THE CONSERVATIVE HIPSTERS

Being Friday, I had a number of fun things to talk about, but I will spend a second weighing in on a little "controversy" (if you could call it that) going on in the Conservative quarters of the blogosphere.

A few days ago, a story in the Globe and Mail on the OLO bloodletting contained a quote from Carol Jamieson, who was identified as a "Conservative Organizer". Here's the passage:

"Those who have been fired "are either people who are dissenting about what Harper is doing or they are former Progressive Conservatives," said Carol Jamieson, a party organizer in Toronto."

Okay. So a number of bloggers, particularly Stephen Taylor and Angry in the Great White North tore into Ms. Jamieson. Apparently, they were tipped off that she was not even a member of the CPC and they responded as most would to someone claiming to speak for an organization they didn't even belong to.

To make a long story short, Ms. Jamieson proved she was, in fact, a CPC member in good standing. Now, both bloggers are tripping over themsleves to offer up apologies to all and sunder. Angry is even going so far as to muse that this "incident" might be the end of his blog.

Give me a break.

The truth of the matter is, while they were off on the membership aspect, they were both dead right on the other things. Before I go through those things, I will acknowledge two points: 1) Yes, Ms. Jamieson has every right to say what she wants. 2) I know Carol and I find her a fine person to deal with. She has been with the Party (well, the PC Party, anyway) a lot longer than I have. I respect that.

That being said......

1. Dissing the Leader in public is uncool. I don't care if you don't like Harper; the Party succeeds if the Leader succeeds. It seems to be a Tory trait that I would just as soon get rid of. Ms. Jamieson isn't the only offender, but she's the topic right now. If Ms. Jamieson is so proud of being a member of the Party, she should stop airing her beefs in public. No "I" in "team" and all that.
2. She's NOT an official. But the article sure does make it seem that way. To the general public, Globe scribe Gloria Galloway made it seem like one of the key players in Toronto is crapping on Harper. If you weren't up to speed, you are safe to think Ms. Jamieson is on the payroll. Neither is true, as much as Ms. Jamieson clearly would like to think so (based on her response to Angry).
3. She was on Ezra's campaign. You know Ezra, don't you? The transvestite who ran a joke campaign for the leadership of the Alliance. Ms. Jamieson was an advisor to him/her. I know all's fair in love and war, but for that alone, her comments should always be treated as suspect and certainly shouldn't be taken as official.

Angry's article in particular spent most of the time debunking the fact that she wasn't an insider or an organizer for the party, which is absolutely true. She migth have organized in the past, she might sit on the her local EDA, but the story erroneously implies she has an official organizational role with the CPC. Party member or not, to imply that she is a "party organizer" is a stretch at best, dead wrong at worst.

In any event, my message to both these guys is this: this ain't Rathergate. While I respect both of you for your rigid standards for accuracy, Ms. Jamieson is hardly worth the self-flaggellation you both have displaying in recent days.

The fact of the matter is Ms. Jamieson has been publicly disloyal to the Leader and has allowed herself to be presented in the media as something she is not. Yeah, you missed the mark on the membership thing, but member or not, does that make her immune to the rest of the facts you brought up?

In my mind, absolutely not.

If Carol doesn't like the heat, she should stop commenting to the press. Funny, I don't see that happening. Sure she has the right to say it, but don't be surprised when your targets return fire.

Of course, it would just be a little more impactful if the grenades being tossed were actually true. But she doesn't get off the hook on all the rest of it.

So guys, lets take the rope from around our necks, shall we? We don't need martyrs.

Keep up the good work. And it is good work.