"...[Kinsella is] a modern-day Machiavelli, the mastermind who ran war rooms for Jean Chretien and Dalton McGuinty... He's the ultimate political insider... [The War Room] has plenty of fascinating insights and is a must-read for political junkies."

- The Toronto Sun


"The top Canadian spin doctor...tells all!"

- The National Post


"Warren Kinsella’s new book is a must-read for anyone interested in political campaigning in Canada. And not just political campaigning.…I wish I’d had the chance to read The War Room before I became Stephen Harper’s campaign manager; it might have saved me from many mistakes and months of painful learning on the job."

- Tom Flanagan, The Literary Review of Canada


"The War Room is a rich, detailed, and substantive primer on how to run a winning war room - warts, pizza boxes, smelly couches and all - from a master war roomer."

- The Hill Times


"Kinsella has crafted a handy little guide for politicos and non-politicos alike. Just keep it away from the kids."

- The Winnipeg Free Press


"... a great read ... full of fascinating stories..."

- John Moore, CFRB


"...I don't want to say [he's a] genius...but there's valuable insights here..."

- John Oakley, AM640


"I just got one copy, but I plan to get more!"

- John Wright, Ipsos, CFRB


"I do recommend [The War Room] to everyone."

- Charles Adler, Adler Online


"He's Canada's James Carville...a must-read...If you really want to win, you need this book!"

- Tommy Schnurmacher, CJAD


"A fascinating book...full of great stories."

- Ken Rockburn, CPAC

Archives

Show All

  • 2008
    • May
      • HIGHWAY OF HEROES
        05/09/08
        Heading East on the 401, and folks have lined up on the overpasses again to greet a returning hero. Firetrucks, citizens, flags, all facing East.

        You have to see this, as I have a few times now, to understand its emotional impact. It is very, very powerful. It is so sad, but it makes you

      • VOX POPULI
        05/09/08
        My one-person focus group is my gal; she's smarter and more intuitive than me, even if she was a Tory, long ago. She laughed out loud when I read her this line from the Prime Minister. I was laughing, too.

        "Mr. Dion and Mr. Duceppe are quite a group of gossipy old busy-bodi

      • KIDS AND VIOLENCE
        05/09/08
        A million years ago, when I was a young fella - when I thought I would be dead before I hit 20, say, and then when I hit 20, highly unlikely to ever reach 30 - I got in fights. My mug, and my hands, still bear little mementos of various youthful stupidities. Between my mouth and my nose, for examp

      • DOUBLE VID HIT: DOA AND TIGER ARMY
        05/09/08
        My pal Joey Shithead and the legendary DOA are in town Saturday night - and our youngest's favourite threesome, Tiger Army, are here tonight. I'm heading up to the cabin, so I'll miss both. As a consolation - and as an incentive for all of you to go see these two great bands - he

      • TOO FUNNY
        05/08/08
        I'm heading to a celebration of Israel's 60th year, and who do I see in a blue van right behind me? John Tory.

        I know this because, if his guy had been tailgating anymore, we would have been doing a little piggyback dance.

        Crazy old town, is Toronto.

      • LIZ THOMPSON ISSUES A MEGA MEA CULPA
        05/08/08
        ...and therefore shows that she is a classy person. And human, like the rest of us who have messed up (and still regret it very much).

        Here.

      • INVITATION TO MARK STEYN TO DEBATE
        05/08/08
        "...The Public Policy Forum (PPF) is holding a symposium entitled: “Revisiting Canada’s Human Rights Commissions: A Public Symposium.” This half-day event will take place in Ottawa on the morning of Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008. I am writing to determine if you are available and interesting in be

      • BOLDED BITS AND PIECES
        05/08/08
        • Memo To Tim Horton’s Communications Staff: (a) jump off a very tall building, because sometimes that is all that communications advisors can do (b) before leaping, explore ways to sell Tim’s back to Canadians.
        • The Atomic Hug: That’s what the eight-year-old calls what he delivers to me

      • PORTRAIT OF MARK STEYN AT NEXT MONTH'S DEBATE
        05/07/08

        C'mon Mark! You're not afraid to debate little old me, are you?

      • SANDRA BUCKLER
        05/07/08
        I hope she gets well soon, and both of us wish her the very best (my wife knows her from way, way back).

        The way in which this news is reported, meanwhile, is completely unbecoming of Liz, and completely undeserved for someone in Sandra's position.

      • HEY THERE, POMPOUS WINDBAG
        05/06/08
        I'll debate you.

        I've got the forum, too. In Ottawa, in June. Proceeds split and going to the litigants on our respective sides.

