Tories to Run Negative TV Ad Campaign

[tml12]

Those ads (I just watched them) do not even compare to scary. In fact, they are telling. I hope Canadians get the message.

In the "Not a leader" ad, it's Dion's tone of voice when saying "This is not fair!" and "You don't know what you speak about."

He sounds whiny.

He does not look prime ministerial in those commercials...it really does not look good when the audience laughs at his comments. Ignatieff looked the best of all...Dion did not at all look comfortable.

[jdobbin]

Actually, those quotes I think were quite fair. And you know what, Iggy was right...the Liberals didn't get it done. Actually, I do not think it was too hard for the CPC crew to find those quotes.

It isn't hard to find quotes for Harper as well. CP News did it last week just when it came to Iraq policies of Stephen Harper.

[jdobbin]

In the "Not a leader" ad, it's Dion's tone of voice when saying "This is not fair!" and "You don't know what you speak about."

He sounds whiny.

Perhaps you would like to go after his looks now.

People used to go after Bourassa like you are. Called him a hotdog eater. He eventually became premier.

[Ricki Bobbi]

It isn't hard to find quotes for Harper as well. CP News did it last week just when it came to Iraq policies of Stephen Harper.

And the Liberals have hammered him repeatedly with them.

Lack of agression with contrast ads is what cost the Conservatives the 2004 election.

Win or lose it won't be because the Conservatives have allowed themselves to be defined by the Opposition.

[Charles Anthony]

Perhaps you would like to go after his looks now.

Why not? The Liberal platform and record leaves nothing else below the surface.

[August1991]

People used to go after Bourassa like you are. Called him a hotdog eater. He eventually became premier.

It was Trudeau who started that one. You can watch the clip here.

[something I never knew: the quote comes from a visit of Trudeau to Quebec City in March 1976, prior to the Olympics. The journalists wanted to know if Trudeau was bringing money for Bourassa and Trudeau answered that he had brought his own lunch since all he'd get with Bourassa was hot dogs.]

Bourassa then had his photo on the cover of L'Actualite eating a hot dog and then he was defeated in the November 1976 election.

[Ricki Bobbi]

The Conservatives won't go after Dion's looks. He ain't *that* funny looking. Had the PCs not issued those Jean Chretien ads in 1993 they would have held onto party status.

Harper is too smart to repeat that mistake.

[jdobbin]

Why not? The Liberal platform and record leaves nothing else below the surface.

If that is the type of campaign you want then by all means...

[jdobbin]

It was Trudeau who started that one. You can watch the clip here.

[something I never knew: the quote comes from a visit of Trudeau to Quebec City in March 1976, prior to the Olympics. The journalists wanted to know if Trudeau was bringing money for Bourassa and Trudeau answered that he had brought his own lunch since all he'd get with Bourassa was hot dogs.]

Bourassa then had his photo on the cover of L'Actualite eating a hot dog and then he was defeated in the November 1976 election.

I know Trudeau was responsible and the media waited until the day they caught Trudeau eating a hotdog at an Expos game. He lost his election too.

Eventually, Bourassa's hotdog eating was seen as an asset and he was re-elected.

[Charles Anthony]

If that is the type of campaign you want then by all means...

The Liberals have very little else to offer...

Eventually, Bourassa's hotdog eating was seen as an asset and he was re-elected.

...would you not admit?

So...... other than eating hot-dogs, is there anything else in the Liberal platform that you would consider an asset?

[Catchme]

Just waded through the adds, thanks to whoever provided the links.

Wells says enuff with his:

The Liberal talks about his program, and the Conservative talks trash about the Liberal's program. Wells's Fourth Rule says that the guy who auditions for the role of opposition leader will usually get it.

Haprer and the CPC with this negative campaign are auditioning for opposition. They are a year into their government, and they are still shifting focus away from themselves, and what their doing while governing. We are not in a campaign, they should be thinking about governing not about attacking.

[Ricki Bobbi]

Haprer and the CPC with this negative campaign are auditioning for opposition. They are a year into their government, and they are still shifting focus away from themselves, and what their doing while governing. We are not in a campaign, they should be thinking about governing not about attacking.

You somehow see this as the CPC running to be opposition?

Jean Chretien won three straight majorities by running against his opponents record or potential *scary* *scary* *scary*.

Methinks you are just upset because the CPC is emulating that success and Dion has to bust his butt to defend himself instead of doing his own attacking...

[newbie]

I'm quite disappointed in Harper. Where is the return to decent, moral government?

Are you calling the ads indecent and immoral?

A little bit of histrionics me thinks...

I am indeed calling the ads indecent and immoral. One dictionary definition for immoral is: violating moral principles; not conforming to the patterns of conduct usually accepted or established as consistent with principles of personal and social ethics. I believe Harper stepped over the line. Someone on this forum suggested that politics is all about mud throwing. I disagree. Until someone takes the high ground we'll always be mired in this crap.

[Catchme]

Haprer and the CPC with this negative campaign are auditioning for opposition. They are a year into their government, and they are still shifting focus away from themselves, and what their doing while governing. We are not in a campaign, they should be thinking about governing not about attacking.

You somehow see this as the CPC running to be opposition?

Jean Chretien won three straight majorities by running against his opponents record or potential *scary* *scary* *scary*.

Methinks you are just upset because the CPC is emulating that success and Dion has to bust his butt to defend himself instead of doing his own attacking...

