"Grow up!"

[betsy]

I wish the camera had panned on Martha Hall Findley's face after Conservative strategist Reynolds fired back at her yesterday on Mike Duffy. Findley was whining how Harper is insulting the Liberals by referring to the Taliban comment. Reynolds answered, "the Liberals had been insulting the Conservatives and Reform/Alliance for years by calling them right wing extremists. But that's politics. Grow up!"

Exactly.

The Liberals had smeared Harper from head to toe in the past. Now the Liberals are whining to the public (all the way to Toronto, and I presume all over the country when they do their campaigning.)

Dion and company's whining about them getting whacked by Harper remind me of the classic bully in the schoolyard....who ends up crying when given the same dose of his own medicine. As a member of the public I say, "Well, take it like a big boy!"

[jdobbin]

I wish the camera had panned on Martha Hall Findley's face after Conservative strategist Reynolds fired back at her yesterday on Mike Duffy. Findley was whining how Harper is insulting the Liberals by referring to the Taliban comment. Reynolds answered, "the Liberals had been insulting the Conservatives and Reform/Alliance for years by calling them right wing extremists. But that's politics. Grow up!"

Exactly.

The Liberals had smeared Harper from head to toe in the past.

Dion and company's whining about them getting whacked by Harper remind me of the classic bully in the schoolyard....who ends up crying when given the same dose of his own medicine. Well, take it like a big boy!

Harper might be scoring points with the right wing crowd but it doesn't look great to the casual observer.

This justification that the Liberals did so we can do it is not what Harper argued when he was opposition. He said he would do things differently. We saw from day one how he really wanted to do nothing different. Welcome Mr. Emerson.

And now Harper's shoot from the lip style shows he really isn't rising about it all. The Liberals lost votes for their stupid campaign style of attack ads. It took some time but eventually regular supporters voted elsewhere.

The Conservatives will play to their base and lose the soft vote at some point.

[Wilber]

I think you are right when you say that Harper could take this sort of thing too far but I have to agree with Betsy when it comes to the Liberals whining about the use of labels. That's rich.

[jdobbin]

I think you are right when you say that Harper could take this sort of thing too far but I have to agree with Betsy when it comes to the Liberals whining about the use of labels. That's rich.

Personally, I don't think they should make a big deal about it. It just gives publicity to the comment.

I think they are right on pressing on O'Connor. If the military police are concerned that soldiers are breaking the law, he should be too.

Let Harper lash out. It makes me him look like the childish one.

[betsy]

Harper might be scoring points with the right wing crowd but it doesn't look great to the casual observer.

This justification that the Liberals did so we can do it is not what Harper argued when he was opposition. He said he would do things differently. We saw from day one how he really wanted to do nothing different. Welcome Mr. Emerson.

But the thing is, I don't think the impression Harper had said is made up. I, myself had voiced the same scathing observations in the past here in this forum....how soldiers are made to walk on eggshells while in combat! It is very possible he sees it that way....that the Liberals seem more concerned about some taliban prisoners (who were already handed to the Afghan government), more than they do our soldiers.

Why should there be anything wrong in being brutally frank about it, spelling it the way he sees it? Why beat around the bush, especially....most especially... when our soldiers are involved?

After all, didn't the Liberals show what they really think of our soldiers with that awful ad in Quebec? That ad suggests the Liberals think our troops can stoop that low...that our soldiers can easily become thugs in the payroll of a politician!

Harper should run that ad to remind everyone how the Liberals INSULTED OUR TROOPS!

Let Harper lash out. It makes me him look like the childish one.

Yes, let him lash out. And instead of Liberals whining, "Waaaah! Mommmy, the Conservatives are sticking their tongue out at me and saying I stink! Boo-hooo!" .....the Liberals should just explain and make us understand why Harper's accusation is not correct. If they think Harper is acting childish....then why do they respond in the same childish manner?

Harper didn't demand, "Say you're sorry for calling me an extremist!" I don't think he even made a big deal responding to their taunts! And those were gross smear tactics.

[blueblood]

I think you are right when you say that Harper could take this sort of thing too far but I have to agree with Betsy when it comes to the Liberals whining about the use of labels. That's rich.

Personally, I don't think they should make a big deal about it. It just gives publicity to the comment.

I think they are right on pressing on O'Connor. If the military police are concerned that soldiers are breaking the law, he should be too.

Let Harper lash out. It makes me him look like the childish one.

How is it childish for Harper to appropriately stump the opposition? Watch QP. That's half of politics is being able to stump the opposition. These attacks by Harper are done with impeccable timing and tact. They don't really backfire on him. If Harper were to use his line of the Liberals support the Taliban more than our troops in an attack ad, it would surely backfire on him, using it in QP to shut Dion up worked like a charm. The tories have the "stumper" lines down to a science now.

