More Iggy Spin: two thumbs up makes him "Frontrunner"

I have been wondering for months how anyone, including the media, could speculatively appoint Iggy the 'frontrunner'. I started looking for evidence and could not find any, except for signs that a number of campaigns including Iggy's were being run by the same 'machines' that had assisted out previous Liberal leaders win their leadership processes.

In some ways it is these 'power organisations' that taint the party still amongst Canadians. Issues of party integrity have been ignored or swept under the rug in spite of a renewal and/or Leadership process that has the potential to fix many things if allowed to be accepted, grieved and rebuilt organically. These big organisations fielding slates driven by the head start naturally afforded to opportunistic party executives is a bit like "exchanging dirty underwear" with what made the party previously sick and contributed to its defeat the last election.

Without containing if not eliminating what is 'tainted' about these machines, the Liberal party will not heal, the next Leader will feel the effects and the Liberal party may not have a chance to overtake Harper in one election. Even though no one is talking about the corruption in the past, it is bound to resurface later if it is not dealt with through renewal and/or Liberal leadership. Should Liberals in the for the long run not be trying to distance themselves from
these types of political organisations?

To me, who has the biggest machine and/or the most money is not necessarily congruent with who is the 'frontrunner' from a popularity perspective. After all, what are we really measuring here.

More evidence of just how deep these machines go are has surfaced in recent days with the questionable "Gandalf Poll", which has been a "hot topic" also with bloggers. The poll that put Dryden as a frontrunner amongst Canadians and amongst Liberals is being discounted by many bloggers who support candidates who have those 'machines' working on their behalf. This makes me wonder where lay the priorities of many Liberals.

Maybe I am just a romantic but my fantasy would be for there to be a rebirth of the Liberal party via organic healing, without taint for the past. That organisation would emerge to be victorious because it is "good" and because the merits, appeal and integrity of the candidate would supersede "the big money machines" against all odds. Would a candidate who wins because of the dedication of its people, their belief in that candidate and their ability to show that to others not be a better ending to this story than Iggy winning because he gets out 40% of the delegates in round one or losing because he was only able to pull off 35%.

I don't see Iggy as having any chance for growth, so round one will be the peak and it will not be enough. I just hope the Liberal who can best win nationally and reunite the party come up the middle.