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Alberta Politics

pimp my ride: alberta election wheels.

With an election call expected in the next week, Alberta’s political parties are loading up their campaign vehicles and hitting the road. Here is a look at some of their sweet rides:

Wildrose Danielle Smith Campaign Election Bus
Wildrose Party leader Danielle Smith is featured prominently on her party's election campaign bus.

Wildrose Party: The first opposition party to use a full campaign bus in more than a decade. The unfortunate placement of the bus’ back wheels will surely lead to some giggles over the course of the campaign, but the presence of the bus signals that the Wildrose is investing a lot of funds in this election campaign.

As a good friend in the public relations industry wrote in an email this morning

“In politics, perception is reality. You can talk about policy all you want, but at the end of the day people will focus on what is interesting to them, and the wheels on the bus are interesting in the same way that Jay Leno’s headlines are. It’s funny to see someone screw up, and if there is some sexual innuendo in there then it’s all the more fun.”

Alberta PC Alison Redford campaign election bus
PC campaign bus.

Progressive Conservative: Alison Redford‘s PC Party launched their campaign bus at their February campaign colleges in Edmonton and Calgary, and have since been using it as a mobile billboard while stopping at candidate’s campaign offices across Alberta. The PC’s have the money and can afford to pull out all the stops, like a big bus.

Alberta Liberal Raj Sherman campaign election truck
Raj Sherman's campaign truck.

Liberal: Jokingly nicknamed the “Sherman Tank” by some supporters, the literal meaning may have been lost when that description was made about Liberal leader Raj Sherman‘s campaign truck . During the Second World War, the Sherman tanks earned a reputation for easily catching fire when hit by enemy shells.

Alberta NDP leader Brian Mason's campaign mini-van.
Alberta NDP leader Brian Mason's campaign mini-van.

NDP: NDP leader Brian Mason is sporting a slick new mini-van, which it is not as flashy as a giant campaign bus, but is more reflective of his party’s financial situation compared to the two main conservative parties.

20 replies on “pimp my ride: alberta election wheels.”

The placement of the wheels may lead to a few giggles, but I guarantee you Dani’s not laughing. Her lack of a sense of humor about herself is legendary. Somebody’s head is gonna roll. And the jokes – “are the boobs on the outside of the bus, or inside the bus” – won’t help her mood. This is just too funny!

And whoop, there it is. Jane Morgan, former Executive Director of the WAP, calls all of those who point out the unintentional hilarity, “sexist.” Well, maybe I am Ms. Morgan (I’m really not qualified to judge) but what about all the women on Twitter who are laughing? Are they sexist? Tory tools? I think you have made my point for me. Thanks.

No Jane. I’ve never had the pleasure. But I do know what you find funny. http://janemorgan.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html

Given the hilarious graphics and Benny Hill music, and the fact that you posted it on your blog on September 7, 2009, I gotta assume you thought it was funny. A couple of grown-ups in a pickup chasing a teenager on a skateboard. I guess it’s just lucky, the kid didn’t decide to cross the street while Clem and Jim-Bob drove in reverse in pursuit of the scoundrel. I find sign vandals as distasteful as you do, but catching them is what you call the police to do.

I guess I am too simple. I assume when you retweet someone, unless you comment to the contrary, you are in agreement with them.

Oh Bob,

No trucks (not that it matters) were used and no teenagers harmed. Boundaries of road and sidewalk were mutually respected by all. 😉

Guess I didn’t explain the RT well enough.
1) I didn’t think the bus incident itself was a big deal.
2) I laughed at the vast majority of the tweets. Even made a few myself.
3) Some crossed the line, Peter Menzies pointed it out and I RT’d him and yes, I agreed with him on that point.

At least WR bus I’s paid by the party. Is theRed Bus – or is it part of “consulting with Albertans”

Everyone knows the WR has a bus. I can’t believe this is even a story but being as it is maybe a couple of spinners on the hubcaps would draw the attention of the masses.

Last time I saw the Team Raj truck, I had a difficult time finding any mention of the Alberta Liberal Party. Granted, I only saw it briefly, but can anyone tell me if it’s there?

The Team Raj truck photo dates back to the time that Raj was running for leader of the Alberta Liberals, not after he was elected leader.
I think that you are stretching it to suggest that he is trying to dodge the fact that he is the leader of the Alberta Liberals.
He has never been shy about that when I have seen him.

@Will Munsey. I’m assuming that your question is a serious one – but I suppose it might not be. In fact, there are no hubcaps on those bus rear axles. One axle (the forward one) has dual wheels; two wheels on each end of the axle. Thus the outside wheel is dished inward so that it can be mounted on the same lug bolts as the inside wheel, turned the other way. The rearmost axle has single wheels, so it is dished the other way, the same way as the inner wheel on the forward rear axle.

I’m sure Brian Mason, as a former bus driver, could give an even more detailed explanation.

Better yet I can’t believe that anyone thinks that the Wildrose are a serious contender for any seat when they make amateur hour mistakes like this.

This seems fitting for the Wildrose. While Danielle Smith is busy calling her female counterpart filthy disgusting names at their organizational meetings, she does not take a breath review the design of her campaign bus.

I though that women were above the name calling. Some girls just never grow up. Danielle reminds me of Nellie on “Little House on the Prairie”… mean, spoilt, cruel with huge sense of entitlement.

Ah yes, Lynn. Any criticism of the the Redford PCs for breaking their promises, or voting themselves huge pay raises and severance packages, or accepting illegal donations, or threatening doctors and municipalities, equals “filthy disgusting name-calling.”

It must be tough to go through life being so thin-skinned…

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