It's official: Dion bows out

Dion steps aside.

It is not only the smart thing to do but the only thing to do at this point.

I think it is a good thing, though, that he stays on as interim leader rather than Rae's man or Iggy's man run the show until May. As long as he doesn't continue to favour Bob Rae, I think it is better to have him stay on. You can almost see the possibly of a 1980-style election: "vote for the Liberal Party and I promise I will step down because I know you don't like me", only to bring the Green Shift back from the dead. It could happen. We always did think that Dion could have been another Pearson: an incomperably poor and weak leader, but one who held the balance of power within the party, and with enough respect and vision that great things could have been accomplished.

But that was never going to be.

Kinsella thinks that, in a recession or near-recession, what the Liberals need is "someone who can, one, balance the books and talk credibly about the economy; two, inspire people, raise funds, and show a life-long commitment to Liberal values; and, three, have the look and sound of a winner."

We couldn't agree more.

Now let the campaigning begin.

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