labradore's wjm has also been known to tackle the factually dubious comments of individuals, including reporters on subjects of interest to the province. Odds are he's right and the quibbles he raises are only sometimes trivial.
If David Cochrane actually claimed - as wjm says - that Danny Williams was neutral in the last federal election, then Cochrane would have to be officially classed as out-to-lunch. Progressive Conservative members of legislature would not have dared campaign openly for Connie candidates if Danny Williams himself disapproved.
Danny Williams himself would not have actually invented commitments from Stephen Harper if he was not actively involved in the federal election campaign.
If a claim is made, odds are that wjm will challenge it. Incidentally, CTV's Bob Fife is a fact checker's nightmare, but oddly wjm hasn't set his sites on that guy yet.
But to return to the main story, wjm is especially adept at spotting the numerous planted callers organized by the premier's office to spread the official partisan position of the moment on the issue of the moment. He's named most of them who call regularly. He's noted their odd habit lately of stating that "it's not like they get told what to say from the premier's office", or words to that effect.
Kinda like saying "It's not about Danny" two or three times on a subject that pretty much is all about Danny.
Roger Grime's is quoted in news media? A raft of callers will turn up saying "I don't know how he can gave the gall to stick him head up...".
Like dandelions after a good rain, they will pop up all saying exactly the same thing. People who don't normally call will suddenly be spouting obscure references to something that happened in the House of Assembly during a late-night sitting (not broadcast) in 1993.
Really odd stuff that even politcal junkies like your humble e-scribbler long ago forgot. But someone claiming to be a house-frau from Humber will be able to cite chapter and verse from a cabinet meeting minutes.
or they'll just repeat Standard Anti-Grimes Position Number 6. it's like they are little japanese soldiers deserted on some island, destined to carry out their last order unti, they pass out or are killed by a falling cocoanut.
And that's what some of it is like. A Marx Brothers movie.
Bizarre stuff, really, but it gets on the air. Most often at VOCM, but increasingly the planted callers - Progrsssive Conservative and Liberal - are turning up at CBC. Easy know there's an election coming up in October: the bulls**t is already so deep you need something by bodyglove to get through it without getting an infection
So if you want a convenient spotter's guide to the politcal flaura and fauna of Newfoundland and Labrador, check out WJM's labradore.
Here's a question to start your search through the local political jungle: what newspaper columnist, author and former Tory candidate actually claimed that in 1949 the Newfoundland government gave away all its resources and received a miserable allowance in return?
Hint: a collection of her greatest calls to Open Line will likely be titled: The other Gin and Tonic Gardener.
-srbp-