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Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Liberals and Conservatives in the age of the internet
SDA notes that Greg Staples blogged an interview of Paul Martin by Roy Green and adds: "Isn't the blogosphere cool? Now a dithering politician's non-answers to real questions on local talk radio can go nationwide!" Cool and useful.
Another advantage of the blogosphere is that it allows MPs and strategists to tap the minds (free of charge) of some very bright people and use their ideas in the political arena. Greg Staples has one example here.
Back to Kate's point. Just as Liberals will not be able to get away with what the MSM has let them get away with for years, the Conservatives need to figure out how to use blogs and the internet and whatever else to communicate directly with Canadians. Polls show Canadians agree with the party on most issues; now if only the CPC could get their message to the public without Liberal and liberal MSM spin added. I've had conversations with several conservatives of late and one point I repeatedly make is that Stephen Harper and the Conservatives need to bypass the media. It is said that Pope John Paul II was effective because he went over the media and spoke directly to the people. The question is, then, how can Stephen Harper go over the media to communicate with Canadians. (I'm not only talking about blogs and preaching to the choir although that is need, too.) I'm not sure how Harper (and Conservatives and conservatives) should go about doing this but nonetheless it is something that must be done.
Posted by Paul Tuns on May 3, 2005 in Canadian Politics | Permalink
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Comments
What did Bush do? He got absolutely not favours from MSM but got his message out and got voters out.
Posted by: Keith | 2005-05-03 4:18:21 PM
One of the first things he did was openly challenge their assumption that the media "speaks" for the American people.
Posted by: Kate | 2005-05-03 4:52:55 PM
Kate is right. Bush challenged the assumption that the MSM 'speaks' for the 'unwashed masses'.
What he did, if I recall, was basic and simple.
First- his message was simple, basic, repeated over and over. He didn't treat Americans as people who must be manipulated. He respected them. Harper has to do the same. Martin and the Liberals manipulate, they spread fear, they spread lies. Bush kept saying that 'The American people' will have to listen to what I say and decide for themselves. Harper has to do the same. He has to speak OVER the MSM, and not react to them. He has to speak TO Canadians, not to the media. To Canadians..and say "The Canadian people will have to listen to what I say, and I count on them to do their own thinking and make up their own minds". It's important. He has to stress to Canadians - that they must make up their own minds. And, he must show that he is confident in their morality, their intelligence, their ability to think..and make up their own minds. That's vital.
Second - Bush was always courteous to everyone.
Third - I'm not saying it was a deliberate tactic, but, the blogs are important in the US. They DO speak for the people, because it is the people speaking. Blogs have to become more daring and take on the MSM and take on the Liberals. Think how important Captain's Quarters was a few weeks ago. The Liberals, I suspect, have shut down whoever was feeding that blog. But, blogs have to become more daring and more open. The Swift Boat Veterans were of enormous help to Bush.
I suggest that the Western Standard can be of great help. The Libranos poster should go up everywhere. Harper's reaction should be to laugh, and say something like: "Yes, Mrs. Fraser did say that 'they broke every rule in the book'. And "Yes, it's quite something to hear the testimony of the Gomery Inquiry'.
When Volpe tries to insinuate that the Conservatives are racist - laugh. Ask - "Do you mean Hedy Fry?"
But - the point is - don't engage in a one-to-one equality with the Liberals. Speak to the people. Not to the Liberals and not to the media. To the people. That's what Bush did. And the people reacted in a strong way.
Posted by: ET | 2005-05-03 5:38:03 PM
Further to Kate's comment, probably the best opportunity to go over the media and directly to the people is during live interviews, either radio or TV. That is the ONLY time that the media can't edit the questions and answers to suit their tastes.
And while ET suggests being courteous to everyone (which Bush is able to do given his personality), I'd suggest that another key to success is to be on your toes and to call bullshit immediately and often when the media slant things. That includes calling them on the phrasing of questions, using Lib talking points as interview guides, in fact, it probably requires directly accusing them of being Liberal shills. Whatever it takes to get across to them that they won't and can't get away with their usual behaviour.
