Schadenfreude & the Conservative Government

This political piece is not in favor of ‘my party’ because I don't have one. I have never been aligned to any particular political party. My comments here are based only on my observations of how insecure and small-minded the federal Conservative government seems, even after finally winning its long-coveted majority in the recent election on May 2, 2011. Understandably, the Tories are reveling in their notable victory. But more-telling is the lack of civility and dearth of decency shown by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney toward the Liberal party since the election. 
I’m not a fan of Schadenfreude--the German word used to denote taking pleasure from someone else's misfortune. But that’s what Harper and Kenney seem to be exhibiting, publicly, since they won their majority in May. They don’t seem content to have merely captured their prize. Instead, they seem to need to mock, belittle and berate the Liberal party in the wake of its near-obliteration in the election. 
The most recent example of this occurred during the opening weekend of the Calgary Stampede in early July. I wasn’t there, but if accounts in various newspapers are correct, Harper’s naiveté, pettiness, and perceived arrogance shone through loud and clear. He is widely reported, in various publications, to have gleefully--and perhaps prematurely--told Tory supporters the Liberals’ dominance of Canadian federal politics is now over; and that the election results show clearly that Canadian values are Conservative values, and vice versa. 
Surely, though, Harper knows that electors can vote as they do for various complex reasons; and also impulsively. In this context, did voters soundly reject the Liberals in May just because they (voters) are all now, and forever, Conservative in thought, action, and belief as Harper would have us believe? Did voters reject the Liberals just because they (voters) never want the Liberal party to govern Canada again, as Harper naively implies? Did voters necessarily believe Harper is the best person in the country to be prime minister, or did he win his majority this time because, in part, he seemed the lesser of available evils? How can he realistically suggest the Liberals will never again form a national government? I understand he has to bolster his troops, but he should at least try to be realistic; if only so he doesn’t seem naïve and silly.          
But Harper isn’t the only or first high-profile Tory seeming to publicly demonstrate Schadenfreude; enjoying kicking the Liberals when they're down but not quite out. Jason Kenney, the Immigration Minister, was the first prominent Conservative to do so, just over a month after they won their majority in the May election. At the Tories' national convention on June 9, 2011, Kenney seemed to take great pleasure in implying the Liberals are now a shadow of their former selves, as he harkened back to the last time the they were in power: 
“Do you remember? The Liberals were in their third consecutive majority,” Kenney said. “…They had acclaimed a new leader who, the media told us, was a “juggernaut” set to govern Canada with super majorities for as long as they wanted.  After all, they were the Natural Governing Party, and we were merely a divided opposition at the margin of Canadian politics…What became of the Liberal juggernaut? Third place. 34 seats. By far their worst election result in history” (http://www.jasonkenney.ca/news/minister-jason-kenneys-speech-at-the-opening-ceremonies-of-the-conservative-convention-june-9-201/). In fairness, Kenney acknowledged some critics said the Conservatives’ majority win in May was a fluke, or resulted from voter apathy. But, of course he put the Tories’ victory down to Harper’s “brilliant leadership,” among other related factors.
I understand how those who seem or are insecure can suddenly feel superior, powerful and important by taking perverse pleasure in someone else's misery--especially if, as in politics, that 'someone else' is the defeated key political opponent. Harper's and Kenney's recent public behavior seems to exemplify this: they have presented themselves, after the election, as mean and vengeful. Maybe if they become more-mature as men, as opposed to political maturity, they won't have such a strong need to take such joy in publicly battering the beaten Liberals. Maybe they can learn to take ‘the high road’ and at least try to portray themselves as mature, compassionate leaders, instead of insecure, childish backbiters. 
At this time, however, Harper and Kenney don’t seem wise or mature enough to know they can still boast about their accomplishments, without necessarily tearing down their already-beaten opponents in the process. This is especially unfortunate where Harper is concerned because as prime minister, presumably he sets the tone for the other elected Conservatives to follow. I believe the main thing they accomplish when they continue having fun bashing the defeated Liberals, is to show they seem petty, immature, and mean-spirited.  
Sadly, Harper and Kenney have shown recently they still seem hopelessly insecure, even with a majority and the presumed security of being fully in charge for the next few years, and with their previous key opponent lying in near-ruin. They still, obviously, seem unable or unwilling to just let their own party's victory in May 2011 speak for itself. They still have the need to take enormous pleasure, publicly, in the Liberals' misfortunes. 
As such, Harper and Kenney demean themselves by continually seeming to relish rubbing the Liberals' noses in their significant defeat in May. In this context, Schadenfreude might be momentarily good for a Tory's fragile ego, but it does little for one's image or reputation.