MUNSON STUNNED BY PM’S OFFER

Of course, now you are going to have to let him win... One secret Jim Munson just wasn't able to keep as a reporter was about the time he beat the Prime Minister at golf. It was on a sweet 20-ft. putt back in 2000. It is a rule of the game that if you play a round with the PM, you never discuss the score. But somehow Mr. Munson's great victory managed to surface in a certain gossip column.Hope the memory is still fresh, because it is going to have to last Big Jim for awhile. Now that he's signed on for a contract term as senior communications advisor to Jean Chretien, he's going to have to let the boss win. And no leaking stories about those mulligans. Wouldn't be surprised if that is actually in the contract.The popular former veteran CTV reporter stunned a lot of his colleagues last week when he agreed to take on the job at the PMO -- but truth is, Mr. Munson was pretty stunned himself.Fresh off a successful gig providing media mentoring and strategy advice to Indian Affairs Minister Bob Nault on that native self-governing thing, Mr. Munson was packing for his annual month-long pilgrimage back to the land of his birth, New Brunswick, when the phone rang at his Glebe home two Fridays ago. T'was the PM himself, inviting Mighty Munson to come on board and help him out.Mr. Munson took the weekend to think about it, found he couldn't say no, and agreed to a contract, provided they wait until he got back from the Maritimes. So he won't be starting work until Aug. 6, giving him three weeks to brag about old golfing victories to the gang back home.Meanwhile, the luring of Jimmy Munson to the PMO helped fuel whispers around town that something was afoot with Mr. Chretien's communications director Francie Ducros.Fuel has been added by a big hit on Ms. Ducros in a certain well-known scandal mag and the resurfacing of her predecessor Peter Donolo as a media spinner for the Chretien camp (he made The Globe and Mail, CBC's As It Happens, and CBC Morning last week).Reports of Ms. Ducros' demise have been greatly exaggerated in the past -- she's outlived many an attack from many a columnist in the past (yours truly included) -- and so far it seems history is repeating itself.It is true that there have been a number of departures of veteran staff this year. (By the way Bernie Seguin, sorry about that little typo a couple of weeks back which had your last name as Sequin -- guess I was thinking of your glittering work as the PM's travel advance man and media babysitter for the past five years.)But the upshot is Ms. Ducros is now the oldtimer -- she celebrated her third anniversary as Mr. Chretien's communications director June 12, and says she's staying put. Her No. 2, Ken Polk and press secretary Duncan "Slam- dunk" Fulton are also in for the ride, Ms. Ducros says.As for Mr. Munson joining the team, Ms. Ducros says she has been hoping to lure him over for months, and figures he will be a huge boon to the team. And just in case anyone is wondering, he will be reporting to her.Which leaves the resurfacing of "Bubbles." Mr. Donolo is an old hand at the media wars and certainly a match on the television pundit circuit for Martinite Mike Robinson. And with all respect to Ms. Ducros, television punditry isn't her forte. But beyond a little spinning for old times' sake, Mr. Donolo is settled in Toronto with a fun new consulting job and one doubts he's looking for his old job back.Of course, now you are going to have to let him win... One secret Jim Munson just wasn't able to keep as a reporter was about the time he beat the Prime Minister at golf. It was on a sweet 20-ft. putt back in 2000. It is a rule of the game that if you play a round with the PM, you never discuss the score. But somehow Mr. Munson's great victory managed to surface in a certain gossip column.Hope the memory is still fresh, because it is going to have to last Big Jim for awhile. Now that he's signed on for a contract term as senior communications advisor to Jean Chretien, he's going to have to let the boss win. And no leaking stories about those mulligans. Wouldn't be surprised if that is actually in the contract.The popular former veteran CTV reporter stunned a lot of his colleagues last week when he agreed to take on the job at the PMO -- but truth is, Mr. Munson was pretty stunned himself.Fresh off a successful gig providing media mentoring and strategy advice to Indian Affairs Minister Bob Nault on that native self-governing thing, Mr. Munson was packing for his annual month-long pilgrimage back to the land of his birth, New Brunswick, when the phone rang at his Glebe home two Fridays ago. T'was the PM himself, inviting Mighty Munson to come on board and help him out.Mr. Munson took the weekend to think about it, found he couldn't say no, and agreed to a contract, provided they wait until he got back from the Maritimes. So he won't be starting work until Aug. 6, giving him three weeks to brag about old golfing victories to the gang back home.Meanwhile, the luring of Jimmy Munson to the PMO helped fuel whispers around town that something was afoot with Mr. Chretien's communications director Francie Ducros.Fuel has been added by a big hit on Ms. Ducros in a certain well-known scandal mag and the resurfacing of her predecessor Peter Donolo as a media spinner for the Chretien camp (he made The Globe and Mail, CBC's As It Happens, and CBC Morning last week).Reports of Ms. Ducros' demise have been greatly exaggerated in the past -- she's outlived many an attack from many a columnist in the past (yours truly included) -- and so far it seems history is repeating itself.It is true that there have been a number of departures of veteran staff this year. (By the way Bernie Seguin, sorry about that little typo a couple of weeks back which had your last name as Sequin -- guess I was thinking of your glittering work as the PM's travel advance man and media babysitter for the past five years.)But the upshot is Ms. Ducros is now the oldtimer -- she celebrated her third anniversary as Mr. Chretien's communications director June 12, and says she's staying put. Her No. 2, Ken Polk and press secretary Duncan "Slam- dunk" Fulton are also in for the ride, Ms. Ducros says.As for Mr. Munson joining the team, Ms. Ducros says she has been hoping to lure him over for months, and figures he will be a huge boon to the team. And just in case anyone is wondering, he will be reporting to her.Which leaves the resurfacing of "Bubbles." Mr. Donolo is an old hand at the media wars and certainly a match on the television pundit circuit for Martinite Mike Robinson. And with all respect to Ms. Ducros, television punditry isn't her forte. But beyond a little spinning for old times' sake, Mr. Donolo is settled in Toronto with a fun new consulting job and one doubts he's looking for his old job back.