[madmax]

Reynolds answered, "the Liberals had been insulting the Conservatives and Reform/Alliance for years by calling them right wing extremists. But that's politics. Grow up!"

Yes, this is very adult.

The counter to Liberals calling Conservatives "Right Wing Extremists" is to call Liberals "the supporters of Right Wing Extremists" .

Yup, this is great. I am so impressed.

[jdobbin]

But the thing is, I don't think the impression Harper had said is made up. I, myself had voiced the same scathing observations in the past here in this forum....how soldiers are made to walk on eggshells while in combat! It is very possible he sees it that way....that the Liberals seem more concerned about some taliban prisoners (who were already handed to the Afghan government), more than they do our soldiers.

Why should there be anything wrong in being brutally frank about it, spelling it the way he sees it? Why beat around the bush, especially....most especially... when our soldiers are involved?

After all, didn't the Liberals show what they really think of our soldiers with that awful ad in Quebec? That ad suggests the Liberals think our troops can stoop that low...that our soldiers can easily become thugs in the payroll of a politician!

Harper should run that ad to remind everyone how the Liberals INSULTED OUR TROOPS!

Yes, let him lash out. And instead of Liberals whining, "Waaaah! Mommmy, the Conservatives are sticking their tongue out at me and saying I stink! Boo-hooo!" .....the Liberals should just explain and make us understand why Harper's accusation is not correct. If they think Harper is acting childish....then why do they respond in the same childish manner?

Harper didn't demand, "Say you're sorry for calling me an extremist!" I don't think he even made a big deal responding to their taunts! And those were gross smear tactics.

There's a big difference between saying Liberals are not as supportive of the troops and saying they support the Taliban.

[jdobbin]

How is it childish for Harper to appropriately stump the opposition? Watch QP. That's half of politics is being able to stump the opposition. These attacks by Harper are done with impeccable timing and tact. They don't really backfire on him. If Harper were to use his line of the Liberals support the Taliban more than our troops in an attack ad, it would surely backfire on him, using it in QP to shut Dion up worked like a charm. The tories have the "stumper" lines down to a science now.

I know you think of it as a science. The Liberals used to it and were roundly criticized.

The Tories now do it as they are the new Liberals of Canada right down to their bloated budget.

[Leader Circle]

I wish the camera had panned on Martha Hall Findley's face after Conservative strategist Reynolds fired back at her yesterday on Mike Duffy. Findley was whining how Harper is insulting the Liberals by referring to the Taliban comment. Reynolds answered, "the Liberals had been insulting the Conservatives and Reform/Alliance for years by calling them right wing extremists. But that's politics. Grow up!"

Exactly.

The Liberals had smeared Harper from head to toe in the past.

Dion and company's whining about them getting whacked by Harper remind me of the classic bully in the schoolyard....who ends up crying when given the same dose of his own medicine. Well, take it like a big boy!

Harper might be scoring points with the right wing crowd but it doesn't look great to the casual observer.

This justification that the Liberals did so we can do it is not what Harper argued when he was opposition. He said he would do things differently. We saw from day one how he really wanted to do nothing different. Welcome Mr. Emerson.

And now Harper's shoot from the lip style shows he really isn't rising about it all. The Liberals lost votes for their stupid campaign style of attack ads. It took some time but eventually regular supporters voted elsewhere.

The Conservatives will play to their base and lose the soft vote at some point.

Their stock is up today according to Strategic, so maybe it'll gain that "soft vote".

Strategic

[blueblood]

How is it childish for Harper to appropriately stump the opposition? Watch QP. That's half of politics is being able to stump the opposition. These attacks by Harper are done with impeccable timing and tact. They don't really backfire on him. If Harper were to use his line of the Liberals support the Taliban more than our troops in an attack ad, it would surely backfire on him, using it in QP to shut Dion up worked like a charm. The tories have the "stumper" lines down to a science now.

I know you think of it as a science. The Liberals used to it and were roundly criticized.

The Tories now do it as they are the new Liberals of Canada right down to their bloated budget.

In all fairness the Liberals had it at a science when Day was the leader, and when Harper was first starting up as tory leader.

[Argus]

How is it childish for Harper to appropriately stump the opposition? Watch QP. That's half of politics is being able to stump the opposition. These attacks by Harper are done with impeccable timing and tact. They don't really backfire on him. If Harper were to use his line of the Liberals support the Taliban more than our troops in an attack ad, it would surely backfire on him, using it in QP to shut Dion up worked like a charm. The tories have the "stumper" lines down to a science now.

I know you think of it as a science. The Liberals used to it and were roundly criticized.

The Tories now do it as they are the new Liberals of Canada right down to their bloated budget.

Then shouldn't you be happy with them?

[jdobbin]

Then shouldn't you be happy with them?

