Ignatieff's abortion plank changes the channel, and earns him more critisim

We all are aware of Iggy's crass partisan move(*) this week, a move that was intended to smear Prime Minister Harper and paint him into a box on the divisive issue of abortion.

Well, it looks like this one's really gotten away from him and blown up in his face, first with one of his own MP's rebuking him, and now with several Catholic leaders publicly condemning him for playing politics with the important issue of women's and children's health abroad.

And they don't mince their words either...

Calgary Bishop Fred Henry yesterday called Mr. Ignatieff's proposal "pathetic," while on Thursday Archbishop Thomas Collins of Toronto labelled the Liberal leader's position on abortion and the developing world "sad."

"In light of the many positive contributions that Canada can make to the improvement of maternal and child health, it is astonishing that the leader of the Opposition has issued an official statement advocating contraception and abortion as fundamental elements in addressing this important issue," said Archbishop Collins. "Even those who think that abortion should be allowed do not, however, propose it as a positive contribution to the good of society."

Bishop Henry was even more blunt.

"I thought it was pathetic for a political leader to suggest that abortion is somehow tied to the health of women and children," said Bishop Henry. "It was a particularly crass remark in light of all the orphaned children we now see in Haiti. It was absolutely incredible that he would say that and he is alienating religious people with these comments. This will not win him votes."

Opening up this "Pandora's Box" has also had the effect of forcing him off message for the last few days, because instead of being able to answer questions about other Liberal issues while on the road, he keeps getting hammered with questions from the media about abortion, and about the fallout he's getting over it. He's been forced to react for two days now, instead of being able to put forward the ideas being generated from the various round tables the Liberals are hosting in various cities.

Rule number one... when your opponent is on the ropes, and you have control of the agenda, you DON'T do anything to change the channel. And that's what Ignatieff has gone and done with this one. In trying to score a political cheap shot on Harper, he cleanly missed, and has ended up taking a few blows himself. What's more, is that he's gone and changed the channel for Harper... without Harper even having to say a word on the issue. His caucus has been smart and not put their foot in their mouth, and left Iggy on the stage all by himself on this one... where he's started a fire that he can't seem to put out.

And on that note, I'll say this... thanks for the helping hand Iggy! Oh, don't worry... we'll be surely making use of your remarks in some of those ridings where we were losing support, and where you were starting to make headway. As this one will fire up some of our base that was starting to become apathetic, you just reminded many Canadians of faith why they DON'T want you to become Prime Minister... with an issue that we could never talk about. But you did that for us, so thanks again!


* So much for not using "the politics of division" there guys... wasn't that supposed to be one of you hallmarks Iggy?