Easier said than done, of course, but most of the Conservative MPs have been there long enough that they SHOULD know how to do that. Kenney, Solberg, Mills, Reynolds, McKay, and of course Harper are all capable of that. Except that Harper is like Manning - a gentleman to a fault where he should be a gentleman to a point, beyond which he should start gouging out eyes.
The curious thing is that having a Conservative MP haul the head off some TV meat puppet would be reported by all the rest of the media, and the theme of "the media lie about the Conservatives" would be established.
Maybe I'm full of it (after all, I'm not a successful MP, am I?), but for damn sure there's been no profit in treating the media with unvarnished respect and deference. Perhaps the occasional kick in the 'nads would work better.
Posted by: Doug | 2005-05-03 5:58:44 PM
Thanks for the plugs!
I think that the Conservatives need to pick the (say) three themes that underpin all of their policies and drive these points home. I would say something along the lines of personal liberty, ethical government and strong economic policy. Whenever an issue comes up tie it to these issues. Taxation - personal liberty and strong economic policy. Foreign Policy - personal liberty and ethical government. Health Care or Daycare - personal liberty. You get the point.
Give the same, modular speech, practically everyday discussing these themes. Each time you give the speech expand on one or two of the topics so the speech can fit the day and the forum.
Put all the speeches on the CPC website. Cut out each of the specific policy sections into a separate video and link those as well.
Mention the website at the end of speeches to drive traffic there. I am sure the bloggers would drive traffic there as well.
Call the speech set and policy something like the change agenda. Mention the change agenda everytime the Liberals mention "hidden agenda". Eventually the electorate will think of the actual CPC agenda everytime they hear "hidden agenda". Once you have done this you have won.
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Posted by: Greg Staples | 2005-05-03 9:00:41 PM
This is a guaranteed election winner for Harper .
He should hammer home like George W. did by
complimenting the electorate for being too smart to fall for the shallow tricks of the lefty tax spend and skim crowd.
Repeatedly for all those who think they're liberals.
A CPC quote I'd like to hear
"Look the Canadian electorate is not stupid they have seen what the CBC with liberal friends appointed commissioners have bought us pause 2, 3, 4. A complicity and knowing blind eye to theft of our hard earned tax dollars"
A willing enthusiasm to promote an elitist big government tax, spend and skim culture.
Where were they when investigative journalism was needed.
I really think the Canadian people have seen through the last 38 years and that they can no longer be bought with their own money and are willing to say so"
Plant the seeds
Plant the seeds of reasonable thought, even if you have to dictate a mental memo
Repeat for CTV,Global, Toronto Star , Globe and Mail, blah blah blah
repeat repeat repeat
But compliment the Canadian electorate on their ability to be smarter than the left are.
Would'nt hurt to preface a few examples of how others (Lebanese Ukrainians Iraquis etc.) have told their overlords to go "f" themselves too.
It instantly elevates reasonable argument above the filth and gives the electorate the ability to show they are superior also.
Who would'nt want that!
I've got more killer lock election land slide winners like this ,for the asking!!!
Posted by: richfisher | 2005-05-04 10:48:44 AM
Won't work.
Bush, like him/love him or hate him, connected with people on a personal level. Spoke with them, not at them. As they say, he was someone you could see yourself having a beer with. I give him that credit. Clinton had the same appeal to voters. And because of that, whenever they criticized, it came across as "I don't want to be critical, but..." and it connected with the voters.
Harper has always been a policy wonk. He has always been a critic telling the world what is wrong with government in his view. In an ironic way, he has the same problem academic lefties have when they run. They build their lives around being critical observers from the outside, but haven't really worked a normal day job like ordinary Canadians. That is why - I think - Martin comes off as slightly better at connecting: he followed his dad's advice and worked for a living before going into politics. It's more than just flipping grits (pun intended) at the Stampede, but that's part of it.
If Harper tries to do the "I'm an average Canadian just like you" bit, the issue will become him and he's going to continue falling flat on his face.
Posted by: TB | 2005-05-04 12:11:05 PM
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