Peggy Nash must be doing something right...

Of course she is. Her constituents in Parkdale-High Park well know this.  Her reputation in the House of Commons also speaks for itself.  But the most encouraging sign is that Warren Kinsella has decided to take a swipe at Peggy Nash.  I suspect this arrogant dismissal is only the beginning.  Perhaps to be followed up with a photoshopped photo of Peggy Nash with a thought bubble implying something to the effect that politics is man's work and that Ms Nash, or whatever her name is, would feel far more in her element were she to be baking cookies in her kitchen. Oh wait,  Kinsella's tried that one before. Didn't work so well.

Fact is, Gerard "there's no shame in a rich private school boy not finishing his BA" Kennedy is not himself underestimating Peggy Nash. And for good reason; he is in for the political fight of his life. A lot of the Kennedy sheen has worn off since he abandoned PHP.  Many don't remember or know who Gerard Kennedy is, and for those who do remember Kennedy, it might not necessarily work to his benefit.  Educators and parents of children in the riding's schools are not too thrilled with Kennedy's return. Kennedy's advocacy for the poor and marginalized is as disingenuous as Sylvia Watson's was. And we saw how well that worked against Cheri DiNovo. Peggy Nash is becoming more entrenched in this riding with each passing day. She and DiNovo are indeed a formidable team.

For Kinsella to not even dignify the incumbent by mentioning her by name is crass and arrogant. Yet this is precisely the most heartening sign for Peggy Nash supporters. For as recent history has shown those who've been the target of Kinsella's smears have fared quite well at the ballot box. I'm thinking here of Cheri DiNovo, Lisa Macleod, and even Randy Hillier. All elected, the first two resoundingly so.