National Post: Inner-circle exodus spells trouble for Tories

[tuvor]

Don Martin, National Post
Published: Tuesday, February 10, 2009

When the Prime Minister's Office starts hemorrhaging senior staff with proven loyalty, something is amiss.

Then again, as Freud allegedly noted, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

But strange things are happening in Prime Minister Stephen Harper's close-knit office. A senior advisor and at least one strategist are moving on, which has some Conservative observers concerned about internal morale and questioning the operation's top official.

MPs confide there's a darkening mood in the big guy himself, hardly surprising given the stormy economic challenge Mr. Harper faces. One source says there was a blowup between a furious Prime Minister and key players last week. And PMO chief of staff Guy Giorno is now plotting the second major internal shuffle in eight months.

What does all this mean? Search me. But some who orbit just outside Mr. Harper's innermost circle speculate that a Conservative party with no heir apparent could lose its leader before the next election.

...

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1274822

[CHIMO]

1. Could Be

Where there is smoke...

PM, Flaherty sending mixed messages on stimulus: Ignatieff

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his finance minister need to get their stories straight on the planned stimulus package, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff charged on Monday.

He was referring to Harper’s comment Friday in New Brunswick — in response to Canada shedding 129,000 jobs in January — that the federal government must “stick to the course” outlined in the stimulus plan, estimated at $40 billion over two years.

Ignatieff pointed out that Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has said the government may be willing to do more in the future.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/02/09/ignatieff-jobs.html

And digging into my Crystal ball, it seems the Peter has become a bit more confident in his stance. I don't think that it is his dog that gives him the confidence.

Maybe. Just maybe, Harper blew it with the masters. But then who are the masters?

How can smiling eyes still control everything? How can/could others control it?

I am lost at this point.

But keep watching at the things that we see to understand what is happening behind the scene.

Flaherty/Harris and Peter/smiling eyes.

Who knows. Maybe Harper rolled the dice?

[daleo]

2. Who will last longer?

Harper or the National Post?

[Clintonista2]

3. Don't count Harper out

A cornered animal is twice as dangerous.

[daleo]

4. You've got a point

Though my comment was really a shot at the National Post, which is quite possibly headed for bankruptcy in the near future.