Belinda's Launch

Roy McGregor January 21 in the Globe on Belinda Stronach:

‘Oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear.
"Paris Hilton has as good a chance of becoming prime minister as she has." "Bay Street pie --thin crust. She can't cut it." "All sizzle, no steak." "It would be embarrassing to see her on the world stage speaking." "She doesn't have the depth to do it." "She dropped the ball." "I never thought I'd say this -- but she makes Stephen Harper look pretty good."
All the above are not, believe me, the snide shots of a bitter columnist, but the comments of ordinary listeners to Belinda Stronach's very first media interview on her quest to become leader of the Conservative Party.
It was a disaster. For 20 minutes, on a day so cold even the streetlights froze, the young mother who would be prime minister appeared on Winnipeg radio station CJOB's popular "Adler On Line" and performed in such a manner that the kindest thing station workers could say of her when it was over was that they felt "sad" for her.
It was indeed a sad performance. She had the air of someone who has been so overhandled that she has no idea who she herself is or what she thinks. The result was that she came across as, sorry to have to say this, not very bright.”

On Saturday January 24 in its story on the Ipsos-Reid poll the Globe quoted Darrell Bricker of Ipsos-Reid:

Mr. Bricker said Canadians at least appear ready to take a look at Ms. Stronach. "Belinda Stronach seems to have had as good a launch as one could possibly have to start," he said, but added that most of the good reviews are sparked, so far, by little more than curiosity.
"It's basically buzz, but it's a good place to start," he said.

A good launch? An amazing comment, simply amazing.