When you're this Igg, they call you Mister...

I am unsure if Joan Bryden actually works in Ignatieff's office, or if Donolo ghost wrote her puff piece in the Globe and Mail today. You learn something new every day, and today I learned that the tragic flaw which has dogged Mike Ignatieff over the first year of his Liberal leadership is that people in his office were calling him Michael; that is until Peter Donolo swooped in to save the day and decreed that henceforth the leader of the opposition will be known to office staff only as Mr. Ignatieff. Ladies and Gentlemen, that's front page news! I guess there wasn't much else for Joan to write about today. When the Liberals tighten up the office, it is creating an environment of professionalism; had it been about Stephen Harper demanding to be called Mister, her story would have been about the erosion of Democracy.

Of course the story is plump full of quotes by anonymous insiders and cutting edge political analysis such as:

“It's about raising the level of professionalism, raising the game, creating expectations,” says the insider.


“It's really about changing the culture of the leader's office . . . and to create a kind of atmosphere of competence and confidence too.”


But the more disciplined inner circle, combined with reviving poll numbers and last week's successful leader's tour of university campuses, has at least given Liberals cause to hope.

Hope. Is that what that is? I can think of a few word plays that more aptly describe the reality of the situation...

"has at least given the Liberals cause for fleeting optimism."

"has at least given the Liberals cause for delusional self-adulation."

"has at least given the Liberals cause for temporary reprieve"

I could go on...