Ottawa

Unapologetic punk rocker meets reformed Iraq war supporter

CBC ran George Stromboulopoulos’ interview with Michael Ignatieff last night at about 15 minutes. They probably could’ve gone twice that and not suffered any. Half a dozen questions that should be asked of the new Liberal leader, George’s insistence on making Ignatieff sit there and consider the tragic arc of Bob Rae’s recent political career, and Ignatieff having to answer whether he would’ve sent Canadian soldiers to Iraq with George twice using the word “judgment.”

Probably a better test of Ignatieff than either of his last two appearances in the national press theatre. And strangely, at the same time, probably a better performance from the Liberal leader than in either of those two showings.

Only disappointing in that Ignatieff didn’t handle the Iraq question with the obvious rejoinder: “I may have been a prominent and influential endorser of the war in Iraq, but how do you, Mr. Strombo, reconcile your early support and ultimate responsibility for the musical career of Simple Plan?”

Ignatieff on The Hour. Part 1. Part 2.

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