The federal Tories are preparing a new series of ads attacking Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion as senior Conservative members continue debating the merits of a spring election campaign.
Sources have told The Globe and Mail that the advertisements, which have already been filmed, criticize Mr. Dion's stand on last week's budget. The Liberals voted against the deal and have been criticized by the Conservatives for doing so.
I thought this was a masterful, comprehensive budget? Why then, aren't the Tories running ads bragging to Canadians about their achievements? Harper is forever telling us about getting results, keeping promises and working for ordinary families? Afterall, this is how Stephen Harper feels about negative politics:
"I will let the Liberals descend into the gutter. They will be punished accordingly,"
Remember all the comments about the Liberal attack ads denoting desperation and providing another sign that they were morally bankrupt? I have a hunch that this round of ads will backfire, as the pattern of mean-spirited, American style politics begins to gel.
The Tory counter-argument to the revised Clean Air Act says their opposition is a product of the changes providing less than the original proposals. This begs the question, how can you have less than nothing?
Get ready for the "carbon tax" barrage, accompanied by economic ruin, as the Conservatives attempt to discredit the opposition proposals. Whenever a Tory plays this angle, simply remind them of their tax on inefficent vehicles in the budget and then ask them how that is different from discouraging other polluters? I saw one commentator take this approach with a Conservative MP, and the squirming was noteworthy.
9 comments:
Now Steve don't being going and giving the Conservatives any good ideas.
The budget was generally well received by those not in the punditocracy but like all budgets it was a one day story and it was quickly forgotten.
With all of their money the Conservatives could put together a whole lot of ads to promote the budget and get people thinking about it again and why they liked it.
The advantage of that is it could actually get people thinking of why they would want to vote for the Conservatives. As well, it would be a change in tack which would probably also be well received.
Instead the Conservatives have chosen to attack their opponents. Certainly they are using the budget as a backdrop. However, the backdrop will be lost in the attack message with the result that they could actually cause the budget to be seen in a somewhat negative connotation.
The Conservatives only know one method of messaging, attack. Make no mistake it can be effective but only if it a part of a broader strategy. If it becomes the primary method of getting your message out it quickly loses its effectiveness.
So Steve, like I said, don't be giving the Conservatives any good ideas. I am quite content to let them travel down this deadend road.
By voting against the budget, Harper can claim a lot of crazy things about Dion...
And by having the money to spin it, bully Harper will further create an unfavourable image of Dion...
As Warren states: Attack ads work.
And I add: They work many times better when there are no rebuttal ads.
Recently another blogger had a poll asking: What issue will the Conservatives force an election over? I was among the few who voted "crime". I would suggest the Liberals carefully consider their many options prior to voting down any crime bills the next few weeks.
Cookie jar politics /and budgets/ "here is a cookie .. Now roll over " are a little too cheap and low ... most Canadians are dismayed with it.. and tired of all the obvious manipulations what is going on..
These polls are showing 65 - 70 % of people are solidly on LIBERAL ground .. /with different shades of it/ and the rest is on Their Turf..
It is all about if the 65 % find ways not to be divided on voting days..the left is Divided now /thanks for jack/
Mr CHAMELEON PM next big flip flop will be getting out of Afganistan …just to win a majority./ just watch out how he will change position in a wink.
he will blame NATO.
marta from Vancouver
''It is all about if the 65 % find ways not to be divided on voting days..the left is Divided now /thanks for jack/ ''
Liberals have always thought that the NDP was the left wing of the LPC.
That the NDP was holding onto the lefties, FOR THEM, while they kept center and center right in their 'big tent'.
With the Bloc (very leftie) in rapid decline, Dippers, if Jack plays it right, will grow, independant of the LPC.
Scary, eh.
My only hope is the electorate will smarten up and join and vote the Liberals /like me / as the only realistic way to progress and put the country on the forward motion. No Matter how comfortable we felt with Broadbent eventually it was a road to nowhere to vote NDP..so the electorate oriented itself abandoning the far left..for an extended period...
Jack is an Ego driven leader who actually sold the country for the Harper's Gang /
My hope is the voters will see the light and these 'gameplayers " will have a nasty surprize ....
For me the Quebeck election shows only one thing . the people are tired of the old and they are totally fed up and UNPREDICTABLE when it comes pollsters and gamesters play...
marta from Vancouver
Honestly? Why not?
The Conservatives have more money in their coffers then they are LEGALLY allowed to spend in an election campaign.
Hopefully Canadians will buy the "we are taking the high ground" approach. You never know though
They will also prolong the campaign by one or two weeks, fully knowing that we dont have enough money to go the distance.
On the brightside, Dion has been kicked in the balls a couple times and we are still around 30%.
Since Dion has firmly implanted our party on the left, this election should be about taking out the NDP for good.
-ITC
The Globe & Liberal, CTV, CBC are all doing their best for the Liberal Party of Montreal and Stephanie Dion. New ads from the Conservative Party will provide some balance - and a reality check.
I'm in agreement with the pattern of republicanized tactics, but am concerned that in the end many Canadian voters just gleam a few words like "Dion bad" and put that into their memory bank.
The fact of the matter, while Harpor and his henchcrew will likely use the 'sky is falling if we follow Kyoto' line during / or instigating an election, Harpor's push to marginalize those needing childcare will be a bigger risk to the economy than anything.
www.canadianrosebud.blogspot.com
"The Globe & Liberal, CTV, CBC are all doing their best for the Liberal Party of Montreal and Stephanie Dion. New ads from the Conservative Party will provide some balance - and a reality check.
Thank-god for Sun Media, Canwest and The National Post. Nobody does government propaganda better, masqueraded as journalism.
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