Categories: Capital Diary

Two phones and Stephen Harper

by Mitchel Raphael on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 1:54am - 47 Comments

The PMO released this photo of Stephen Harper on the phone with President Barack Obama talking about the upcoming G20 Summit. Note the other phone hung up behind the PM. Just saying.

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Tags: Barack Obama, Stephen Harper

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http://coyne kc

Well they did get the flag in the picture, everyone’s so busy what with the crisis and all. Dion would have probably had the ph. upside down.

http://www.jackmitchell.ca Jack Mitchell

LOL

Sean Stokholm

No wedding ring?

archangel

Dropped it off at Mordor for evil spell regeneration.
Anon

You’ve to find one that fits.

Where was this phone call made from — from a hotel room in Washington D.C.? And who wears makeup while making a phone call from his office?
John W

Is Mrs Harper on this trip?

Sean Stokholm

“Well quite frankly, Ms. Pelosi, if we were going to have an affair, we would have already had it by now. Clearly, that means we’re about to.”

Cool Blue

I’ve noticed that Harper doesn’t always wear his wedding ring.

As per why there is makeup, a flat and a second phone, this call was made during an interview on some American station. The flag and phone are part of the set.

Cool Blue

“flat” = flag

http://bigcitylib.blogspot.com bigcitylib

Yeah but why’s he so thin?

Wotcher?

Corset?
Cool Blue

He actually lost a lot of weight before the last election and seems to be keeping it off this time.

Scott M.

It’s a chair phone! I want one!

http://caiti-online.blogspot.com/ Transcanada

As Harper releases gas it automatically dials Ignatieff, 2 gas releases—Flaherty.

Scott M.

OK, I no longer want one.

http://bigcitylib.blogspot.com bigcitylib

It has been pointed out to me that the Harper in the picture is an earlier, thinner version. Fake photo or photoshop?

Dave

Photoshop. They really should make an effort to pop by Something Awful and poach someone good at it.

Critical Reasoning

Not photoshop… it’s just the way he’s sitting. He may be sucking it in at the same time. There are tricks photographers use to make people seem thinner.

catherine

One of Harper’s staff should have wiped that blob of ketchup off his pants.
James Connors

Let’s see?

1. Harper has made two trips to the States lately.

2. Neither has been by invitation.

3. On neither occasion has he met with:
a. The President.
b. Congress
c. Anyone of important or substance.

4. From each trip the result was exactly nothing; except expenses, a photo-op and publicity dump.

Conclusion; there is no one on the other end of the telephone and Harper is, as usual, talking to himself.

Harper and his government have demonstrated time and again, it seems to me, that they strive for shallow, revel in shallow and when it comes to shallow they succeed stunningly.

Sean Stokholm

I miss Chretien’s Team Canada missions by comparison, despite their tendency to verge on hoakey hucksterism.
CAPS

So if George Galloway was able to speak via video-conference link-up to Toronto couldn’t Steve have just done these interviews by video too?

Why all the expense etc. involved in squiring a Prime Minister around for nothing more talking to the media?

Wait, I’ve got it. Since local media is being decimated here in Canada thanks to the economy and the cutbacks the media conglomorates are making due to falling advertising revenue his favourite means of by-passing the Ottawa press corp. no longer exists so now he has found another method – just go to the States!
archangel

“Harper and his government have demonstrated time and again, it seems to me, that they strive for shallow, revel in shallow and when it comes to shallow they succeed stunningly.”

Perfectly suited to this great land, 2 000 miles wide and 1 mile deep. ; )
John W

Nothing yesterday on New York Times search.

