The military ad was nothing compared to what we're going to see
You think Liberal Party advertising was wild in 2006? We might end up wondering where those genteel days have gone after living through an election campaign if one starts this month.
Everyone remembers the military ad from the 2006 election:
The ad, which was briefly posted on the Liberal website, features an ominous drumbeat underneath a voice-over that says: "Stephen Harper actually announced he wants to increase military presence in our cities. Canadian cities. Soldiers with guns. In our cities. In Canada."
The ad, which was never broadcast, stems from the Conservative platform which calls for 100 regular troops and 400 reservists to be based in major Canadian cities. But, according to that plan, their purpose would be only for humanitarian means or disaster relief efforts.
Martin said the ad was intended to criticize the Conservatives' policy, saying it would spread soldiers too far apart across the country.
But [the CBC's Peter] Mansbridge questioned Martin further about the ad, saying it makes no mention of policy and instead highlights the fact that would be soldiers in Canadian cities with guns.
It will always be remembered as one of the meanest and stupidest moments in modern Canadian political history.
The ad was born of desperation, developed by a Liberal Party that saw its grip on power sliding away, and so willing to tap into the nuttiest levels of leftist mythology -- that Stephen Harper is evil (as are all conservatives), and that he is planning to turn Canada into some sort of Christian fundamentalist police state.
The panic was not limited to low-level party operatives scripting political ads. On camera, the most senior advisors to the Liberal Party lost their minds. When Paul Martin's spokeman John Duffy appeared on CTV's Mike Duffy Live, John Duffy tried to threaten Mike Duffy, to intimidate CTV into not discussing the ad:
Mike Duffy: And something that happened to me last night during the commercial break when I was alone in the TV studio with the studio crew. John Duffy ran in from the make-up room during the commercial break and began hectoring me. I was sitting down and he was standing up. He was putting the fingers in the eyeballs and saying "You will *not* raise this issue!" and blah-blah-blah.
The next thing they're yelling "Twenty seconds!" He runs out and I come back up on the air and try to do my job.
Later on, he comes on with the others and he starts at it again. And so that's why I gave the answer I gave.
That "answer" is one of the most memorable moments of Canadian television:
| Launch in external player |
Why am I bringing all this up? Because in 2006, the Liberals went into the election nervous of course, but generally confident. Then the wheels came off, one at a time. By mid-January, when the military ad was produced causing the fallout it did, the Liberal Party was in a panic.
Today we're not in an election. We don't even know for certain that there will be one. And yet listen to the Liberals:
However, other MPs said they can't envisage bringing down the Harper government this fall.
"I can't see myself showing up for a vote to defeat the government," said a Liberal MP from the East, who asked that his name not be used. "We can't defeat him [Mr. Harper], because if we were to go to the polls right now, you don't know what would happen."
The Liberal MP added that he is receiving no direction from Mr. Dion or the leader's office on the road ahead. A number of MPs are supporting a plan to vocally oppose Mr. Harper's Throne Speech, but abstain in sufficient numbers on voting day to allow it to pass.
We can't defeat Harper.
Notice how Stephen Harper personifies that which the Liberal fear. Even the Throne Speech is not the Conservative Throne Speech, but Mr Harper's Throne Speech.
Imagine starting the campaign at this level of fear. Fearing losing what little power they have left. Fearing that NDP with Thomas Mulcair in their ranks gutting the Liberal's left-wing vote (Mulcair has said that the Liberals passed the Kyoto climate-change accord "as a bloody public relations stunt -- they never had a plan", which is a direct attack on the Liberal Party's oh-so-important environment plank as well an attack on Stephane Dion in particular). Fearing that the "Harper is evil!" mantra is not resonating with the voters.
I wonder, then, if we'll see the Harper is evil message on Day One of an election campaign. Stephane Dion has already set the tone:
Dipping into his thesaurus, Mr. Dion called the Conservative approach to the world "mediocre," "rigid," "simplistic," "incompetent," "amateurish" and "ineffective." He is against buying unwanted military equipment, "insulting" China, selling out on softwood lumber, abandoning mediation.
He reserved his harshest criticism for the war in Afghanistan, where the government's inconsistency has been "appalling" and "inexcusable."
