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Manley drops out of Liberal race; endorses Martin - Wednesday, July 23, 2003 at 10:01

Manley drops out of Liberal race; endorses Paul Martin as next PM
 
SANDRA CORDON 
Canadian Press


Tuesday, July 22, 2003
 
CREDIT: (CP/Jonathan Hayward)
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister John Manley makes his way back to his office after announcing that he is withdrawing from the Liberal leadership race at a news conference in Ottawa Tuesday. (CP/Jonathan Hayward)
 
http://www.canada.com/news/story.asp?id=F45592F7-E5AC-4BD3-8D00-1FE6E753D60C

 
OTTAWA (CP) - John Manley abandoned his Liberal leadership bid Tuesday, leaving little but time between Paul Martin and the keys to 24 Sussex Drive.

Manley, who is also finance minister, said his own best estimates showed he could attract no more than 20 per cent of delegates at November's Liberal leadership convention "and that just wasn't enough."

"Paul Martin will be the next Liberal leader and prime minister of Canada," Manley told a hastily-called news conference.

"I'm putting an end to my leadership campaign. . .I stand ready to offer my assistance."

Manley's withdrawal from the race to replace Prime Minister Jean Chretien leaves Heritage Minister Sheila Copps the sole challenger to the Martin juggernaut.

Copps insisted Tuesday she's staying through the November leadership vote, despite the fact her support seems no better than Manley's.

"I fully intend to be there to be an important part of the vision for the country," Copps, who signed up 32,000 new members, said soon after Manley's announcement.

"I'm in the race until the end . . . and I have no intention of pulling out and you can take that to the bank," she said.

However, Liberal party members must commit to a first-ballot candidate by Sept. 21 and - barring a surprise new entry - that will all but decide the outcome of the race, said Stephen LeDrew, Liberal party president.

"Now that there's only two people, there will be a first ballot only," he said.

Some observers say the Toronto leadership convention could still be relevant if it is re-formed as a full-blown farewell tribute to Chretien, should he accelerate his timetable and retire early.

Chretien supporters say he still intends to stay in office until next February.

Manley, 53, said he has no intention of quitting his cabinet positions and promised to work for the Liberals in the next general election which many expect next spring.

But the Ottawa MP - who once said he was in the campaign to prevent a Martin "coronation" - was running out of money and had been forced to lay off staff.

"It has become clear that now I do not have the necessary support to win the leadership race in November," said Manley, who signed up 43,000 new members during the campaign.

He decided to cut his losses, free his supporters and endorse the former finance minister, whose support and organization far outstrips that of his rivals.

Manley, who consulted Chretien before his announcement, called Copps and Martin to inform them of his decision.

In a brief statement, Martin, 64, said he expects a continued Liberal leadership race.

He congratulated Manley on "a hard-fought campaign" that has helped revitalized the federal party.

"In the past number of months, the Liberal party has experienced a renewal and re-invigoration," said Martin.

"The Liberal Party as a whole deserves credit and the Manley campaign played an important part in this process."

The number of paid-up Liberal members has risen to 457,000 in the past year and about three-fifths of those appear to be Martin backers.

Manley also advised his cabinet supporters - including Justice Minister Martin Cauchon, Human Resources Minister Jane Stewart - before withdrawing from the race.

He praised them for their courage in supporting his "long-shot" challenge of dominant Martin, who boasts the support of 86 per cent of Liberal riding association presidents.

"It takes courage for them to do it," said Manley, who urged Martin to consider his supporters for inclusion in his first cabinet.

Stewart agreed that Martin has "overwhelming support" among Liberals.

"Mr. Martin will be the leader of our party, will be an excellent leader, and I will be there, as I have been for the current leader, to support him," she said later Tuesday.

Manley took a long time before deciding in March to enter the race - a choice that had been weighed and rejected by at least two other prominent Liberals.

Industry Minister Allan Rock bowed out more than six months ago, before he even officially entered the race.

And former cabinet minister Brian Tobin also dropped any notion of running against Martin, quitting politics last year.

There were few philosophical differences between Manley and Martin.

That made it difficult for Manley to gain ground on Martin, who has had a tight, well-organized campaign team together ever since 1990, when he lost his party's leadership to Chretien.

Manley tried to draw support by attacking Martin's integrity, specifically his lack of disclosure on financial matters.

The gambit antagonized Martin and his supporters, who openly groused about shutting Manley out of a future cabinet. The tactic also failed to slow Martin's momentum.

Manley said he had no regrets about his leadership bid, because he was able to raise questions and stimulate debate as well as attracting new members to the party.

"In many ways, I can therefore say: mission accomplished."

Manley faced the humiliating prospect of finishing third behind Copps, even though he was far better financed than the heritage minister who boasts the support of the party's left wing.

On his way out, Manley couldn't resist a shot at Copps. His certainty in predicting a Martin victory could only be construed as a dismissive view of the Copps campaign.

"I'm sure that she's reading the numbers the same as I am, but it will be up to her to choose," he said.

Manley wouldn't speculate on his future ambitions.

A last-place finish would have almost certainly doused any hopes he might have had of being prime minister the next time.

The decision to drop out was "difficult," he said.

Although he has criticized the party's internal politics, particularly the control Martin supporters had over membership applications, Manley refused to be drawn into repeating those claims Tuesday.

"That's a battle that's behind us now," he said.