New Liberal Ad -- "New Low"

[LiberalJim]

"NEW LOW" -- NEW LIBERAL AD

[BC_chick]

Oh, LiberalJim, as much as I can't stand Harper, that was pretty lame.

There so much better to go on, how about his deplorable environmental record? Or his continual antagonisation of the world's next economical powerhouse - China?

That was schoolyard nonsense.

[maldon_road]

Oh, LiberalJim, as much as I can't stand Harper, that was pretty lame.

There so much better to go on, how about his deplorable environmental record? Or his continual antagonisation of the world's next economical powerhouse - China?

That was schoolyard nonsense.

It's a two day wonder - until the next thing that comes along to raise the politicians' ire.

But it's a self-inflicted wound by Torydom. Last election Harper did a much better job of keeping his mutts in place.

[Bryan]

There so much better to go on, how about his deplorable environmental record?

The Conservatives are very much hoping that Dion will try to attack Harper's record on the environment.

[capricorn]

Oh, LiberalJim, as much as I can't stand Harper, that was pretty lame.

It could scare some people. Booga booga, as one poster would put it.

There so much better to go on, how about his deplorable environmental record?

If Harper doesn't have an environmental record, it's pretty hard to judge him on it.

Or his continual antagonisation of the world's next economical powerhouse - China?

That's because he doesn't have business interests in China which clears the way for him to call out the Chinese government on its human rights violations. Chretien had plenty of reasons to suck up to the Chinese government and financial community, and he continues to do so to this day.

[gc1765]

Oh, LiberalJim, as much as I can't stand Harper, that was pretty lame.

There so much better to go on, how about his deplorable environmental record? Or his continual antagonisation of the world's next economical powerhouse - China?

That was schoolyard nonsense.

Hear, hear!

If the Liberals were smart, they would stay away from this nonsense. I think Canadians are sick of it.

[August1991]

A new poll released Friday suggests a series of gaffes by the Conservatives, such as an insensitive joke by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, might not have hurt the Tories as much as expected.

"The gaffes don't matter. The only people they matter to are the people on the planes following the campaign," said Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Reid Public Affairs. "The public is not focused on them at all."

Link

This false outrage of the Liberals is entirely misplaced. I think the Liberals are wasting their money and may even be hurting themselves. It just reminds people how irritating and politically correct the Liberals can be.

[jdobbin]

It just reminds people how irritating and politically correct the Liberals can be.

Think it reminds how nasty and mean spirited the Tories are.

[Smallc]

Link

This false outrage of the Liberals is entirely misplaced. I think the Liberals are wasting their money and may even be hurting themselves. It just reminds people how irritating and politically correct the Liberals can be.

People on the street are very upset about the comments by Ritz from what I'm hearing...and I live in a very conservative riding.

[kimmy]

I don't discount the idea that this ad could discourage some people from voting Conservative... but I'm skeptical that it'll encourage people to vote Liberal instead.

For undecided voters, I think one likely response is to increase their sense of apathy. "Guuuh, I'm so sick of these guys. Maybe I'll stay home and watch TV instead of voting."

I think another likely response is that they might encourage people to consider the NDP or Green as an alternative. "Guuuh, I'm so sick of the way politics is done in this country. Maybe it's time to stop voting for the old-line parties."

-k

[Riverwind]

People on the street are very upset about the comments by Ritz from what I'm hearing...and I live in a very conservative riding.

Yikes. What's with people? It was a tasteless joke in a private conversation and the guy has apologized. That should be enough for anyone that isn't a partisan seeking political advantage.

[Argus]

"NEW LOW" -- NEW LIBERAL AD

Well, for a propagandist you're actually telling the truth for a change - though unintentionally, of course. This is another new low for the Liberal Party.

This is the best reason they can think of to oust Harper - that one of his ministers made a tasteless joke last month while on a conference call?

Gee, get out the tar and feathers, find us a noose.

You'd think the Liberals would be using their desperately hoarded money to get in some plugs for their own intiatives before the bankruptcy lawyers arrive to haul away the set decorations. Or at least to attack some substantially vulnerable program or bill the Conservatives instituted. But no, some guy cracked a dumb joke and it's the best you guys got. Phhttt.

[Wild Bill]

People on the street are very upset about the comments by Ritz from what I'm hearing...and I live in a very conservative riding.

It's one thing to be disgusted with Ritz. It's quite another to use him as an excuse to dump the entire party. Particularly if you're not impressed with the other parties as alternatives.

As I keep saying, it's not enough to throw crap at your opponent. You also have to make your choice smell nicer to a voter's nose. Or more simply, you don't raise yourself up by tearing another down.

Even more dangerous, it's a lead pipe cinch that sooner or later one of your OWN will say something stupid! You run the risk of inviting retributive justice.

In politics as well as ordinary life, people in glass houses are stupid to talk too much about stone throwing...

[Smallc]

As I keep saying, it's not enough to throw crap at your opponent. You also have to make your choice smell nicer to a voter's nose. Or more simply, you don't raise yourself up by tearing another down.

What they are trying to show her is that the Conservatives are amateurs who aren't serious about what they do. That's the bottom line. They want people to judge that against their record.

[DrGreenthumb]

What they are trying to show her is that the Conservatives are amateurs who aren't serious about what they do. That's the bottom line. They want people to judge that against their record.

I think it shows Harper's leadership is weak, he is afraid to fire this ignorant twit because he hasn't got anyone better to replace him with. People are also mad that Ritz hasn't been fired for planning to lay off meat inspectors and let industry police itself. People like that idea about as much as they like having police investigate complaints against the police. Kind of like leaving the fox in charge of the henhouse.