And the reason for all this? Blame "the ideological kinship" between Stephen Harper and George W. Bush, he said. You see, Canada's foreign policy is made in Washington, inspired by "the American right."
Stephen Harper is plotting with George W Bush to drain Canada of its water, according to Stephane Dion:
Dion said he was also concerned about the possibility of negotiations to remove water from Canadian basins, adding that Harper must prevent such an occurrence.
"Neither Harper nor Bush have addressed leaked reports from talks suggesting that the SPP could be used to justify negotiations of bulk removal of Canadian water in order to address potential water shortages in the U.S," he said.
So we'll all die of thirst while soldiers keep us from reaching what little water is left.
Absurd, of course, but then so was the military ad. If Stephen Harper and the Conservatives enter into an election campaign in a position of strength, both in terms of internal party organization and in terms of external factors (a strong economy and such), then the Liberals might have no choice but to go after Harper on a personal level. And that means the "scary" argument which in turn leads to the nutty and paranoid conspiracy theories rooted in classic Liberal Party anti-Americanism.
How long before one of these frightened MPs says something right off the wall that ends up dominating the news cycle for 24 hours?
How long before the craziness comes out of the centre?
If the Liberals are already desperate, the craziness might start much earlier in this campaign compared to 2006. If nothing else, it might be entertaining.
Skew my story on Skewz.com
Rate political news for their bias, read related stories, and leave your own skewed commentary
Search for more opinions from Canadian bloggers on these related keywords
Stephen Harper Stephane Dion Conservative Party Liberal Party election 2006 military ad Mike Duffy John Duffy CTV Paul Martin
Sphere presents related news articles and blog posts
Sphere It!
Comments
You want to see the Liberal mentality at work, go to the weblog of our esteemed blogging MP Garth to view this vile image of Canada's prime minister... and if you don't think this is borne out of desperation, you ain't seen nuthin' yet coming out of the Liberal cesspool:
http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2007/10/05/red/#comments
Now don't tell me that MP Garth is a principled POS.
Posted by: Observer at October 6, 2007 07:35 AM
There's also something else to consider: The Libranos can't even use the W comparisons anymore, because there's a time limit.
George W. Bush will only be president until January 2009. We're already hearing and seeing U.S. Democrats as well as some Republicans pre-campaigning for the White House. Someone else will have to personify the "American evil" that unthinking Libranos like to rant about, and like the Americans they haven't figured out who yet.
Also, after more than a year of governing, Canadians may feel they've already taken their measure of Stephen Harper. Even though they're not enthusiastic about him, they're agreed that he's doing an okay job as a leader and as PM. The "Harper is scary" meme has even less traction now than in 2005, simply because of experience.
As to which Librano will say something that will iceberg them in the campaign, I'd bet on Denis Coderre (for elected pols) or a Quebec Liberal (for behind-the-scenes infrastructure people).
Posted by: PhantomObserver at October 6, 2007 07:45 AM
Dunno Steve...the Librano loop tape that all their caucus "bots" were programmed with this week states that "THE CANADIAN PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO GO TO THE POLLS"...they go on to castigate Harper for forcing their hand to dissolve parliament as being "against the people's will to go to the polls right now".
Now, anyone who has the birth fluids dried off their skin KNOWS when a Librano says he's looking out for your interests he is in reality looking out for his personal interests. What stikes me as funny in this latest "patriotic" talking point cover up from a cowardly retreat from going to the polls is that by saying that Canadians don't want to go to the polls it is the same as saying Canadians want things the way they are...with Harper in charge and the Libranos in a well deserved opposition spot....obviously the Librano pollsters have determined they have weak and falling support and an election would be disastrous.
My personal take in the attitude ruminating among Canadian voters is that they see Harper is capable of governing and not controversial or hurting them with tax increases...they see the Liberals as braying senseless idiots without a plan, a leader or a vision that is even remotely appealing....regardless of a leadership change Librano fortunes will continue to plummet as long as Harper does a good job and Libranos do not totally retool their attitudes, agendas and policy vision....but I won't wait for a ethical catharsis from the Libranos any time soon so they may as well get used to the opposition benches in ever diminishing numbers.
The people are screaming to them "STOP THE BULLSHITTING AND OFFER SOMETHING OF VALUE TO NATIONAL GOVERNANCE"...but they do not hear as they are wrapped up hopelessly in patronage agendas and self interests.
