Spector versus Stronach

Once a respected political commentator who still may have the ear of (un)biased and (un)critical readers and observers of the passing scene in the Nation's Capital and elsewhere in Canada, Norman Spector has gone a long, long way to superannuating himself out of the public sphere of political comment. It's truly a shame, but the man has given himself away. He may always have been a lout, but who knew? We read his informed analyses of political events and nodded in agreement or disagreement depending upon one's political orientation and personal take on the event at discussion, but that's past, not present.

At present we see and hear a crotchety old geezer who, in his heart of hearts just cannot get past gender politics. Women, according to Norman Spector should be seen and not heard; and come to think of it seen in the boudoir or at the opera on the arm of some sugar Daddy. Women like Belinda Stronach should heed the voice and conscience and political savvy of men they are attached to. Belinda Stronach had ample opportunity to listen to her Daddy, and she decided nonetheless, the wayward wench, to go her own way.

Another opportunity was presented to this ungrateful wretch, in her much-storied alliance with Conservative Peter McKay, when she was herself a member of that party - oops, that should be the New Conservative Party's Peter McKay. He was elected to the post of leader of the Progressive Conservative Party when in his wisdom he accepted integration with the Alliance/Reform party to give birth to the New Conservative Party. Got that? The New Conservative Party is not the Conservative Party of old. But not to disparage it entirely (how tangential can you get!) for it, and its leader are certainly leading Canada in a manner we deserve.

Back to Belinda: she decided, Jezebel that she is, that she was not a New Conservative at heart, but rather a Liberal, a party whose platforms and ethos more clearly resembled her own. And at a critical time in that party's then-state of governance, and her own private love life, she made a difficult and many would comment, peculiar decision to aid and assist the former and dump the latter. Which has enraged Mr. Spector beyond endurance, poor man.

When he stated on Vancouver radio that Belinda Stronach was a bitch, he knew whereof he spoke, this man of supreme analytical skills and unavowed misogyny. To quote the man:

"Bitch was an appropriate description because he was using a precise word in the English language to characterize the treacherous behaviour that she showed, and that kind of treachery should be known by the Canadian people who she wants to govern as the prime minister of Canada."

Got that? A woman who feels she knows her own mind and prefers to make her own decisions rather than to relegate herself to appendage status of a man and barnacle herself to his decisions is a bitch, clear and simple. A lot of woman might not think too highly of Belinda Stronach's values and decision-making abilities but they will have ample opportunity to indicate how and what they think of her at the ballot box. Men too, for that matter. But to flaunt such nomenclature?

It must be contagious. I feel a slur coming on. Norman Spector, in my considered opinion, is nothing less, alas, nothing more than a sadly frustrated and obviously troubled has-been. Give the man a well-deserved rest and remove him from the public sphere.