People are starting to realize what kind of low quality candidates make up the conservative party. Maybe they will let Canadians come to their "press conferences" if we promise to 'stay sober and behave" pfffft time to flush the cons out of office.

[Smallc]

I think it shows Harper's leadership is weak, he is afraid to fire this ignorant twit because he hasn't got anyone better to replace him with. People are also mad that Ritz hasn't been fired for planning to lay off meat inspectors and let industry police itself. People like that idea about as much as they like having police investigate complaints against the police. Kind of like leaving the fox in charge of the henhouse.

People are starting to realize what kind of low quality candidates make up the conservative party. Maybe they will let Canadians come to their "press conferences" if we promise to 'stay sober and behave" pfffft time to flush the cons out of office.

What the Conservatives did during the crisis was the first real amateur thing that I had seen them do. The Prime Minister didn't talk about it for days, the Health Minister left, and the Agriculture Minister was wishing death on his critics. The government didn't seem to take it nearly serious enough on the PR side of things. I can't speak to whether or not they took it seriously behind the scenes (though the Ministers joke may show they didn't).

[marksman]

For undecided voters, I think one likely response is to increase their sense of apathy. "Guuuh, I'm so sick of these guys. Maybe I'll stay home and watch TV instead of voting."

You've got it right. All this type of campaigning does is make people tired of listening and caring. Every party does it and then wonders why voter turnout is low.

[marksman]

As I keep saying, it's not enough to throw crap at your opponent. You also have to make your choice smell nicer to a voter's nose. Or more simply, you don't raise yourself up by tearing another down.

I agree but what happens when everyone does the same thing? The other day I was on the Conservative webpage and it had more pictures of Dion than of Harper on the 1st page. I just checked it now and at least now there're 3 pictures of Harper compared to 2 of Dion.

Even now they've got a graph showing how Dion mentioned the green shift less in his recent speeches. Heaven forbid a political leader have more than 1 policy in their platform during a federal election.

Both the Liberals and Conservatives need to get their heads out of their butts before Canadian voters feel they have something to vote for rather than something to vote against.

[BC_chick]

I agree but what happens when everyone does the same thing? The other day I was on the Conservative webpage and it had more pictures of Dion than of Harper on the 1st page. I just checked it now and at least now there're 3 pictures of Harper compared to 2 of Dion.

Even now they've got a graph showing how Dion mentioned the green shift less in his recent speeches. Heaven forbid a political leader have more than 1 policy in their platform during a federal election.

Both the Liberals and Conservatives need to get their heads out of their butts before Canadian voters feel they have something to vote for rather than something to vote against.

Harper has taken a page straight from the Post-Rove Republican handbook - smear your opponent, even if falsely, and by the time your opponent has the time to respond the lie continues to nag and linger in people's mind creating a sense of doubt.

Then your own achievements don't really matter...

[Bryan]

I think it shows Harper's leadership is weak, he is afraid to fire this ignorant twit because he hasn't got anyone better to replace him with.

Not at all. A leader stands by his team. Previous PMs have been in similar positions, and always publicly defend their members. I absolutely would not expect Harper to fire Ritz over a joke, no matter how inappropriate that joke might be. Ritz, on the other hand, should take it as his personal duty to at least publicly resign as Minister of Agriculture.

[Topaz]

If you remember those first interviews with Harper what did he say?? He said he thought the campaign would get dirty! That's the only way Harper knows how to play and its the same way they play the game in parliament if you watch it! As far as the ad goes, it just repeating what's been in the media. The oppositions parties should do an ad about the Tories in/out scheme. Asking, will they try to stick taxpayers for 1.2 million again????

[capricorn]

As far as the ad goes, it just repeating what's been in the media.

If one of your loved ones had died in this tragedy, how would you feel about having this Liberal ad in your face day after day on television?

[kengs333]

If one of your loved ones had died in this tragedy, how would you feel about having this Liberal ad in your face day after day on television?

vindicated.

[Argus]

Harper has taken a page straight from the Post-Rove Republican handbook - smear your opponent, even if falsely, and by the time your opponent has the time to respond the lie continues to nag and linger in people's mind creating a sense of doubt.

Then your own achievements don't really matter...

Why do people talk about the Republicans in the US as if they invented dirty campaigning? The Liberals have been conducting dirty campaigns my entire life, campaigns filled with mockery, ridicule, lies, and smears against their opponents. As far back as when Stanfield was PC leader the Liberals were running scaremongering campaigns against him - and he was probably the most honest, decent political leader this country has had in fifty years. I literally cannot remember a Liberal campaign that didn't start out in the gutter and then sink lower with every passing day. I remember Trudeau's big scaremongering campaign against the Tory proposal of wage and price controls. They said it would destroy the economy - but after winning they put it in themselves. Then there was Trudeau's campaign against Clark's gas tax - again it would destroy the economy - and again, Trudeau implemented an even higher gas tax after getting elected. Chretien's scaremongering portrayed the Tories as slavering hordes of far right wing Nazis, unCanadian, violent, who wanted to destroy health care and public education, and he did that campaign after campaign. Martin was no better. And Dion is following the same pattern.

No one who supports the Liberals has any right to accuse any other party of running a dirty campaign, because clearly, you like them.

As for the NDP, that pathetic ad they're running in Quebec which shows soldiers and tanks and the sound of goosetepping soldiers says all you need to about whether they have any kind of moral platform to stand on this issue.

[kengs333]

Chretien's scaremongering portrayed the Tories as ... unCanadian, violent, who wanted to destroy health care and public education, and he did that campaign after campaign.

But that's the truth.