Conservative attack ads

[Black Dog]

So I was half-watching TV last night when on comes a Tory attack ad aimed at Stephane Dion. I think it was a leftover from the batch they did back in January, but does anyone else find it unusual that they'd be running attack ads when there's no election campaign underway? Aren't there rules about this sort of thing?

[M.Dancer]

So I was half-watching TV last night when on comes a Tory attack ad aimed at Stephane Dion. I think it was a leftover from the batch they did back in January, but does anyone else find it unusual that they'd be running attack ads when there's no election campaign underway? Aren't there rules about this sort of thing?

Yes.....but only during an election and that only covers what they spend.

But I think attacks on Dion fall under the laws governing making fun of cripples.

[Black Dog]

Well, I was being facetious about the rules thing. It's their money (I hope) and they can spend as they see fit. I must say, though, the whole thing struck me as pretty gauche. It reminds me why I don't pay attention to the cesspool of Canadian politics much anymore.

[Topaz]

Well, I was being facetious about the rules thing. It's their money (I hope) and they can spend as they see fit. I must say, though, the whole thing struck me as pretty gauche. It reminds me why I don't pay attention to the cesspool of Canadian politics much anymore.

I say it goes along with Harper's personality and I would say his gang, but they are just following orders. Harper's even tells them where they can't go on a saturday night, like the media party. Can you imagine your boss telling you, you can't go somewhere????

[Michael Bluth]

So I was half-watching TV last night when on comes a Tory attack ad aimed at Stephane Dion. I think it was a leftover from the batch they did back in January, but does anyone else find it unusual that they'd be running attack ads when there's no election campaign underway? Aren't there rules about this sort of thing?

It wasn't a leftover. Unless Dion said he would consider raising the GST back in January.

Harper just tore a page out of Chretien's book. Kick 'em when they are down to make sure they stay down.

[myata]

It's their understanding of democracy. US style. Along with other cool things they aspire to borrow from the south.

[Shakeyhands]

It wasn't a leftover. Unless Dion said he would consider raising the GST back in January.

Harper just tore a page out of Chretien's book. Kick 'em when they are down to make sure they stay down.

Don't recall seeing an ad, any ad, like this coming from Chretien, can you remind us?

[Michael Bluth]

Don't recall seeing an ad, any ad, like this coming from Chretien, can you remind us?

Didn't specify an ad. Sorry if I confused you.

About Chretien's style I said:

Kick 'em when they are down to make sure they stay down.

As in calling the 2000 election not even 3 1/2 years into a majority mandate to take advantage of a new leader in the opposition ranks.

As in the way he continually put Martin in his place and ran for a third mandate out of pure spite.

Both are examples of kicking opponents when they are down and making sure they are down.

I hope I made that clearer for you shakey.

[jdobbin]

Toronto Star editorial on Harper's "gutter" tactics.

http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/273746

How low will Prime Minister Stephen Harper go to score cheap and dirty political points against his opponents?

For the unsettling answer, Canadians need look only as far as the latest Conservative party television advertisement, which attacks Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion for saying he might consider reversing cuts Harper's government has introduced to the goods and services tax.

The television spot, which started airing on the weekend, shows Dion frozen in a shrug and accuses him of wanting to make a "multi-billion-dollar tax grab" to pay for his "lack of priorities." It also questions his leadership and warns viewers that he is "not worth the risk."

Never mind that most economists say that slashing a consumption tax like the GST is bad public policy or that the latest percentage point Harper plans to shave off the GST could have paid for much-needed public investments in cities and anti-poverty measures. Harper has chosen to ignore these legitimate criticisms and take the low road by launching a misleading and unsavoury attack against Dion.

But Canadians should by now have come to expect such gutter tactics from Harper. Last spring, he unleashed similar attack ads against Dion. One ad suggested Dion was a "sellout" or "traitor" to Quebecers because he is a strong federalist. Another tried to imply he was a criminal, picturing him behind yellow police tape with former Liberal prime minister Jean Chrétien. And yet another linked Dion to the Liberal sponsorship scandal, even though he had no part in the affair.

And the National Post calls Harper "childish."

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.ht...36d&k=12433

If the Liberals had two clues, money and enough of the childish spite required for such tactics, they could create a devastating attack ad against Stephen Harper. They wouldn't even have to look far for material.

They could portray the prime minister as a controlling, divisive bully with a hidden agenda - admittedly, not an original idea - by mining Harper's own public utterances over the last week.

We've just learned, for instance, that Harper's Conservative party forced two potential candidates to step aside because they weren't sufficiently compliant with party directives. This wasn't a case of banishing bigots, single-issue zealots or people with dodgy financial histories.

Guelph-area candidate Brent Barr is accused of not working the riding hard enough, a charge he hotly denies. His surprising dismissal has stoked speculation that party boss and Harper intimate Doug Finley wants to open the riding for someone he prefers. So much for the grassroots.

Mark Warner, a 43-year-old international trade lawyer who was to represent the party in Toronto Centre, sounds thoughtful, articulate and public-spirited -and, as a bonus for a party hoping to reach ethnic voters, he is black. However, Warner ran afoul of head office because of his emphasis on housing, health care and other urban issues.

[Michael Bluth]

Imagine that. The Red Star opposes the Conservatives.

As for the National Post, that's the same reaction they had to Chretien's tactics.

[fellowtraveller]

So I was half-watching TV last night when on comes a Tory attack ad aimed at Stephane Dion. I think it was a leftover from the batch they did back in January, but does anyone else find it unusual that they'd be running attack ads when there's no election campaign underway? Aren't there rules about this sort of thing?