Michael

This pic looks staged to me. Flag in the background, shirt sleeves rolled up, chair in the middle of the room somewhere with a fully functional but less-optically-useful telephone clearly visible in the background.
How much of this guy’s time is wasted on optics and staging and looking good, as opposed to really dealing with issues?
It fits well with the Ian Brodie GST cut comments of last week: if the people can be duped into thinking it’s meaningful, then that’s all that matters.
Sure, the ends justify the means, but the ‘ends’ should be the advancement of good policy – not getting or maintaining power.

http://prairiewrangler.wordpress.com/ Olaf

Agreed, no one rolls up their sleeves in real life. That’s all hollywood, baby. And may I ask how you have been able to assess the functionality of the background phone from your present location? And are we really trying to suggest that Harper is in any way unique among politicians in his penchant for photo-ops? And… you know what, nevermind…

http://coyne kc

No, just a talent for bad ones.
http://bigcitylib.blogspot.com bigcitylib

They photoshopped his gut away. Admit, Olaf.
catherine

And are we really trying to suggest that Harper is in any way unique among politicians in his penchant for photo-ops?

Who was the last prime minister who had to have his photo plastered over all the websites, hallways, documents,….? I’m surprised the painting in the above photo wasn’t replaced by a photo of Harper.

If Harper ever gets a majority, it is going to be mandatory for all Canadians to have a 4 foot photo of Harper in their house and a smaller one hanging from the rear view mirror in their car.

http://prairiewrangler.wordpress.com/ Olaf

If Harper ever gets a majority, it is going to be mandatory for all Canadians to have a 4 foot photo of Harper in their house and a smaller one hanging from the rear view mirror in their car.

Wait, we only do that in Alberta?

Claude

Hey Olaf – I roll up my sleeves in real life! Usually when I realize I should have worn a short sleeve shirt!

dan in van

“Yes, room 301. No anchoves and don’t forget the dipping sauce!”

BCer in mtl

“Your call is important to us . . . please stay on the line to maintain your call priority”
http://caiti-online.blogspot.com/ Transcanada

“Yes, room 301. The people in 302 sound like they are having fun. Make them stop.”
BCer in mtl

“Uh-huh . . . yes, I understand . . . . yes, but I thought the movie title would not appear on my bill . . . “

dan in van

Oh, sorry, i thought this was one of Scott’s caption contests.

http://coyne kc

It should be.
Given Mr H’s known fondness for retakes and dislike of spontaneity.
Harper’s aide: “I know it’s not a real ph Mr Harper, but we have to get this right, for the real thing.
Now once again, when you say how are you today Mr President, and i reply: fine Mr Harper, how’re you today, you say..?”
Harper:” But the ph’s not working? Why can’t i use the other ph”?
Aide: Muttering to himself:” Oh god, maybe if we sit here long enough, he’ll call us”?

http://coyne kc

Oh come on Michael, he’s on the ph to the Prez. It’s a secure line, it stretches all the way down Pennsylvannia ave., all the way to the Presidential wash room.
archangel

Now that y’all mention it, Harper looks embalmed in the photo — or is that the newest addition to Madam Toussaud’s Museum?
http://coyne kc

SH practises his up-coming conversation with the Prez:
Yes Mr Prezident, it’s me Steve from Canada, you came up to visit me recently. Oh…you don’t remember…er no…the guys from Iceland are broke, remember…er no, i’m not looking for a bail out…I’m Steve from…up north”
Harper’s aide:”I see you’re a little nervous today sir”?
http://www.maple-leaf-forever.com Lord Bob

The other phone is just his direct hotline to the Kremlin, you cynics! You think tensions over military flights escalate themselves?

http://coyne kc

Shouldn’t it be red?

http://www.maple-leaf-forever.com Lord Bob

Liberal red, you mean? Beige is the official colour of Canada’s New Government (established 2006).

cam

“Suddenly my lashes were a mile long!”

and then he went to write his hockey book. or read one. It’s been so long I forget the commitment.
Kaplan

God, I’ve seen Dion look more manly eating a salad than Harper does in this photo. The phone looks like it’s seconds away from falling out of his hand…
AngelaK

I miss Chrétien. Harper is boring me like no other.
http://garyfales.com trusts

harper was imagining a conversation with obama in this photograph…