He was Canada’s biggest fan. Front and centre at the events always wearing a big red jersey and a smile as bright as an Olympic medal. Our Prime Minister, family in tow, could be seen at various events in the stands with other V.I.P.’s and with the athletes, celebrating their victories.
The media and most other Canadian armchair cynics, would think the Stephen Harper is fishing for some good photo ops. But the bigger question is, would these feel-good moments at the Olympic Games, make the electorate feel good about their Prime Minister?
"In general, when the public feels good about things, be it the economy or gold medals, this tends to help the incumbent government, so it would be intuitively plausible that this should be mildly helpful," EKOS pollster Frank Graves said in today’s Toronto Star.
"Although, I think the public do recognize that it was Sidney Crosby, not Stephen Harper, who put the puck in the net."
In the same article, pollster Nik Nanos said the games could have a halo effect for Harper but it would be fleeting.
Poll numbers are all over the place today. A Globe and Mail blog this morning said the Prime Minister may have benefitted from some sort of an Olympic bounce. Ipsos-Reid numbers have the Conservatives at 37 per cent support, compared to 29 per cent for the Liberals.
Naturally one would expect a Prime Minister to be prominent during international events such as the Olympic Games. But he’s also leading a minority government with his own the Own the Podium goal: a majority.
Was the Prime Minister hoping some of that gold bounty rubs off on him? Has it worked?
What do you think?
Photos courtesy the Prime Minister's Office.
