Counts

Ignatieff is descended from a Russian count. How awesome is that? This is the first time I can remember that any party has had a leader who was only a couple generations removed from nobility - and what sounds more vaguely ominous than a Russian count? Anyway, I've rounded up a series of other counts, and compared their viability as Liberal leader to Ignatieff's, on the following scales:

Leadership: Is this someone who acts like a Prime Minister? /10
Liberal cred: Does this count have policies or branding similar to the Liberal Party? /10
Diversity: How excitingly multicultural is the count? /5

Dracula

This count is a Romanian vampire noted for owning a large castle, shapeshifting, and drinking the blood of young Victorian-era Englishwomen.
Leadership: 0/10 for his lack of interest in gaining allies, dealing with the media, or terrorizing innocent villagers.
Liberal cred: 0/10 because anyone who feasts on the blood of mortals already has a natural home elsewhere in Canadian politics.
Diversity: 3/5 because vampires are definitely a traditionally underrepresented minority.

Monte Cristo

This count is a French sailor who digs up hidden treasure accrues fame and fortune on his obsessive search for revenge.
Leadership: 6/10 for an impressive ability to win friends and influence people.
Liberal cred: 1/10 His enthusiastic spending would provide much-needed economic stimulus. However, his only policy seems to be vengeance, which isn't quite in sync with the Grits right now.
Diversity: 0/5 Another priveleged Francophone? Nothing terribly exciting.

Dooku

This count is an Old Republic noble with a distaste for red tape, Jedi training, and an unfortunate enthusiasm for the Dark Side.

Leadership: 4/10 for his evident skill at parliamentary maneuvering and his dislike for bureaucracy.
Liberal cred: 2/10 because he has a red lightsabre and that is the official Liberal colour. However, his eagerness to remove the Chancellor and install his preferred replacement to lead an intrusive government makes it seem like he'd be more at home elsewhere.
Diversity: 2/5 because he is Sith and therefore would be the first non-Christian Liberal leader.

von Count

This count, along with his friends and colleagues, raised me and was partially responsible for my mathematical inclinations.
Leadership: 5/10 for his sky-high approval ratings (who doesn't love Count von Count?) and his ability to teach basic numeracy.
Libera cred: 0/10 because, really, what kind of policy initiatives have you ever heard him propose? (Except for counting things, obviously.)
Diversity: 4/5 because he is a vampire and also for being purple.

Ignatieff

This count is the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, and is seen as controversial; the right claims he is too educated, while the left claims he is too electable.
Leadership: 8/10 for dealing with the Conservatives on the budget right away, and negotiating with them as a Liberal and not as a member of a dubious coalition. Points deducted for not dropping the coalition right away, but I guess that wouldn't be all that politically feasible.
Liberal cred: 9/10 for being the leader of the Liberals after several years as heir apparent.
Diversity: 1/5 for being the first leader of a federal party of partially non-Western European descent (as far as I can tell). How's that for setting the bar low?

All things considered, maybe Ignatieff was not such a bad choice?