Bob Rae is hardly a stranger to the warm glow of over-praise for under-delivering, which is why yesterday's announcement that he would not be seeking an extension of his term as Liberal boss, and all the fawning retrospectives and editorials that followed, created a spectacle quite consistent with the broader themes of his modest career, feigned pundit shock notwithstanding.
Last week I dropped in to see Bob Rae at his Parliament Hill office. We were alone, and he was in a very reflective mood. I left with the sense that he had made up his mind not to seek the permanent leadership of the Liberal Party. After hearing the news, while I have great respect for his decision, I am disappointed.
Though Canadians would rather vote for the federal Conservatives, they have a much better opinion of the Liberal Party’s Bob Rae than they do of Pri...