Why do you think an election campaign hasn't already begun? If harper , Layton and Duceppe have their way there would be one tomorrow.

In the meantime, Harper has plenty of Party money to spend, and I don't think there are many rules on spending outside an offical campaign.

[Higgly]

Why is it that the Conservatives think attack ads will work? I'm curious to know. It sure didn't do them much good in Ontario. Does anybody have any independent research that shows that this has a good effect?

There is a saying in the sales game that you never criticize the competition because all it does is raise sympathy for them. I'm curious why politics is not the same.

[guyser]

Why is it that the Conservatives think attack ads will work?

Look south.

[margrace]

Imagine that. The Red Star opposes the Conservatives.

As for the National Post, that's the same reaction they had to Chretien's tactics.

And one of the reasons I heard for Harpers failure to increase his poll numbers was that women don't like his bullying tactics.

[guyser]

Imagine that. The Red Star opposes the Conservatives.

Considering stevey has done nothing for his hometown , would you expect anything different?

He could try, he might garner a few votes instead of being shut out completely.

[Michael Bluth]

Considering stevey has done nothing for his hometown , would you expect anything different?

He could try, he might garner a few votes instead of being shut out completely.

Really? Which riding would you suggest they spend precious money and resources on?

Sort of like the Liberals in Alberta. It's nice to say they are trying but foolish to put in more than a token effort.

[guyser]

Really? Which riding would you suggest they spend precious money and resources on?

Sort of like the Liberals in Alberta. It's nice to say they are trying but foolish to put in more than a token effort.

The riding called the City of Toronto? Or perhaps the Oshawa to Hamilton corridor , where he has no rep.

After all he gets plenty of money from that area, and the City needs help.

[Michael Bluth]

The riding called the City of Toronto? Or perhaps the Oshawa to Hamilton corridor , where he has no rep.

After all he gets plenty of money from that area, and the City needs help.

Try getting your facts right to start with.

Here is the web site for Colin Carrie. Conservative MP for the Federal riding of Oshawa.

Next question?

[Higgly]

Look south.

I always knew that this is where it was coming from. I just wonder why the Conservatives think that Canadians would fall for it. Generally, I have found that Canadians react negatively to bad-mouthing.

[Michael Bluth]

I always knew that this is where it was coming from. I just wonder why the Conservatives think that Canadians would fall for it.

It's been done in Canada for years.

1988 John Turner "Bomb the Bridges" Ad. - Successful.

1993 Jean Chretien "Is this a leader?" Ad. - Unsuccessful.

2006 "Soldiers with guns in our streets" Ad. - Unsuccessful.

Hmmm, I guess it's not just the Conservatives trying the negative advertising.

[Higgly]

It's been done in Canada for years.

1988 John Turner "Bomb the Bridges" Ad. - Successful.

1993 Jean Chretien "Is this a leader?" Ad. - Unsuccessful.

2006 "Soldiers with guns in our streets" Ad. - Unsuccessful.

Hmmm, I guess it's not just the Conservatives trying the negative advertising.

Good point. Prior to the mid nineties, I wasn't paying a lot of attention.

[Moxie]

I still laugh at the liberals assertion there would be "Soldiers on every street" we could only wish. After twelve years of the Liberals sucking up to the criminal element visa vie soft on crime policies we now need soldiers on our streets.

Halifax and Dartmouth are war zones, thanks Liberal Party of Canada and their rigid enforcement of min sentencing. We wouldn't want to use those max sentence guidelines, nope they'd rather spend our money pleading for clemency of a killer in the US.

LOL the Cons don't need attack ads to hurt the Liberals, the Libs stance on convicted criminals in the US speaks volumns-Murderers deserve our empathy victims get our scorn.

The Liberals hold a grudge so severely they revive dead scandles over lian Brian hoping to confuse the public. Nope not confused the Liberal Party of Canada are bitter hateful, and vengeful. Demanding taxpayers fund an inquiry after we already spent billions going after Brian and finding NOTHING. As per the norm they spend our money on private grudges. Petty petty, and really petty.

Last but not least more Liberal Hypocrisy, they send our troops to Afghanistan with no clear or defined ROEs on transfering Enemy Combatants and they are screaming at Harper for not fixing their SCREW UP. They are demanding we the taxpayer coddle hardcore terrorist at our expense, will they never tire of their inability to "PLan" anything but their own public buriel?

Moxie out to Danny Boy the Pipes the Pipes are calling. I dare to dream: That the Liberals are relagated to the back benches and the NDP become the next opposition party. The liberals really suck at being the official Opposition Party, the NDP would bring a fresh face and a level of integrity to the job.

[sharkman]

I always knew that this is where it was coming from. I just wonder why the Conservatives think that Canadians would fall for it. Generally, I have found that Canadians react negatively to bad-mouthing.

Huh? The Liberals successfully bad mouthed the Conservatives for years using the *scary scary* strategy, even though they hadn't done anything under Harper since they were never in power. It worked and kept them out of power until finally when the Liberal regime sank under its own weight.

Which reminds me, was it the Liberals that floated that attack ad concerning soldiers in the streets of Canada if Harper became PM?

[jdobbin]

Why is it that the Conservatives think attack ads will work? I'm curious to know. It sure didn't do them much good in Ontario. Does anybody have any independent research that shows that this has a good effect?

Four ad campaigns have kept the Tories right in the same position in the polls: 36%.

[jdobbin]

And one of the reasons I heard for Harpers failure to increase his poll numbers was that women don't like his bullying tactics.

Harper is often his own worst enemy when he puts on the bully-boy tactics.