Like The Liberals...With Just A Hint Of Harper

From the London Free Press:

Less than an hour after former London mayor Dianne Haskett won the Conservative nomination Tuesday night, Joseph Dow, Conservative Party organizer for Ontario, issued a news release noting Haskett's first sign had sprouted on a north London lawn, in front of the Stoneybrook Crescent home of her former law partner, Michael Menear.

It was Dow who directed the local riding executive to hold the nomination meeting on eight days' notice and told Haskett a day earlier about it.

Dow has refused to speak to the media. (emphasis mine)

Less than an hour later? Gee, I wonder how they knew she would win? I wonder how long they have had that sign ready? No wonder Joe Dow is ducking the press. The Tories under the Dear Leader is already starting to smell suspiciously like the Liberals under Paul Martin.

But of course the Harper touch is already being felt by the good voters of London:

The name of Geoff Donald also appeared on the release and early next morning, Donald cancelled radio interviews Haskett had scheduled and, later in the day, cancelled a TV interview.

The short-notice cancellation vexed CJBK-AM host Steve Garrison and staff at CBC Ontario Morning, who had to scramble to find replacements. No new dates were promised.

"She's being muzzled and told not to talk to local media," said Garrison, who got five minutes' notice from Donald that his pre-arranged 8:20 a.m. live interview was off.

Steve doesn't like his people talking to the press, not that Haskett will mind. Remember she hid out at her cottage for three weeks during her final run for Mayor. It's a match made in heaven (in Haskett's case, literally).

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