Revenge of the comment section: Is this Conservative leadership thing over yet?

This week saw another Conservative leadership debate,the first with relative newcomer Kevin O'Leary. While a few favourites have emerged among the bloated list of leadership hopefuls, many CBC commenters stillconsiderthe race too populated for ameaningful exchange of ideas. A few more months to go...

No clear vision

A candidate who spends more time in the U.S. than in Canada andwho will not commit torunning in a byelection if he winsdoes not deserve to be the leader of a national party.

A candidate who runs on fear and division and cloaks her statements in vague "values" talkis not leadership material.

As for the rest of the lot, with the exception of Michael Chong, there is no promise, no clear vision. They are all Harper-lite. Too bad the Conservatives don't have the vision to think outside the box.

-Anthony Chezzi

Bernier has a shot at 2019

Maxime Bernier is going to win, and he has a shot at beating Justin Trudeau in 2019. He is a much different candidate fromhis rivals. He has credentials, charm and uniqueideas many of which,I believe, will get Canadians on board.

He could very well take a lot of Quebec, which would be essential to dethroning Trudeau. He wants to end corporate welfare, which I think is broadly appealing, and he wants to get back to responsible spending.

-Andrew Bell

Lamp post for prime minister

If Bernier wins, it will lead to the biggest abstention in Canadian voting history. Many Conservatives, myself included, would rather vote for a lamp post than see another unfocusedQuebecer become prime minister.

We have had enough with Trudeau and we don't need a right-wing version of the same.

-Wendy Hague

What are their motives?

A lot of people are missing the point of this leadership race.What are the candidates' strong points? Did they listen to the membership when putting together their platform, or is thestrategy just toteardown the opposition? There's a lot of Trump-style politics inherent in many of the candidates' platforms, and the louder they speak the more media attention they get. It's part of their plan.

My personal choice has not been made so far, but I have eliminated Kevin O'Leary for being a person who cannot separate his ownpersonal gains from a potential role in government, as well asKellie Leitch, who I wouldn't trust to clean my house in my absence.

We all have to take a good look at the candidates' motives for wanting to be the next leader of the Conservatives. Then, we have to ask whether our final choice can successfully challenge the Liberals. We have seen what can happen with a person like Donald Trump. Are we stupid enough to repeat it?

-Douglas McNutt

Loved him in Star Wars

Does anyone else think Bernier looks like Liam Neeson?

-Joshua Stein

Just pick one

With 38 per cent of supporters still crying out for "someone else,"it makes no sense to carry on with these charades. It is obvious that Canadians are not interested and it is time to put the 14 names in a hat and pick one. Let'sput this gong show to rest.

-Elma Fayerrly

Vote Rona

I wish we could just stick with Rona Ambrose. She seems like she has a good head on her shoulders. And she's a bit more socially aware than most conservative politicians, which is a good thing in today's political climate.

-Joshua Stein

Cut it down

OK, there weresome fairly intelligent-sounding people during the debate, and some reasonable responses. But it wasmostly the usual politicalplatitudes. The Conservativeshave got to cut this thing downto a half-dozen. Right now, the race is hardly worthlistening to.

- Mike Gagne

None of the above

None of them impress me.

-Joe D'Aoust

Reader comments have been edited for length and clarity.