Bob Rae to end bid for Liberal leadership: CTV

[Praxius]

Liberal leadership candidates Michael Ignatieff, left, and Bob Rae speak following a caucus meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Monday, Dec. 1, 2008.

CTV.ca | Bob Rae to end bid for Liberal leadership: CTV

Bob Rae has told his supporters in a conference call Tuesday that he will end his bid for the Liberal leadership, CTV News has learned.

CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife confirmed Tuesday that Rae will not challenge frontrunner Michael Ignatieff -- virtually ensuring that Ignatieff will become Liberal leader.

On Monday, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion announced he would step down as soon as his successor is picked.

Rae is expected to formally confirm his withdrawal from the race at a press conference at 3 p.m. ET in Ottawa.

Rae's pullout comes just hours after the federal Liberal Party announced it was widening the consultation process for choosing an interim leader.

In a three-hour conference call Monday night, the 25-member Liberal national executive decided not to solely rely on the recommendation of the party's 77 MPs and 58 senators -- which experts say would have favoured Ignatieff over Rae.

Instead, the national executive said a decision would be made in collaboration with more than 800 Liberals, including riding presidents, defeated candidates and the presidents of the party's students', women's, seniors' and aboriginal clubs.

In a press release late Monday, Liberal Party President Doug Ferguson said an interim leader was expected to be chosen as early as Dec. 17, 2008.

The Liberals want to have a new leader in place before the end of the year, so they can prepare for a possible showdown with the Tories in Parliament early next year.

If the Liberal-NDP coalition votes down the Tory budget, which will be tabled on Jan. 27, the Tories would be toppled and Canadians could get a new government or another election.

Ignatieff received an additional boost Monday when Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc ended his leadership bid and threw his support behind the Etobicoke-Lakeshore MP.

Speaking to CTV's Canada AM on Tuesday, LeBlanc said Ignatieff is the consensus candidate.

"He's the best person to bring the party together at this point and he's the best person to then go on and defeat Stephen Harper in a general election," LeBlanc said.

Rae had been pushing for the consultation process to be expanded even further so that all party members across the country can have a say.

Yeah so wtf what the point in all his feet stomping?

Iggy was the deputy leader of the Liberals, technically the position should have gone to him by default, it seems a greater majority support Iggy over Rae, and yet Rae went on a rant for the last week or so about everybody should have a say on who the leader is in order to have a fair chance at winning the leader position himself.....

...... he get's that and then he pulls out..... so what's the point in getting feedback from 800 people when the only real option available now is Iggy?

See that's one thing that made me actually have some respect for Iggy.... in the last leader election thing they had, every other candidate pulled out of the race and supported Dion, including Rae..... Dion, a guy who was in like 4th or 5th place at the time..... the only person who didn't was Iggy who wanted to play out the vote and see who everybody wanted, until it was just Iggy and Dion left and everybody else wanted him to pull out, look unified and support Dion, and thus, he eventually did.....

In my books, Iggy seems like the only person in the party that has been somewhat consistant, clear to understand and about as straight forward as you're gonna get for a politician.

But anyways, it looks like Iggy Pop will be the next leader of the Libs.

 

[Risus]

Rae will hold a press conference at 1:00 eastern time

 

[JLM]

That's too bad, Rae was the least undesirable of the two remaining.

 

[Vanni Fucci]

That's too bad, Rae was the least undesirable of the two remaining.

Heh...I think with Iggy at the helm, we're going to Harper's numbers drop, as the bluer libs and redder tories are going to be jumping Harper's sinking ship...

I'm not a big fan of Iggy, as I think he's way too conservative on some points...but I'll live with it for now, and in this political atmosphere, I think he'll do quite well in taking Harper to task...

Good times baby!

 

[Colpy]

Heh...I think with Iggy at the helm, we're going to Harper's numbers drop, as the bluer libs and redder tories are going to be jumping Harper's sinking ship...

I'm not a big fan of Iggy, as I think he's way too conservative on some points...but I'll live with it for now, and in this political atmosphere, I think he'll do quite well in taking Harper to task...

Good times baby!

Very possible.....although Saint Ignatieff has some problems on the horizon....like what to do about the Dead Carcass of the Coalition? It stinks......should it be hauled away, or should he try to resurrect it?

Then there is that little matter about his approval of the War in Iraq.....hmmmmm. Seems everyone was on Harper for his stance.....does Saint Ignatieff have Papal Dispensation? Has he Confessed, and done penance?

We'll see how he deals with a Conservative Party that gets 4 times the donations of the liberals..... (4.5 million compared to 17 million dollara last year) and has less than one quarter of the members.....and is just climbing out of bed (we hope) with the Seeratists......a liason in which the Liberals have been thoroughly phuked.

We'll see.

I kinda get the feeling from Ignatieff...."I've come down from the upper class to mend your rotten ways"

 

[GreenFish66]

Very selfless act on the part of BoB to support Iggy......This shows solidarity on the liberals part..Now All liberals should stand behind their leader in support!....Bob, you and Mr.Dion are always welcome to run with the N.D.G(New Democratic Green party)...Or spit off ..1 go to N.D.P....other can help the greens get a seat..Don't matter which party you choose.Both members would be a much needed addition to either party ...Just stop stepn on laytons toes!.He is a solid leader ,despite the couple of holes worn in his socks!...

