I want to start off this column with a solemn pledge: Never, ever again will I write anything about the current Ontario Progressive Conservative Party Leadership race.

Doesn't matter how important or exciting or historic this race is; I'm officially finished with it.

And the reason for that is simple: It's just too bloody nerve-wracking.

I mean, I've just spent an entire day on pins and needles waiting to hear whether or not former PC leader Patrick Brown was actually still a leadership candidate.

It was something I needed to know since I was in the process of writing a nearly 700 word column explaining why things were looking pretty good for Brown.

And let me tell you, it was a brilliantly argued and masterfully written piece of political punditry.

In fact, I was trotting out all sorts of solid arguments suggesting that, despite all the political baggage weighing down Brown's leadership aspirations, allegations of sexual misconduct, accusations of "crooked politics", the infamously terrible melt-down press conference his campaign had actually gained a certain tactical advantage.

If nothing else, I argued, Brown and his team had managed to create a narrative that was somewhat appealing on an emotional level.

After all, Brown's story was that he'd been treated unfairly by both the media and by the party's establishment.

And since many PC members instinctively dislike both the media and the party establishment, Brown's pitch was likely resonating on a grassroots level.

Plus, I pointed to certain polls reported in the media, which at least gave the perception that Brown was a serious contender in the race.

What's more, I also noted how one of Brown's rival leadership candidates, namely Caroline Mulroney, had made a strategic error when she demanded he pull out of the race.

After all, her attack on Brown gave off vibes that Mulroney feared him.

In fact, if I was on Team Brown, I'd have reacted to Mulroney's gambit by saying something along the lines of, "This is desperate ploy on her part; it shows that she's know my campaign is gaining momentum, and that I can win this race!"

Plus, Mulroney's tactic only reinforced Brown's message that the elites were treating him unfairly.

He could have framed it this way, "Even though I passed the vetting process, even though I met all the qualifications needed to enter the leadership race, the elites still want me out".

So yeah, my column was extremely persuasive and it was just about ready to be emailed off to my editor.

But then, before I could hit the "send" button on my e-mail, the whole PC leadership race universe changed when the news broke out that unnamed sources were telling the media that Brown was about to quit the race.

Needless to say that kind of shook me a bit.

But hey, I'm a professional; I'm used to dealing with and adapting to rapid changes in politics.

I would just rewrite my column a bit and come up with a new angle to write about the leadership race.

Maybe I'd get all classy and quote Aristotle or Machiavelli on how the vagaries of politics can take down even the greatest of leaders.

But then more stories started to surface on social media suggesting other unnamed sources were telling the media that Brown wasn't going to quit, that he would stay on to the bitter end.

So what was I supposed to do now?

I had a deadline to meet and didn't know if Brown was in or out!

Was he a hero or goat; a fighter or quitter; a lion or mouse?

At any rate, after what seemed like an eternity, word finally came down that Brown was indeed officially quitting (again.)

Unfortunately, by then the damage to my psyche was done.

So from now on, I'm only going to write about topics that are more predictable than the PC leadership race, such as guessing what Donald Trump will tweet next.

Photo Credit: Toronto Star