Uh, yes, I am agreeing with Paul Wells, they are, they are failing to realize it though.

Why would I be upset about the CPC emulating the Liberals? I will leave that up to the CPC supporters to be upset over their party turning into the Liberals, as you yourself has just acknowledged they are.

So why the attack ads, if the CPC are desperate, and there is no election coming?

Mr. Harper insisted that he wouldn't call an election even if Conservative polling numbers began to climb.

“We will not be calling one. We will not be forcing one. We will not be engineering one,” he said.

“Nobody wants one.”

Mr. Harper clearly enjoys being prime minister. He spends long hours at the office. He's said to delve deeply into a wide variety of policy issues.

Another minority mandate could lead some in his party to surmise that he is incapable of winning a majority, and that could start the clock ticking on his leadership. Modern Canadian political leaders have generally been given two tries at the ballot box before moving along or being shoved along.

Mr. Harper clearly enjoys being prime minister. He spends long hours at the office. He's said to delve deeply into a wide variety of policy issues.

[Ricki Bobbi]

I believe Harper stepped over the line. Someone on this forum suggested that politics is all about mud throwing. I disagree. Until someone takes the high ground we'll always be mired in this crap.

This would be the line the Liberals stepped over repeatedly to stay in power for 13 years?

Canadian and US politics is filled with failures who tried to take the political high ground.

George McGovern, Michael Dukakis, John Kerry, Robert Stanfield, Preston Manning etc, etc, etc...

We will *always be mired in this crap* because it would take everybody taking the high ground at once.

Why don't we do this? Have the Liberals take the high ground in the next election and see how successful it is for them?

Moral victories are for chumps!

[jdobbin]

So...... other than eating hot-dogs, is there anything else in the Liberal platform that you would consider an asset?

If the Tory platform on the environment was all that hot, they wouldn't be negative campaigning.

Do you consider the Tory platform on the environment an asset? Or is something that the electorate didn't believe in from the start?

Aside from that, it is hard to know why you'd support them when they taxed the income trusts after they said they wouldn't.

[Ricki Bobbi]

If the Tory platform on the environment was all that hot, they wouldn't that be negative campaigning.

I'm going to guess at what you were trying to say.

You feel the CPC is running contrast ads because they were weak on the environment last year?

Hmmm, well no. They are running the contrast ads because they want to win a majority. Is one guaranteed? No. Is this a move in that direction? Yes.

[tml12]

If the Tory platform on the environment was all that hot, they wouldn't that be negative campaigning.

I'm going to guess at what you were trying to say.

You feel the CPC is running contrast ads because they were weak on the environment last year?

Hmmm, well no. They are running the contrast ads because they want to win a majority. Is one guaranteed? No. Is this a move in that direction? Yes.

This combined with a Conservative environmental plan this year=good politics by Harper.

[jdobbin]

This combined with a Conservative environmental plan this year=good politics by Harper.

They may have only 7 to 8 weeks to roll out the new law if the budget is voted down.

[tml12]

This combined with a Conservative environmental plan this year=good politics by Harper.

They may have only 7 to 8 weeks to roll out the new law if the budget is voted down.

Liberals=bankrupt with brand new leader...

I do not see a spring election...fall 2007 at the earliest.

[jdobbin]

Liberals=bankrupt with brand new leader...

I do not see a spring election...fall 2007 at the earliest.

We'll see what's in the budget. Minority governments are never predictable.

[newbie]

I believe Harper stepped over the line. Someone on this forum suggested that politics is all about mud throwing. I disagree. Until someone takes the high ground we'll always be mired in this crap.

This would be the line the Liberals stepped over repeatedly to stay in power for 13 years?

Canadian and US politics is filled with failures who tried to take the political high ground.

George McGovern, Michael Dukakis, John Kerry, Robert Stanfield, Preston Manning etc, etc, etc...

We will *always be mired in this crap* because it would take everybody taking the high ground at once.

Why don't we do this? Have the Liberals take the high ground in the next election and see how successful it is for them?

Moral victories are for chumps!

This isn't about us versus them, Liberals vs. Conservative, etc. This is about taking a stand not to conduct negative campaigning and conduct. And I feel sorry for you if you feel moral victories are for chumps. You would fit right into the current level of politics offered in this and previous administrations.

[Ricki Bobbi]

This isn't about us versus them, Liberals vs. Conservative, etc. This is about taking a stand not to conduct negative campaigning and conduct. And I feel sorry for you if you feel moral victories are for chumps. You would fit right into the current level of politics offered in this and previous administrations.

Politics are always about us versus them.

Why haven't the Liberals, or NDP, or Bloc declared they won't campaign negatively?

You feel sorry for me? Why I thank you for your pity? wtf?

Yes, I feel I understand the current level of politics and believe Prime Minister Harper is doing a great job. And will continue doing so after the next election.

They may have only 7 to 8 weeks to roll out the new law if the budget is voted down.

There is no way the budget gets voted down. Guaranteed the Conservatives will get support from the NDP on this budget.

[newbie]

Ricki, I wasn't just railing on Harper. But I chose him due to his big pre-election rant on cleaning up Gov't. I feel his negative ads qualify as indecent just as much as the Lib's soldiers one. He has no credibility with me, not only because of the ad but due to his unethical behaviour (Emerson and Fortier). If that's politics, then I feel we need a huge change.

[weaponeer]

I saw one this afternoon, thought it was funny. I think even Dion will find it funny. It is sense of humour time folks..............