Illustrationg by Rex Murphy.Anthony Jenkins/The Globe and Mail
Politics makes for strange bedfellows. But this was as strange at the come.
Noted author Peter C. Newman has released his new book When the Gods Changed: The Death of Liberal Canada. And there, on page 241, is something about broadcaster and former Globe columnist Rex Murphy playing an inside role for former Liberal leader Stéphane Dion.
"Dumping the ever-wise Rex Murphy, who was responsible for Dion's unexpectedly good performance two years earlier, was a serious mistake, and might have contributed to [Michael]Ignatieff's lacklustre performance in the national televised debate."
No one was more surprised to hear that than Mr. Murphy.
"I can't imagine where he got that," Mr. Murphy said when contacted by telephone Friday. "It's not right," he said, adding that he has never had any connection with Mr. Dion. "Zero, zero, zero."
Mr. Murphy says he can only think that Mr. Newman got some names mixed up.
That may well have been the case. Perhaps the celebrated scribe meant Tim Murphy, the chief of staff to former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin?
Everybody has brain blips.