog who is just going to show everybody wrong.

Again...was Klein well-liked?

Maybe 'hated' is a strong word...someone that is not well-liked might be a bit better.

I want someone who holds himself accountable to the people of Alberta...not to external interests.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Azure

Again...was Klein well-liked?

Maybe 'hated' is a strong word...someone that is not well-liked might be a bit better.

I want someone who holds himself accountable to the people of Alberta...not to external interests.

Yeah, but people perception of Klein's was an off-shoot of what he did, not a direct reason for Alberta's success. Just because somebody is not liked, doesnt mean they are in the right. I mean with that sort of logic, we might as well vote in a Mussolini.

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I'm still confused as why you want somebody to be hated, and why it makes you so happy? It's not like being hated automatically makes someone some kind of rebel or underdog who is just going to show everybody wrong.

Agreed... plenty of people hate Dinning, why not vote for him?

[Table 5]

I'm going to write in for Rob Anders. There's nobody I hate more, so he must be the right man for the job.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by fotze

or just vote for Ted Morton.

touche.

[Rockin' Flames]

Originally Posted by Kipper is King

Jim Dinning rambled on and on. At some points he was incoherant, and he did not directly reply to any question asked of him. He was very nervous and very unprepared for a crucial debate. Even though Dinning lead after the first ballot, this debate has virtually crushed him. He made a mess of the sheets!

Ted Morton looked alright. But he is super right-wing. I disagree that privatization of healthcare will solve Alberta's healthcare problems. If you are a doctor fresh out of med school, you are not going to help "Joe Average" in the public system, you will go where the most money is. Hence, the majority of Albertans will lose access to quality healthcare with privatization.Ted Morton scares me.

Ed Stelmach looked confident. I think he won the debate by a mile, and I like his plans for municipalities. I am not sure yet, but I think Stelmach earned my vote. I need to research his policies a little more though, before I put the "x" on my ballot.

What do others think?

I thought that Dinning is just a little too slick. He doesn't make me want to trust him and I even question if he is a real conservative. When news comes out that he donated to Paul Martins leadership campaign, gets an endorsement from a left leaning Mayor of Edmonton (Mandel), and finally gets endorsed by former Liberal Deputy PM Anne McLellan it just seems to confirm that he really is a Liberal.

Stelmach actually made a fairly good impression on me tonight. He doesn't seem to really seem comfortable in a public speaking sort of roll and is kind of awkward but is definately better than Dinning.

Finally I think Morton actually helped himself out tonight. He was able to explain his platform a little more and that when it comes right down to it he isn't going to behave like king Ralph. Instead he won't enforce his platform on people but will be driven by the grassroots members, which I find very important.

This just solidified my thoughts already that my #1 vote goes to Morton and #2 goes to Stelmach.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

Agreed... plenty of people hate Dinning, why not vote for him?

Doesn't he seem like the original shoe-in though?

Months back many people were saying how Dinning was going to run away with the leadership race. At that time I figured he was a good candidate.

[Agamemnon]

Originally Posted by Azure

Doesn't he seem like the original shoe-in though?

Months back many people were saying how Dinning was going to run away with the leadership race. At that time I figured he was a good candidate.

I've heard as many people slag Dinning as Morton, especially on this website. I don't see Dinning as a shoe-in right now, and the polls last weekend certainly didn't show him as the 'for certain' next Premier. If you want to vote for someone who is hated, I don't see why Morton takes the cake over Dinning. They're both hated by the other's supporters. I don't see Mortan as the outright underdog at this moment, I think all 3 have a very real shot at winning.