Not all Liberals, however, relish the thought of settling for a compromise candidate.
"That's how Dalton McGuinty won," huffs Milton Chan, policy vice-president of the Young Liberals.
Although McGuinty improved over time and eventually won the premier's job, Chan says he was seen in 1996 as "the epitome of mediocrity."
"The reason he was elected is because no one had a goddamn clue who he was. Personally, I don't want my leader to be the bland, inoffensive guy. I want my leader to stand for something."
Chan supports acclaimed Harvard academic and rookie Toronto MP Michael Ignatieff, who is among the so-called first tier of putative candidates - including glamorous Tory defector Belinda Stronach and former Ontario NDP premier Bob Rae - deemed to have the highest profiles, most money and best campaign machines.
But each has liabilities that could limit their ability to grow beyond the first ballot: Johnny-come-lately status in the party, inexperience, or, in Rae's case, a dismal record as premier.
(or obnoxious supporters who's leadership campaign role models are evidently the Martinites)
Note to Chan: sometimes the outwardly mediocre are the right people for the job. If they aren't touring the lecture circuit or endlessly talking about their vision (or lack thereof), they just might actually do the job they were elected to do, that is, leading.
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