Ryan Cleary wannabe candidate for the New Democratic Party may not get to be for a whole bunch of reasons, not the least of which is that he has shown no love for the Dipper crew over the years.
Like this gem from last fall in his analysis of the general election. After praising the Premier to the hilt - as is Ryan's wont - we get this lovely phrase:
On the plus side, there’s nowhere to go but up (at least for the Liberals, the NDP being content to cater to the small pocket of aging granolas and artsy fartsies in Town).
or this collection of bons mots:
If it wasn’t for Danny’s all-forgiving nature, the NDP — which is down now to a single soul in the legislature — would lose its party status and all the special perks that go with it. There would be no worse time than for that to happen than now, seven months before a provincial general election. Michael might see her party fade to black altogether. Then who would be left to save the Gucci socialists and artsy fartsy types in the east end of St. John’s?
or this thought about Jack Harris, his possible fellow candidate:
The question remains, what will the party do without him? My guess is … nothing. The same as it did while he was at the helm. That may sound mean, but it’s a fact.
Well, that was a fact, but Cleary didn't stop there:
The NDP has barely made an inch of headway in the province since Peter Fenwick wore short pants — party because the party has a tendency to eat its own. Despite the backing of most of the major unions, the New Democrats — outside the aging granolas in east end St. John’s and the union crowd in Labrador City — are a lame political duck. When Jack goes he should fold up the NDP tent and take it with him.
Hardly seems likely that the Gucci socialists, artsy fartsy set and the aging granolas in St. John's South Mount Pearl are going to forgive and forget just to get Cleary's name on the ballot.
Never fear, though. There's always Labrador where the Connies have had to parachute in a political staffer to carry the Blue banner.
The Orange bunch apparently can't find anyone even willing to get in the plane, let alone don the 'chute. If the NDP threw in free air fare, Cleary could be their man in the middle of Todd Russell country.
Ya know it's not like he hasn't taken the odd free flight before.
-srbp-