Is this professionally appropriate?

"In interviews last week some said the new staffing choices have created an awkward situation, as Mr. Davey and Ms. Fairbrother have been a couple since they met while working on Mr. Ignatieff's first run for Parliament, in 2005. The Liberal power couple live on Sparks St., near Parliament Hill, in the small apartment which Mr. Ignatieff and his wife, Zsuzsanna Zsohar, vacated when they decamped to Stornoway, the official residence of the leader of the opposition, when Mr. Ignatieff took over from former leader Stéphane Dion (Saint-Laurent-Cartierville, Que.).

"How can you be critical of her?" said the Liberal source.

"[It's] awkward in the sense that you have two people dating and if somebody has an issue about how communications are done, or with a quote, or a story, or just media, who do you take it up with? And so if the buck is supposed to stop with Ian then it's kind of an awkward situation that you're going behind her back to complain to Ian about it. If that relationship didn't exist, that would just be sort of the norm."

http://hilltimes.com/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=2009/august/24/himelfarb/&c=2

I am a huge believer in gender equality.
However, I don't know how the OLO can be effectively managed when the Chief of Staff is romantically involved with the Director of Communications. If I worked in the OLO I would be terrified to criticize Liberal communications practices in the Chief of Staff's presence. The whole situation just doesn't seem right. But what do I know? I'm not a Toronto lawyer and I don't live in Rosedale.

Alfred Apps: Not cool anymore

Forgive me for saying this, but I think Apps is slowly being put out to pasture by Michael. Of the big three who went to down to Boston to lay the groundwork for his homecoming and ascension to leader, Apps is the one guy who isn't getting a reward from the big guy.

Dan Brock has been lured away from a high-paying gig in Toronto to be Michael's Principle-Secretary. He's on the upswing in the inner sanctum of Stornoway and getting accolades from the media.

Ian Davey has been elevated to the pinnacle position of Chief of Staff and comes from the pedigree Rainmaking bloodline.

Meanwhile, where's Alf? Seems like Michael only trots him out to respond to Conservative attack ads. Some reward.

Dan Brock = Promoted.
Ian Davey = Promoted.
Alf Apps = Go mop up the Conservative attacks on us, and make me a sandwich while you're at it.

The Americanization of the NDP

So it seems the NDP's major speaker is Betsy Meyers. She has a 20k
speaking fee and worked for Obama in some capacity.

http://www.speaking.com/speakerindexes/governmentpolitics.php

I find it strange after decades of America bashing by the NDP their
great hope is bringing in strategists from the US. Also I don't know
if she meshes with the current NDP strategy.

Layton's current plan seems to be "Keep Harper in power by shooting
the left in the foot."

I think someone from the 2000 Nader campaign would be apropriate. You
remember him.

He gave us Bush.