The reputation of Stephen Harper as a political wizard has weakened a bit. His cynical suspension of Parliament has led to criticism that he overstrategizes, and that could well be true. As recounted in William Johnson's biography, Mr. Harper once told a friend: “I think of strategy twenty-four hours day.”

The reality is that political outcomes aren't easily contoured. If you look at the careers of leaders with winning records, Jean Chrétien's three majorities or Pierre Trudeau's four election victories, you'll see that the key was something far more mundane than tactical sorcery.