Harper Flipped. And then he Flopped.

When you’re wrong in politics, it’s best to flop as soon as you can. Better they laugh at you now than let your ego drive you into a worse mess.

Harper wanted to make good to the women of Canada. Get rid of that sexist line about “all thy sons command” in the national anthem.

Seemed like a novel idea, three days before International Women's Day.

We had heard that anthem over and over 14 times during the Olympics. When your women athletes – 43 % of your contingent who win 80 % of your medals – it’s nice to do at least something symbolic.

Politically it was a grand opportunity to get rid of nasty talk about Harper as a sexist who only cares about women who stay at home and collect $100 a month for taking care of their children.

It appears the brain-wave to change the anthem came from Conservative senator Nancy Ruth, both a feminist and a lesbian, and an out-spoken defender of human rights and democracy.

Part of our human rights in this country includes putting women on a par with men -- at least symbolically.

Somehow Ruth had Harper’s ear, and suddenly it was slipped into in his Throne Speech, although it did seem as an after-thought.

We must be kind to Harper. He had only two days to rush his Throne Speech after Vancouver. That’s unless you believe that tooth fairy story that he spent two months “recalibrating” the speech in Ottawa.

Mucking around with O Canada created a huge backlash. The plan had been approved in Harper's office by the same people who okayed the Throne Speech. Don`t believe those who tell you otherwise.

Senator Ruth also had permission from Harper’s office for a piece that will appear in the Hill Times newspaper launching the anthem debate on Monday, March 8.

It was all planned. Believe it. Conservative senators don’t go around freelancing policy on their own – at least they don't do it for very long.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff was not kind. Political opponents seldom are. He said: “You would think that after two months working on this speech they would have something more serious to propose to women.”

The public response was nasty and overwhelming. Worse still. Those most angry were people that polling research shows usually support the Harper Conservative Party - old white men, traditionalists, people who fear change and like things to stay the way they are.

Rule one in politics: never antagonize the base.

The radio open-line shows were filled solid with complainers, whiners, and grumpies. Harper was accused of always ``cow-towing``and caving in to feminists. That will come as news to many feminists.

Two days later Harper had no choice but to back-track on his Throne Speech and drop the anthem change in the light of public outrage.

Too afraid to face the public himself, Harper sent out associate press secretary Dimitri Soudas.

Hey, if you can send out Soudas to announce that you’re closing down the Parliament of Canada, you can send Soudas out to announce almost anything.

Soudas did his job well: “The government will not proceed any further to change our national anthem.” There! You have it.

Give Harper credit. He knows how to duck and when to fold. And he lets Soudas carry the message.

Now if there was only something else in that Throne Speech.