        Let's go, tough guy.

        UPDATE, MORE THAN TWELVE HOURS LATER: Steyn is even linking to this web site, but - curiously

      • SHE'S DONE LIKE DINNER
        05/06/08
        It's now just a question of when she, he, accept that. Or will they stubbornly hold on, and tank the Democratic Party's chances in November?

        I sure hope not. But it sure looks like that's where this thing is headed.

        As I told the folks who kindly came to

      • POLICY STATEMENT
        05/06/08
        Rob Breakenridge has admitted he went "over the line" in linking me to Elmasry. He's deleted that lie.

        Here's the bottom line, for me - Elmasry, Lemire, Klatt, et al. are all the same. They're haters, and if you defend them, you are well on your way to becoming

      • ON MY WAY TO OTTAWA TO GIVE A SPEECH
        05/06/08
        ...and I spot this:

        "In all, only 404 pledged delegates remain to be chosen, and Tuesday's total of 187 makes it the biggest single primary day left. Clinton would need to win 70 percent of the remaining pledged delegates to catch up with Obama."

        The "R

      • RELIGION AND POLITICS MIXMASTER
        05/06/08
        Religion and politics don't mix, and - in this country, at least - they never will. My friend and I were discussing this very subject at a fundraiser for the disabled at Labatt House last night, in fact.

        But while religion and politics don't mix, the fact is that when you mi

      • CHARLES CACCIA
        05/05/08
        He was a regular reader of this web site, he told me once, and a great Liberal in the Trudeau/Chretien tradition. He will be greatly missed.


      • MY ELECTION PREDICTION
        05/05/08
        In today's Hill Times, here.

        Comment away!

      • THIS IS SO LAME
        05/05/08
        Do they also ask themselves for autographs? Do they buy tickets to their own gigs? Do they plaster cast themselves?

        Fellas, "fan" is derived from the word "fanatic." You play the instruments, the fans be fans. Simple.

      • BABY I'M AN ANARCHIST
        05/04/08
        Sort of.

        (Words here, in case you have as much difficulty as some of the kids in the vid.)


      • SAVING NEWSPAPERS
        05/03/08
        Here's how.

      • PET PEEVE AT BLOCKBUSTER
        05/03/08
        ...for which Bjorn has a really rude alternative name. But anyway.

        Here's the pet peeve: why do they have to holler out the movies you want to rent? So that everyone can hear?

        "Okay, sir, A Clockwork Orgy and Angela's Asses are due back on Sunday night..

      • LONG OVERDUE
        05/03/08
        Good. I was no fan of General Hiller - becuase, like many generals, he had seemingly forgotten that we have civilian control of the military, and not the other way around.

        Good on Peter McKay for gutting through the Hillier-era cult of personality hysteria, and reminding them who is

      • I SING THIS TO MY DAUGHTER
        05/02/08
        She rolls her eyes, but she can't stop me.

        Was listening to these geniuses, late, coming back from the new offices. Bagged but glad. Was listening to the Weakerthans' 'Plea From A Cat Named Virtue,' which has no video I am aware of, but you can and should listen to,

      • I HATE MOVING
        05/01/08
        I really, really hate moving. And movers.

      • REALLY BAD NEWS FOR WARREN
        05/01/08
        He is or has been intimately associated with the three bottom-feeder occupations. Sigh.

        From Norman:

        ...

        An Angus Reid poll that you’ll not see reported tomorrow

        "In the online survey of a representative national sample, a large majority of Ca

      • FINALLY, A POLITICIAN LISTENED TO ME ABOUT FUEL PRICES
        05/01/08
        And, happily, he is the most compelling politician in the world, at the moment.

        Man, I wish I could figure out a way to go work for this guy.

      • YAFFE NAILS THE SLEEPER ELECTION ISSUE
        05/01/08
        If Canada is in deficit, the "economic leadership" story line is in the burn unit, too - along with the ethics story line and the outsiders story line.

        Solution? Bomb the living shit out of the main opposition during the writ.

        The campaign, when it comes

      • WHY THE ONTARIO NDP WILL NEVER BE GOVERNMENT AGAIN
        05/01/08
        Reason 4,219: whilst two of their most prominent members push to make Toronto's transit union an essential service - In the same week! In the same city! - these characters come up with this.

        Perhaps they thought we wouldn't notice.

        ...

        McGuin

      • THE NEXT TIME YOU PASS SOME ROAD KILL, GIVE PAUSE...
        05/01/08
        ...that sad-looking lump was smarter than a significant number of Members of Parliament. Clearly.



        H/T this guy.

    • April
    • March
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    • January
  • 2007