Aug. 3, 2003 - At the finish: Brass knuckles

My, how things have changed. With the vote now little more than a day away, the campaign is taking on a different complexion. And it's not a pleasant one. Everything is on the line. There's no time for any party to tweak the strategy – that passed long ago. Now, with the last of the undecided voters making up their minds in the campaign's final hours, the level of anxiety and subterfuge has been ratcheted up. The parties feel they are virtually tied and so this is no time for half measures.  Full Story>>

July 30, 2003 - Sticking to the playbook

If there is one thing that all three parties in this election campaign shared, it was a determination to stick to their game plans from Day One straight through to E-Day. Of course it’s also fair to say they shared a slavering desire to win power, but that is a given. The point is that when it comes to election strategy, ask any Liberal, Tory or NDPer and they will tell you it is of absolute paramount importance to stick to the strategy, to stay “on-message” and never, ever abandon the game plan. Which makes a statement Tory Leader John Hamm made on Wednesday all the more noteworthy.  Full Story>>

July 28, 2003 - The CBC Poll, Part 2

What’s the most beautiful word in the English Language? James Joyce thought it was “cuspidor” for some odd Irish novelist reason. Writer Dorothy Parker opted for two: “cheque enclosed.” Students at Mississippi State University suggest, under M, “masterful,” “mellifluous” and “melancholy.”  Full Story>>

July 23, 2003 - The Debate

It was a jolly crowd of Tories that wandered into the Economy Shoe Shop Tuesday night after the televised leaders debate. A handful of party strategists and campaign workers were there for a few jars and to impart some final spin on how they perceived the debate, and their guy’s role in it. Full Story>>

July 21, 2003 - Minority rights

So what happens if the pollsters are right and the election on Aug. 5 produces some kind of three-way stalemate between the parties? What happens if the voters of Nova Scotia exercise their absolute right to elect a minority government?  Full Story>>

July 17, 2003 - The numbers game

Bruce Wark called this week to tell me I don’t know squat about polling. The esteemed writer/broadcaster/professor could have added that I know the same amount - diddly - about physics, gardening and fashion but he was too kind for that. Full Story>>

July 14, 2003 - The changing reality of Nova Scotia

So it’s a dead heat. The brand-new CBC-Herald poll suggests the Conservatives and Liberals are currently tied in voter support at 34 per cent, with the NDP a very strong third with 26 per cent support. It’s still only early in the campaign, but what does it mean? Full Story>>

July 10, 2003 - Inside the leaders' debate

Debate: “a contention by words or arguments.” The dictionary makes it sounds pretty simple. But in political terms, debates are more than mere contention. Debates in the TV age often become enduring moments of change, momentum-shifting events that change the course of elections. Full Story>>

July 7, 2003 - Summertime and the living was easy

To most of us, summer is a glorious waste. The sun is out, the beaches are warm, the beer is cold. This time of year, Nova Scotia is an enchanted place where the hardships of winter are forgotten, the gardens and golf courses are in all their verdant splendour, the family comes home to visit from away and we’re all quite happy to while away the hours in contented oblivion. Full Story>>