I thought it was stupid politics and costly in terms of electoral support. It also did nothing to help with the behind the scenes management of Parliament which requires a certain decorum in committee.

You obviously are delighted with the Tories acting like the Liberals did in government.

[Michael Bluth]

You obviously are delighted with the Tories acting like the Liberals did in government.

You obviously are angry and interested in attacking the Conservatives no matter what the situation...

[jdobbin]

Their stock is up today according to Strategic, so maybe it'll gain that "soft vote".

Strategic

The two polls out so far attribute the jump to the budget.

[betsy]

Those polls above were by CTV and Globe and Mail. There is a new poll yesterday from a different source (can't recall which one), as revealed on MDuffy.

Tories are up to 40%! If elections were held today, Conservatives get majority. That was taken post-Taliban comment.

Analyst on MDuffy explains that Harper is solidifying his base. He is leading "across the board, in all demographics that include young people, women and small towns."

As for typical Liberal attitude of BRAZEN vote-buying, too bad for Charest. Instead of putting the money alloted for Quebec to infrastructures and services (like they were supposed to), he played the old Liberal trick. Quebecer political strategist say the people of Quebec feel closer to Harper that they do with Charest!

[Jerry J. Fortin]

He won't get my vote. Neither will Dion. Nor will Layton.

[jdobbin]

Those polls above were by CTV and Globe and Mail. There is a new poll yesterday from a different source (can't recall which one), as revealed on MDuffy.

Tories are up to 40%! If elections were held today, Conservatives get majority. That was taken post-Taliban comment.

Analyst on MDuffy explains that Harper is solidifying his base. He is leading "across the board, in all demographics that include young people, women and small towns."

As for typical Liberal attitude of BRAZEN vote-buying, too bad for Charest. Instead of putting the money alloted for Quebec to infrastructures and services (like they were supposed to), he played the old Liberal trick. Quebecer political strategist say the people of Quebec feel closer to Harper that they do with Charest!

I think you're forgetting that Charest is a Tory and the Liberal party in Quebec has both Tories and Liberals in it.

Harper's Conservatives have been organizing and helping both Dumont and Charest. This splitting of the federalist vote might end up putting the PQ into power.

The BQ supporting the Tories on the budget means the government won't be defeated next week. Harper could call an election himself but both pollsters say there is a danger in that since he has said he had no intention of calling one.

[Argus]

Then shouldn't you be happy with them?

I thought it was stupid politics and costly in terms of electoral support. It also did nothing to help with the behind the scenes management of Parliament which requires a certain decorum in committee.

You obviously are delighted with the Tories acting like the Liberals did in government.

You did not answer the question. As a Liberal supporter, your accusation that the Tories are acting like Liberals seems a trifle silly. If that were the case one would assume you would hate them less.

[Argus]

How is it childish for Harper to appropriately stump the opposition? Watch QP. That's half of politics is being able to stump the opposition. These attacks by Harper are done with impeccable timing and tact. They don't really backfire on him. If Harper were to use his line of the Liberals support the Taliban more than our troops in an attack ad, it would surely backfire on him, using it in QP to shut Dion up worked like a charm. The tories have the "stumper" lines down to a science now.

I know you think of it as a science. The Liberals used to it and were roundly criticized.

Yes but - not by you.

[Michael Bluth]

You did not answer the question. As a Liberal supporter, your accusation that the Tories are acting like Liberals seems a trifle silly. If that were the case one would assume you would hate them less.

That would be attributing rationality to his hatred.

If you logically think it through, he is denigrating the Conservatives for acting like his beloved Liberals. His reponse would be that he isn't a Liberal despite vast evidence to the contrary.

Reasoning won't work in this situation. He'll just ignore you and make the same points ad nauseum.

[jdobbin]

Yes but - not by you.

Yes, by me. Unlike yourself, I'm not an unbridled cheerleader of one party wrong or right.

[Michael Bluth]

Yes, by me. Unlike yourself, I'm not an unbridled cheerleader of one party wrong or right.

Just an unbridled attacker of the Conservatives. Do explain the difference.

[jdobbin]

You did not answer the question. As a Liberal supporter, your accusation that the Tories are acting like Liberals seems a trifle silly. If that were the case one would assume you would hate them less.

I had no sympathy for the stupid tactics of the Liberals when they were in government and used fear to guide their time in office. Nor did I support their over the top spending during the run up to the campaign.

The Tories said they would do thing differently. From Day 1 they didn't. They brought Emerson into cabinet. It has pretty much continued after that along the Liberal line, the worst of Liberal behavior.

[Canuck E Stan]

I had no sympathy for the stupid tactics of the Liberals when they were in government and used fear to guide their time in office. Nor did I support their over the top spending during the run up to the campaign.

But you still always vote for them.