in a complicated collapse of the NDP party. They started so strong, but Trudea and his team really just positioned themselves as the rational alternative to remove Harper and not split the vote.
Naomi Klein really succinctly summed it up in three tweets:
Let's get real: #elxn42 was way more about sober Harperphobia than giddy Trudeaumania.
1. @ThomasMulcair was the ultimate "strategic" campaigner. Everything was calculated. He was undone by voters acting the same. #Elxn42
2. What we have see is that passion inspires passion -- and strategic leaders inspire strategic voters #Elxn42
Links:
https://twitter.com/NaomiAKlein/status/656322659161010181
https://twitter.com/NaomiAKlein/status/656328187916324864
https://twitter.com/NaomiAKlein/status/656328453990412288
In the end it became about who was the surest shot to get rid of Harper, and the Liberals just positioned themselves better. Mulcair had some successes, certainly. I think the NDP campaign succeeded in pulling the Liberals to the left on a couple of issues, while the Liberals pulled the NDP a bit to the right on a couple.
My feelings today on the outcome are... complicated.
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