How long can Christy Clark last?

After winning the leadership of the BC Liberal Party last February, here is what new leader Christy Clark had to say:

Premier Christy Clark, during the
campaign to lead the BC Liberal Party

"I want you to be my partners in change in Victoria. I want you to be my partners in bringing open government. You can count on me to listen, you can count on me to engage, and you can count on me to make sure government really does include you. I have specific ideas on how to do these things but I also need to hear from you," she said.

"My top priority will be to put families first. In British Columbia we are blessed with families of all shapes and sizes, families as diverse as our great province. This is the foundation of our communities. This is the building block of our future."

What a difference a year makes.  Since then her government has goes from one problem to the next … she and her party have watched as more and more of the people who voted Liberal last election, have moved to BOTH the BC Conservative Party, and the NDP … saw a former Liberal cabinet Minister (John van Dogen) switch to the Conservatives… and listened, watched, and read one story after the other discussing the possibility that her party may place third in the two up-coming by-elections.

She has also watched as both her approval rating, and the fortunes of the BC Liberals, have fallen in poll after poll.

Now, from all sides of the political spectrum, people are beginning to question whether she can even survive as leader of the party before the next election is to be held in May 2013.

Most of us have seen and read the stories, but here is a quick snapshot I found within a couple minutes online:

Time Colonist: Government in free-fall a story we've all seen before

…to date, nobody appears to have the nerve to tell Premier Christy Clark that her style without substance leaves the voters unmoved, her caucus anxious, her cabinet nervous but, apart from one inconsequential resignation, afraid to move.  Premier Clark's crew has a year or less to tell her they expect more than a bright smile and cute oneliners from their captain. If they don't, the electorate will show them how with another final act of the kind we've seen before.

The Straight.com: “What does Premier Christy Clark really believe in?”

Christy Clark isn't so easy to peg. She talked initially about putting families first … after more than a year as premier and after listening to her as a talk-show host for several years before that, I still don't know what issues really ignite her interest … I believe that Clark's biggest failure as premier has been her inability to convince voters that she believes in very much apart from wanting to remain premier.  Perhaps more than anything, this explains why she's faring so dismally in the polls.

The Common Sense Canadian: “Christy Clark Must Go”

From the moment she was selected leader of the Liberals, I predicted that Ms. Clark would fail, for two reasons: I didn’t think she had the necessary tools of leadership, but, of more importance, she had a caucus and cabinet that had a death wish for her. Leaders can survive enemies within but not if it’s everybody … What now?

The Province: “Clark's political pattern: rise, fall and repeat”

Clark was all start and no finish in 2005, and it derailed her plans. If she follows that same pattern this time around, it could sidetrack the B.C. Liberal Party, as well as her career.

Kamloops Daily News: “Liberals in fight of their lives”

No political expert is needed to spell it out for Christy Clark’s Liberals that they’re in trouble. And they know it … the threat of a polar-opposite party winning an election hasn’t exactly caused voters to take one for the team in the past … expect a lot of bold moves from the Liberals this year in their bid to keep power. The catch is, of course, the Conservatives are likely to do the same …

In making her announcement in late 2010, that she planned to seek the leadership of the BC Liberal Party, here are the opening and closing words which were spoken by Christy Clark. 

“I am running for leader of the BC Liberals – and to lead us to an election victory over the NDP – to bring new leadership to our province. That means more than simply a new Premier, it means a new way of doing business for our government.”

“… with me you can count on a leader who is direct, responsive, and committed to bringing positive, prosperous change to BC”

What a difference indeed a little over a year can make, which is why people are asking … “How long can Christy Clark last?”

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.