What did I tell you – ‘Shawnisms’

First Lisa Hrabluk in the Telegraph-Journal and now just a couple of days later Kathy Kaufield writes an entire article in the paper on the ‘village idiot’ – Shawn Graham. Now, remember from my previous blog on this that I don’t actually think Mr. Graham is a village idiot – I just think that once the media stereotypes you in this way – good luck – they will hammer this moniker every time they can.

I can just hear it now: “Graham says ‘flush out an issue’ instead of ‘flesh out an issue’.” “Would be Premier says ‘systematic’ instead of ‘systemic’ in key speech.” “Liberal leaders spells potato with an ‘e’.”

It shouldn’t be about articulation, folks. It should be about policy. It should be about leadership. It should be about the people. But in a media saturated culture that is cynical about political leaders – any excuse to dislike someone is thrown into the mix.

So to our village idiot, I say to remember Daulton McGinty. Or Jean Cretien. Or King Ralph.

And as for the Telegraph-Journal, don’t forget the old adage about people in glass houses. This is the front page of your Web page today:

NB Telegraph-Journal Politics July 5, 2005
Federal Tories top Libertals in battle for political donations

Opps. Shawn Graham must be writing your headlines…..