The emperor has no clothes

It has taken the press two years and three weeks into the campaign to finally notice that Harper might have Bush like tendencies. 

The Star, has finally decided to comment about the controlled access used at Harper's rallies.

Harper's rallies are off-limits for any member of the public who just shows up. Nobody gets in unless they have been pre-registered by the local riding association. Even local media are asked to sign up in advance.

Anyone wanting to attend an event featuring Harper has to have his or her name vetted by the RCMP, said a source at Conservative campaign headquarters, who would only talk on background yesterday.

He said this rule applies even outside the campaign period, so no one – even a staffer not scheduled to be there – can show up unannounced at a Harper speech and expect to be let in.

And the same rules apply to access to high profile, local candidates.

When reporters tried to speak to Cadman this week, Harper's staff ordered the RCMP to block journalists, and she was whisked away.

"Keep them out!" an aide shouted to the police officers.

There was no need for the national media to interview local candidates. "Local candidates' priority is in the local ridings and not talking to the national media," Kory Teneycke said.

An election being won by TV ads. Ads attacking Dion and ads showing Harper with his family wearing sweaters. 

A party with this much controlled access, results in a secretive dishonest government. 

Give me a break, Harper is Bush incarnate. 

I really thought the Canadian press and the Canadian public were smarter than this.