Globe.com pulls Spector column on PMs marriage

Norman Spector (pictured) writes in his online column:
Note to readers (updated):
Why Ms. Harper joined the PM’s Christmas interview (24/12)
Merry Christmas!
As many of you know by now, The Globe deleted the above piece from its website around noon on Friday, after it elicited a flurry of comments--both con and pro--in the six hours it was online. As is the paper’s right.
Still, "Why Ms. Harper joined the PM’s Christmas interview" continued for most of the day to draw a large number of comments elsewhere on The Globe site--again both pro and con, and all of which I've read. For those who were surprised at the pile-on by the Ottawa press gallery, I'm linking my recent criticism of them for withholding information from Canadians in a matter concerning Brian Mulroney and Doug Finley--as well as specific barbs directed at Sun Media (here, here and here), Maclean's (here and here) and the Ottawa Citizen. As regular readers know, I could go on and on--as, in the coming days, may some of those who've been on the receiving end of my media criticism over the past few years.
In any case, we’ve now all had the opportunity to view the Prime Minister’s most unusual year-ender on CTV. And to ponder why he and Ms. Harper decided to do their first joint interview since the Conservative government came to power in 2006.
A source who’s well-connected at CTV tells me she did it as a “tribute” to the retiring Lloyd Robertson—one of the two journalists who served up the syrupy questions (though not the one related to their relationship). A Senator who’s involved in Conservative election planning hinted strongly via an e-mail to me that Ms. Harper will be involved in an upcoming ad campaign. For my part, after considering these and a couple of other suggestions forwarded to me privately, I’m still of the opinion that the deleted piece best explains why the Prime Minister and his staff decided to have Ms. Harper join the CTV year-ender in the last segment. Accordingly—and with versions of varying accuracy in circulation--I’m posting it here on my website, as it originally appeared, for your consideration.

Click on the title to read the full column.