Election Interference? Obama Arrives And The Duderino Abides

Many eyebrows were raised in the final week of the Canadian federal election when former U.S. president Barack Obama jumped in with a full-throated endorsement of his old chum Justin Trudeau. You only had to see Trudeau’s fevered mosh-pit performance the night he learned of the support to know he’d gotten a reprieve from POTUS 45.  

Not least of the “say what?” questions hinged on the first black president in American history glossing over the blackface pantomimes of his buddy that had emerged before and during the election campaign. How could the paragon of racial equanimity ignore puerile behaviour so offensive to his political base?

As we wrote in an earlier 2019 column, Obama applied the Left’s elastic moral standard— do as we say, not as we do— to give Trudeau a verbal boost.. It had worked in Virginia where a Democrat governor was caught in blackface/ KKK photos but escaped without a scratch . Now it allowed Trudeau to play Houdini, escaping his photo resumé.

Besides, Canadians had allowed the massive economic interference of foreign Green foundations and SJW zealots to destroy the  Alberta oil industry with scarcely a whimper. If ever there was a place posting a welcome sign for outside players to opine it’s Trudeau’s Canada.

Equally perplexing was the question of why Obama was interfering in the election of a foreign country at a time when his fellow Democrats are trying to crucify Donald Trump for alleged Russian/ Ukranian entanglements? Hell, he hasn’t even endorsed his own vice president Joe Biden for president, but he felt the need to insert himself into what was a razor’s-edge campaign north of his border? 

The short answer to Why? Because he could. Obama is well aware of his sainted status with the political Left in both countries. When the only body that might criticize you— Canadian media— is even more besotted with you than they are with protecting Trudeau (which is considerable), you can see there’s little downside to meddling on behalf of a friend in a foreign place.

We now have some evidence that Obama’s intervention in the closing portion of the campaign was appreciated by Liberal voters otherwise discouraged by Trudeau’s flibberty-gibbet performance. The tweet collected more than 325,000 “likes” and 45,000 retweets as Canadian went to the polls. More importantly Liberal pollsters noticed Obama’s work in focus groups.

According to the Toronto Star, in the Liberals nightly tracking surveys over the final days of the campaign, “between five and 10 respondents (out of 800) would mention the Obama endorsement when asked whether anything had happened over the past week to change their voting intention”. Said Dan Arnold, director idol research for the party. “It’s rare because no one ever wants to admit an endorsement has changed their opinion,” 

Obama approval proved crucial, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area where Obama love and fears of alleged abortion bans should Andrew Scheer be elected gave the Liberals 47 of 53 seats. As the husband of Michelle Obama— the likely 2020 Democrat nominee— no doubt anticipated, urban Canadians gave Obama’s meddling a collective “meh”. 

Trudeau has well and truly escaped humiliation. He knows how close he came. And so, with his get-out-of-jail-free card held close to his heart, he fired himself from hard work till the next election. He’s now The Dude, an interplanetary tourist abiding on a vibe. His new political philosophy? “That rug really tied the room together.” 

For evidence, look at the recent cabinet shuffle. The most dramatic move was that of Chrystia Freeland to the post of deputy prime minister. Normally, being deputy PM is like taking a pee in a blue suit. It gives you a warm feeling all over and no one notices. In short, it was the perfect job for Ralph Goodale. 

But for Freeland, who helped negotiate the new trilateral trade deal waiting approval by Obama’s fellow travellers in the Congress, the position is significant. She’s going to do more than cut ribbons at the Caisse Populaire or march in Pride Parades.

Trudeau— and his party— know that he has as much credibility west of the Lakehead as his father Pierre did in the 1970s and ‘80s (translation: zip). Even if they cared about the disaster they’ve wrought in the West (translation: zip), Trudeau is not going to be the one to soothe hurt feelings in meetings with Jason Kenney and Scott Moe.

Similarly, the rebirth of the Bloc Quebecois translates into large swaths of Quebec where Happy Days is a no-go. Despite his deputizing of Catherine McKenna to destroy the energy industry, he’s also seen as too soft on climate armegeddon and too hard on Jody Wilson Raybould in B.C.’s lower mainland and Vancouver Island.

Finally, the man clearly has the work ethic of El Duderino. He’s in it for the White Russians and telling Trump “this aggression will not stand”. Getting yelled at for groping is a harsh vibe for the Dude.

The solution? Send Freeland, who’s being groomed to succeed Justin, into the fire pits of Canada to remind them that, unless they hew closely to the Liberals, Harper/ Hitler awaits. Hint broadly that The Dude will not run again if this Parliament goes more than three years. Blame Trump for the cratering economy. Tell Quebec they can do whatever they want so long as they aren’t so ostentatious about it.

In short, status quo. Allowing The Dude and his American admirer to do God’s work by avoiding hard work himself.. “You want a toe? I can get you a toe, believe me. There are ways, Dude. You don’t wanna know about it, believe me. Hell, I can get you a toe by three o’clock this afternoon. With nail polish.”

Bruce Dowbiggin @dowbboy is the publisher of his website (http://www.notthepublicbroadcaster.com). He’s also a regular contributor to Sirius XM Canada Talks Ch. 167. A two-time winner of the Gemini Award as Canada's top television sports broadcaster, he is also a best-selling author whose new book Cap In Hand: How Salary Caps Are Killing Pro Sports And Why The Free Market Could Save Them is now available on brucedowbigginbooks.ca.