Posted by: WL Mackenzie Redux at October 6, 2007 10:28 AM
Actually I have to admit that I found Garth's Picture of half-man, half-werewolf Stephen Harper kind of funny. Already, they are coming out with the scarrrrry caricatures and rightly so. The bogeyman is on their doorstep.
Even more amusing is devil's advocate, I mean ,pundit Andrew Coyne who appears to always look for an angle no one else has come up with in order to display his supposedly superior intellect. In today's column, he is reduced to using the same tactic as Garth , comparing Harper with Putin because of some wolfish gleam in his eye, conjuring up some scarrrry caricature of the PM.
Posted by: muttsrus at October 6, 2007 12:10 PM
Negative messaging, aside from pissing off reasoning people, is a sign od desparation the voter can smell....wehn all else fails slag the guy who id most likely to win....but this time round I don't think people really care one way or the other about Librano messaging....they simply don't trust them or they see them as rudderless hacks....in any event they are unfit to govern.
Posted by: WL Mackenzie Redux at October 6, 2007 12:17 PM
Did anyone notice that in Jane Taber's gossip column today she mentions that there was a rumour going around the Liberal Party this week that Joe Volpe was crossing the floor. Now there is a scarrrry thought? Apparently Volpe denied this and said it was mischief.
Posted by: muttsrus at October 6, 2007 01:31 PM
Why would Harper want Joe "Pizza" Volpe? Why would anybody?
On a related subject, they say in the stock market that bulls bellow the loudest at or near the market top.
Since there is no louder Harper-cheerleader-bull than Steve Janke and company in the blogosphere, one could deduce from the recent spate of chest-thumping and associated literary farting that if Harper were a stock (e.g. HARP: Nasdaq) now would be a good time to short it or at least write calls on your positions.
Posted by: Don Newman is 70 years young. at October 6, 2007 01:43 PM
Joe Volpe crossing over? Oh goodness.
I guess the CPC would end up with their own version of Garth Turner.
Posted by: Steve Janke at October 6, 2007 03:24 PM
I think that they should arm the Salvation Army.
What good is an "army" without guns?
Then they could further bring the WAR ON DRUGS to be fought HARDER on the backs of all those alkies and low IQ crackheads, that you have to step over, to get to your parked Hummers....
Posted by: Feldwebel Wolfenstool at October 6, 2007 05:46 PM
Here's a PERFECT OPPORTUNITY for HIS STEVENESS to play "tough guy" with sick dope fiends. An Ontario Provincial Pig, 17 years on the Farce, was busted last week in NIPIGON , ONTARIO reportedly with his own marihuana grow-op, and $6,000 worth of bud.
GO FOR IT, STEVE, REAM THIS PIG A NEW COLON for us, Mr.TOUGHGUY.
Me and my friends are sick of you just picking on us.
No-0ne in this country will hear about it because:
#1: it happened in the vacuum of NWO.
#2: it was one of the Pigs' own chosen men.
NO MENTION OF FIREARMS THO', like they ALWAYS like to HYPE UP....hmmmm....gee....a north Ontario copper with NO GUNS?
...haw haw haw.
