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EDITORIAL: Politics not for faint of heart

In a tooth-and-nail battle to win, being nice not enough

This weekB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s decision by entertainer, champion fundraiser and would-be member of parliament, Maria Manna, to step down as Liberal candidate for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford may have been for the best.

The fact she appeared to be in way over her head in a recent debate in Langford on sustainability and environmental issues may have been the first clue that something was coming.

She did her best to respond to well thought-out questions from the crowd at Our Lady of the Rosary Church hall, but more often than not was forced to ever-so-politely tell them that she didnB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™t have an answer, but would do more research and get back to them.

ItB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s unfortunate that someone with a positive track record in doing what sheB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s good at accepted a position that she really had no business taking on. SheB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s too nice. Which is not a bad thing when youB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™re working in a social environment like the entertainment industry or doing charity work.

But in the often messy game of politics, being nice B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·“ and maybe a little naive B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·“ isnB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™t the first box the parties tick off when reviewing someoneB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s potential candidacy.

Whether MannaB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s two-year-old Facebook posts ultimately did her in: the ones in which she rejected the official story that two jet planes brought down the twin towers in New York City on 9-11 B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·“ dug up and used as the centrepiece for a pair of news stories last weekend B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·“ we donB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™t know at this point.

We donB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™t think sheB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s crazy for questioning that story; lots of people have their doubts about what went on that day.

Are such views enough to punt a candidate? For the three largest political parties, the leaders of which are in a tooth-and-nail battle to win the countryB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s respect, confidence and votes, they very well may be.

But it wonB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™t surprise us either if Manna tells us one day that she just couldnB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™t stomach the level of scrutiny that comes with running for federal office for a major party.

Replacement candidate Luke Krayenhoff, unsuccessful in winning the Liberal nomination next door in the Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke riding, could well make it a three-way race in Cowichan-Malahat-Langford.

If that happens, then MannaB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s decision was probably the right one, for all concerned.





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