How to become popular in a hurry - say you support the killing of preborn children

What are the first public words out of Mike Duffy's mouth after two and a half years away from the Senate?

"Minister, I'll make this quick because I know you're on a tight time schedule. I represent Prince Edward Island and there, women in P.E.I. have, for some time, had concerns about access to full medical facilities, medical services for women. That's recently changed, and that's a good thing," 

"Have you thought ... about what mechanisms the federal government might have, i.e. the Canada Health Act, cash, money, to ensure that this service you're proposing will be available everywhere in Canada?"

Minister Jane Philpott thought Duffy's question was "excellent".

Take an unpopular person, decide to become "pro-choice", then ask a pro-abortion question. And voila. You will become the darling of the pro-abortions.

When you want to be liked, it's a pretty good strategy you got to admit.

Duffy VS Harper: Dueling conservative duo

Who said what when? How will it end? Will Harper? Will Duffy? Who knows? The Shadow knows.

Stay tuned to the next shocking episode of this season's new hit show, shot live in Ottawa:

As The Senate Turns

(On the front page of today's National Post)

Mr Harper: Who has the remote?

I like John Ivison's perspective on Mike Duffy and our Senate situation, and his speculation about why all those bright lights may have been recently shone on it.

Ivison compares this situation with the TV character Frank Underwood:

Frank “The Whip” Underwood was speaking from experience when he said: “Friends make the worst enemies.” Kevin Spacey’s menacing character in House of Cards is intent on bringing down all those on his own team who betrayed him when he was passed over for high office. 

The vindictiveness, if not the malevolence, bears a striking similarity to a certain former Conservative senator, who feels he has been thrown to the wolves by his former colleagues, in the interests of political expediency, while innocent of all transgressions. 

...Likewise, a National Post story that suggested Mr. Duffy’s lawyers will call Prime Minister Stephen Harper as a witness, if the case goes to court. 

The suggestion is that the course of events recalled by Mr. Duffy do not tally with the version put on the public record by the Prime Minister — a tantalizing prospect that would surely have repercussions on Mr. Harper’s grip on power were he to add to, or change, his story under oath.

And then Ivison moves on to this knockout punch:

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Harper's fear of the abortion debate did make him do something else that was controversial (like changing the may senate expenses are done) in order to change the channel.

Ah yes. The dreaded abortion debate. Mr. Harper sure does hate that topic. Yep. Wouldn't surprise me at all.