The Betrayal Is Deemed Over

The Mighty Windsor Star and Gord Henderson have spoken. Eddie's career has been saved for yet another crisis on another day.

If you ever wanted proof about how poorly served we are in Windsor, being a one newspaper town, the Star Editorial and Henderson column on the Halberstadt/Lewenza dispute are the prime examples. They are hiding the main story: Eddie's tunnelling betrayal.

The facts in the 2007 betrayal are the same as with the 2003 betrayal...Say one thing in public by Resolution and do another in private that reverses the public position and try to keep it away from the voters. Unfortunately in both cases, the story came out.

In 2003, Councillors backed off their new position. What will happen in 2007?

I told you that Eddie wears horseshoes. He does not face a STOPDRTP citizens group ready to mobilize the population against him as Hurst did. Just a few tunneleers. In fact, the former Chair of STOPDRTP is on Council now and he has not been quoted about this episode in the Star surprisingly. He used the word betrayal in 2003. I wonder how he rationalizes the two events.

I almost gagged when I started reading Henderson's column:

• "Dangerous game
  Gord Henderson, Windsor Star
  Published: Thursday, May 31, 2007
  
  There's a good reason why newspapers and most other media enterprises sever ties with reporters who enter politics. They recognize an individual cannot work both sides of this dark and grubby street without opening a can of worms.
  
  If I were to run for public office, and God forbid, The Star would haul my butt out of here, and rightly so, given the inevitable conflict involved in answering to two masters -- the electorate and the news gathering business -- whose aims and objectives often coincide but are bound to clash from time to time."

Oh Gord, not a word about the Star, John Coleman, Norma Coleman and the Mayor's Office. The Star recognized that there could be a conflict but has only mentioned it on Face-to-Face, not to its readers directly. We learned that the husband of the Chief of Staff of the Mayor is also Gord Henderson's editor and that they work collaboratively together and that they hash out ideas together. Was this Henderson column one they worked on together and hashed out ideas?

Be fair, was there one word in the column that even hinted that there might have been an Eddie flip-flop. Nope, just a nudge that perhaps Alan gave something away. Not a word about Eddie's legacy statement that gave it all away:

• "Our starting point is a tunnel."

Why didn't Gord admit that the City's so-called "enemies" did not have to look any further than the Mayor's statement to know his poker hand and that he held a loser and was bluffing:

• "I don't know how many regular folks read Halberstadt's blog. But you can bet it's being parsed by the brightest minds of the Ambassador Bridge company, the DRTP and the DRIC looking for nuances and subtle clues that might, by accident, provide a clearer view of the city's bottom line."

Nuances....subtle clues...Eddie's statement was absolutely like hitting someone right between the eyes with a 2 X 4! It could not be clearer that Eddie is desperate to negotiate anything to save his career.

Really, the DRIC guys have to be laughing themselves silly. It was a strain before I am sure talking about a tunnel with a straight face. Thanks to Eddie, they do not have to do so any longer.

Nope, the column was about whether Halberstadt crossed over some Henderson defined line. DUH...Gord, Alan is not being a journalist; he is being a Councillor, reporting to his constituents using the internet as a tool. You don't need a bunch of PR hacks to do that!

The column was good. Deflect attention away from Eddie's disaster and make it a Halberstadt issue. Make it all go away for Eddie. Pretend that the betrayal never took place. Rewrite history also so that Eddie cannot be blamed.

And speaking of blame, did Alan take the sword for Eddie or will it be positioned that way? It was not Eddie's fault, Alan gave it all away:

• "there's now wiggle room in dealing with a city that was previously iron-clad in its insistence on a tunnelled route. And if they know Windsor is prepared to meet them part way, they'll offer even less."

Honestly. I cannot stomach this stuff any more. A tunnel only became an issue and an expedient for re-election when the Schwartz Report failed miserably. You remember the Schwartz Report... it was a "starting point" too even though millions were spent on it and we wasted how much time promoting it!

Will Gord and Alan remain canoeing friends. I am not so sure. This is the third brutal attack on Alan in recent memory.

Why the nasty words by Gord in 2003 and the spinning in 2007. Who was the Mayor then and who is the Mayor now? There's your answer.

How do I know the "betrayal story" is over. An "epilogue" is "a short speech addressed directly to the audience by an actor at the end of a play."

What was the title of the Star Editorial:

"Blog and epilogue"

Did the Star attack Eddie on his betrayal of the tunnel position, his flip-flop? Nope....they talked about an integrity commissioner. Now that really diverts attention away from Eddie's failure doesn't it. They are trying desperately too to cover up the disclosure of Eddie's poker hand and that Eddie did it.

Here is the Star's solution to help out the Granholm family finances:

• "It's possible a case could be made that justifies the appointment of an integrity commissioner to oversee Windsor and Essex County municipalities -- with the costs shared on a regional basis -- but only a commissioner who works on a contract basis. It can be a lawyer or a retired judge or a respected businessperson who would be asked to probe specific matters and only paid on a case-by-case basis."

Why didn't the Editors just say to hire the Governor's hubby?

Then the most threatening words in the Editorial

• "Until then, city councillors should try and get along forget about positioning themselves for the next municipal election."

How do you protect a lame duck Mayor for the next 3 1/2 years so he can build his new career? Simple, warn Alan and other Councillors like Mayor in Waiting Bill Marra or Mayor Wannabe Councillor formerly known as Councillor Budget and everyone else. Stay onside or face the consequences. If the Star and Gord can hammer Gord's canoe buddy, if they can try to destroy a powerful Cabinet member like Sandra and keep Dwight quiet, then you are doomed if you dare cross Eddie.

I just cannot believe the timidity of the Councillors. Why did they run in the first place? Previous Councillors took on Hurst and the Star and beat them both. Why are they so meek now?

So dear reader, the big flap is over. We can all go back to sleep. Who cares if we were betrayed. It's OK if Eddie does it. We'll just pretend it did not happen. They'll just keep a better lid on the in camera meetings that's all. And now, no one will dare say anything anyway with all of the personal attacks.