Posted by: Feldwebel Wolfenstool at October 7, 2007 08:55 AM
冷水机 冷水机 密炼机 冷水机 冷水机 冷水机 冷水机 工业冷水机 工业冷水机 工业冷水机 工业冷水机 上海冷水机 上海冷水机 上海冷水机 上海冷水机 昆山冷水机 昆山冷水机 昆山冷水机 昆山冷水机 张家港冷水机 张家港冷水机 张家港冷水机 张家港冷水机 常熟冷水机 常熟冷水机 常熟冷水机 常熟冷水机 吴江冷水机 吴江冷水机 吴江冷水机 吴江冷水机 太仓冷水机 太仓冷水机 太仓冷水机 太仓冷水机 苏州冷水机 苏州冷水机 苏州冷水机 苏州冷水机 无锡冷水机 无锡冷水机 无锡冷水机 无锡冷水机 江阴冷水机 江阴冷水机 江阴冷水机 江阴冷水机 宜兴冷水机 宜兴冷水机 宜兴冷水机 宜兴冷水机 常州冷水机 溧阳冷水机 常州冷水机 溧阳冷水机 常州冷水机 溧阳冷水机 溧阳冷水机 常州冷水机 南京冷水机 南京冷水机 南京冷水机 南京冷水机 杭州冷水机 杭州冷水机 杭州冷水机 杭州冷水机 绍兴冷水机 绍兴冷水机 绍兴冷水机 绍兴冷水机 上虞冷水机 上虞冷水机 上虞冷水机 上虞冷水机 诸暨冷水机 诸暨冷水机 诸暨冷水机 诸暨冷水机 余姚冷水机 余姚冷水机 余姚冷水机 余姚冷水机 慈溪冷水机 慈溪冷水机 慈溪冷水机 慈溪冷水机 宁波冷水机 宁波冷水机 宁波冷水机 宁波冷水机 宁海冷水机 宁海冷水机 宁海冷水机 宁海冷水机 北仑冷水机 北仑冷水机 北仑冷水机 北仑冷水机 温州冷水机 温州冷水机 温州冷水机 温州冷水机 瑞安冷水机 瑞安冷水机 瑞安冷水机 瑞安冷水机 嘉兴冷水机 嘉兴冷水机 嘉兴冷水机 嘉兴冷水机 台州冷水机 台州冷水机 台州冷水机 台州冷水机 青岛冷水机 青岛冷水机 青岛冷水机 青岛冷水机 合肥冷水机 合肥冷水机 合肥冷水机 合肥冷水机 模温机 模温机 模温机 模温机 模温机 上海模温机 上海模温机 上海模温机 上海模温机 昆山模温机 昆山模温机 昆山模温机 昆山模温机 张家港模温机 张家港模温机 张家港模温机 张家港模温机 吴江模温机 吴江模温机 吴江模温机 吴江模温机 常熟模温机 常熟模温机 常熟模温机 常熟模温机 太仓模温机 太仓模温机 太仓模温机 太仓模温机 苏州模温机 苏州模温机 苏州模温机 苏州模温机 模温机 上海模温机 昆山模温机 苏州模温机 南京模温机 模温机 上海模温机 昆山模温机 张家港模温机 常熟模温机 太仓模温机 吴江模温机 苏州模温机 无锡模温机 江阴模温机 宜兴模温机 常州模温机 溧阳模温机 镇江模温机 扬州模温机 南京模温机 江苏模温机 南通模温机 浙江模温机 杭州模温机 绍兴模温机 诸暨模温机 上虞模温机 余姚模温机 慈溪模温机 宁海模温机 北仑模温机 宁波模温机 温州模温机 瑞安模温机 乐清模温机 台州模温机 嘉兴模温机 海宁模温机 金华模温机 义乌模温机 哈尔滨模温机 长春模温机 沈阳模温机 大连模温机 北京模温机 天津模温机 石家庄模温机 郑州模温机 济南模温机 青岛模温机 福州模温机 厦门模温机 武汉模温机 长沙模温机 南昌模温机 太原模温机 西安模温机 合肥模温机 芜湖模温机 马鞍山模温机 油温机 上海水温机 水温机 上海油温机 苏州油温机 苏州水温机 无锡水温机 无锡油温机 常州水温机 常州油温机 南京水温机 南京油温机 杭州水温机 杭州油温机 绍兴水温机 绍兴油温机 宁波水温机 宁波油温机 温州水温机 温州油温机 嘉兴水温机 嘉兴油温机 台州水温机 台州油温机
Posted by: njracks at July 9, 2008 08:18 PM
Abstract paintings
Angel painting
animal paintings
ballet paintings
beach painting
Boat painting
building painting
Children painting
Christ painting
church painting
City painting
Cottage painting
Dancer painting
field painting
Floral paintings
Garden painting
Hunting paintings
impressionist painting
Knight painting
Lady painting
Landscape painting
Lighthouse paintings
Music painting
Nude painting
Oriental paintings
Piano painting
Seascapes paintings
Still Life paintings
street painting
sunset painting
Tropical paintings
Venice paintings
Village painting
wine paintingsalvador dali paintings
thomas kinkade paintings
pablo picasso paintings
vincent van gogh paintings
claude monet paintings
diego rivera paintings
Posted by: aswkin at July 17, 2008 07:01 AM
 
|
|
