I’m enjoying all of the hysterical and magical thinking which is surrounding Paul Martin’s bid to replace Chretien… a bid which (surprise surprise) looks to be successful.

Frankly Martin looks more and more like Brian Mulroney: wealthy articulate Quebec lawyer, middle of the road, loved by his partisans… and I think we know how this story ends.

The great part is that NOBODY could live up to the advance hype Martin is getting. He’s going to keep the budget balanced! While raising social spending!! And advancing social justice!!! And bringing about world peace!!!! Canadians of every political stripe are playing kissy-kissy with Martin, because he’s been so vague about his policies that Everybody thinks he supports Everything.

Which will make his inevitable fall from grace even more delicious. Plus, the media usually love to follow excessive adoration with a character assassination.

Remember that Mulroney was supposed to save us from the Trudeau legacy, and that he earned the largest parliamentary majority in history in 1984… and that he is now reviled as a sleazy deal-broker.

I am doing my part to usher in the”Martin Is Scum” era by loudly proclaiming that Martin Is Wonderful. He Will Cure Cancer. He Will Fix the U.N. He Will Clean Up the Environment, Save Jobs, Crank Up The Economy, and Mow My Lawn. He’s gotta get right up there to 30,000 feet, baby, so that hard landing will hit even harder.

I give him 18 months.

p.s. bonus points for recognizing the source of the title line.