 

[Praxius]

Very possible.....although Saint Ignatieff has some problems on the horizon....like what to do about the Dead Carcass of the Coalition? It stinks......should it be hauled away, or should he try to resurrect it?

The biggest issue with the Coalition was Dion being the leader.... he's now been booted as predicted, so that's no longer an issue.

And the whole thing about the Bloc and them being a part of the coalition or wanting to seperate was never an issue and still isn't an issue, esspecially when one looks at the voting results from last night, where the Liberals won out and the Bloc simply got opposition. If they wanted to really seperate or if the Bloc actually thought they had a chance at making it happen, chances are, they would have won a majority, but didn't.

So there's not a whole lot supporting the claim that the coalition is dead at present, as the two main issues against it are no longer an issue (one of which never was an issue)

Then there is that little matter about his approval of the War in Iraq.....hmmmmm. Seems everyone was on Harper for his stance.....does Saint Ignatieff have Papal Dispensation? Has he Confessed, and done penance?

The example of Harper was about Harper's hypocracy and the plagiarism of Australia's PM's speech. When Iggy get's to that point where I see him copy someone else's speech and/or attempts to deny his approval of the Iraq war (You can't go back and change the past) then I may have to agree with you on this matter.

As it stands, I'm not his biggest fan, and him being the leader of the Liberals isn't going to make me switch my vote to them.... but he's a certain improvement for the Liberals and I feel he may end up doing more good then harm for the party, compared to Dion.

We'll see how he deals with a Conservative Party that gets 4 times the donations of the liberals..... (4.5 million compared to 17 million dollara last year) and has less than one quarter of the members.....and is just climbing out of bed (we hope) with the Seeratists......a liason in which the Liberals have been thoroughly phuked.

So because the Conservatives get more money and more members in the party, they somehow can't do wrong? What does any of the above have to do with anything, let alone justify your explinations on how he's basically flawed to the point of sucking?

We'll see.

I kinda get the feeling from Ignatieff...."I've come down from the upper class to mend your rotten ways"

So another Harper?

No wait, Harper is more of a "I've come down from the Upper Class to take your money and pass it around to the rest of my Upper Class buddies."

 

[Socrates the Greek]

The Con song goes like this, Nothing from Nothing is Nothing, you got to have Nothing if you want to be with me, and I will make sure you have nothing after you finish with me.....

 

[Socrates the Greek]

Very selfless act on the part of BoB to support Iggy......This shows solidarity on the liberals part..Now All liberals should stand behind their leader in support!....Bob, you and Mr.Dion are always welcome to run with the N.D.G(New Democratic Green party)...Or spit off ..1 go to N.D.P....other can help the greens get a seat..Don't matter which party you choose.Both members would be a much needed addition to either party ...Just stop stepn on laytons toes!.He is a solid leader ,despite the couple of holes worn in his socks!...

Great day to you G.F, yes Bob is a class act, smiles soliderety, and a great friend to Eggy.

 

[Risus]

The old guard liberals didn't want rae, for good reason. The libs opted for iggy for good reason. He will abandon the coalition and work with the Conservatives.

 

[Colpy]

Praxius said

So because the Conservatives get more money and more members in the party, they somehow can't do wrong? What does any of the above have to do with anything, let alone justify your explinations on how he's basically flawed to the point of sucking?

No, that statement at least was not meant to be a criticism......just pointing out that he is going to have a tough time reviving the Liberal Party

 

[Colpy]

Just watched the NDP Finance critic telling Don Newman that the coalition was alive and well, that they are going to defeat the Harper gov't at the earliest opportunity, and that the GG will constitutionally have no choice but to offer the chance to govern to the Coalition.

Positive proof of the vast capacity of the left for self-delusion.

 

[Socrates the Greek]

The old guard liberals didn't want rae, for good reason. The libs opted for iggy for good reason. He will abandon the coalition and work with the Conservatives.

Good day, good one Risus, and the next step will be Eggy will cross the floor and lead the Conservatives..hahahahahahahah..:roll:. Are you OK man? even the devil wants nothing to do with the cheating Harper Cons. If Harper doesn’t fall after the end of January, keep in mind that he is still on minority territory while Eggy will play along and within a year and a half the Harper Government will be like a ship with ruined sails, and Eggy will step in to rescue Canada from a bad Captain Cook Harper....

 

[Risus]

Good day, good one Risus, and the next step will be Eggy will cross the floor and lead the Conservatives..hahahahahahahah..:roll:. Are you OK man? even the devil wants nothing to do with the cheating Harper Cons. If Harper doesn’t fall after the end of January, keep in mind that he is still on minority territory while Eggy will play along and within a year and a half the Harper Government will be like a ship with ruined sails, and Eggy will step in to rescue Canada from a bad Captain Cook Harper....

soc, you are smoking your wacky tobaccy.....

 

[einmensch]

As Premier of Ontario, Bob Rae opened and altered contracts for a number of Provincial Unions,Federations--. He betrayed alarge portion of his electorate. From NDP to Liberal-a man with true convictions- In a very small meeting I shook his hand-his comment to me was-"Remember us at the poles" My reply, "We will." He betrayed us after elected. I resigned my position for Simcoe county-the man I admired in the early days

 

[Nuggler]

I have no idea how Iggy is going to play out, but I remember Rae, and, with all the baggage he carries, glad he decided not to carry on.

We get the kind of government we vote for. Except in this case.8O