Sunday, September 03, 2006

From Philosopher King To Nutty Professor

Michael Ignatieff thinks he can do the job of prime minister standing on his head. Literally:

Michael Ignatieff's habit of doing daily headstands may improve his balance, stress levels and perhaps even stem some hair loss, but it is unlikely to help him stave off Alzheimer's disease, experts say.

The former Harvard professor and contender for the leadership of the Liberal party said in a newspaper profile last week that he stands on his head so that blood will rush to his brain.

Mr. Ignatieff has a family history of the degenerative neurological disease. His mother and maternal grandmother both suffered from Alzheimer's, and his odd exercise regimen is apparently an effort to ward off the disease.

But Cheryl Grady, a senior scientist with Toronto's Baycrest Centre, laughed when she heard of the technique.

"That's a strange thing. I've never heard of anyone doing that," she said. "I'm not even sure that standing on your head really affects blood flow to your brain. It might drain away from your feet a little."


First it's his comments about skipping the country again if he loses, then it's pimping out Ruby Dhalla to raise money, then it's musing about civil war in Quebec, now it's daily headstands to ward off senility.

Michael Ignatieff may be having done to him what was done to Paul Martin--before winning the leadership, no less. The hero on the white horse may yet again be turned into a fool riding a jackass.

But for the Bolsheviks, he might have grown up to be another vacuous Russian nobleman, instead of the Liberal Party's great white hope.

At least he's got Ashley MacIsaac in his corner, though.

Source: National Post

2 comments:

Joanne (True Blue) said...

McIsaac? Now there's some respectable support.

Anonymous said...

There's another telling sign that he's a weak leader. In the House vote to extend the Afghan mission to Feb/2009, Iggy couldn't get all the MPs who support his candidacy to vote his way. They surely all got together in a room to discuss what to do. Yet some of them (not sure how many, but sure wish someone could do the tally) voted against him.

His backers must assume that Iggy is going to become the next Liberal leader. So won't they all HAVE to side with him re Afghan at that time ? In which case they will have to explain their flip-flop. I don't know if its weak leadership, no foresight, or what.

I just can't see the Libs becoming united under Iggy, or any of the other leaders.