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Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Tory TV Spot misses the mark
Well the Tories have unleashed their first anti-Michael Ignatieff TV ad and here it is:
Posted by Gerry Nicholls on May 12, 2009 in Canadian Politics | Permalink
Comments
I am quite upset by this type of American Election Campaign tactic. It shows that the Conservatives are desperate to discredit the other guy on personal issues. Lets stick to Agendas instead. Not personal crap
Posted by: Troubled | 2009-05-12 4:11:15 PM
Not having or watching television I can only go with this description of the ad. I should add that being limited to dial-up internet access also makes it impossible to watch it here. So based on the description, whoever produced the ad should be fired and replaced. Get back to the basics of telling the people what the CPC has accomplished and what the agenda is and why.
Posted by: Alain | 2009-05-12 4:34:25 PM
Not to mention the ad looks like it was done by a high school intern. You'd think that an ad with CPC money behind it would be better than the freelance ad made by GritGirl, all by herself. Amateurs.
Posted by: LobbyCanada | 2009-05-12 4:39:10 PM
I don't know. Reproducing the opponents' message may not be such a bad move. It shows that you don't have anything to hide and actually lends credence to your saying that their attacks aren't true at all.
As for the general message, i.e., being out of the country for such a long time, I don't think that voters will have much of a problem with that. On the grand scale of things, this is trivial at best, and certainly a non-issue. Voters are more concerned about the economy, the excessive, and inhumane, tax burden on Canadian families of 45%, crime, health care, etc.
Instead, the CPC should have focused on Iggy's lack of pronouncements on any of those issues.
Posted by: Werner Patels | 2009-05-12 4:58:31 PM
Not bad, but they can do better.
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2009-05-12 5:02:44 PM
I don't feel comfortable with an American running Canada. I'd rather have someone raised in Toronto.
Posted by: Harbl | 2009-05-12 5:04:29 PM
Are you talking about Iggy or Mr. Harper? :)
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2009-05-12 6:08:53 PM
I voted Tory for the past twenty years and I hate every single TV ad they produce. Shut up already!
Posted by: Manny | 2009-05-12 6:25:41 PM
Am I the only one who doesn't like the idea that he was essentially a non-Canadian for 34 years? Sorry, guess I like my Canadian leaders, well, Canadian.
Posted by: Dane Richard | 2009-05-12 6:27:45 PM
I propose that the gov't forbid Wayne Gretzky from coaching or being GM of the Canadian Olympic hockey team. Damn ex-pats working elsewhere for more money...grumble...grumble...
Posted by: ALIO | 2009-05-12 6:46:01 PM
Just another reason I feel better about telling the Tory fund raiser who called me the other day that they would be getting no money and no vote from me until they become conservatives again.
Posted by: JC | 2009-05-12 7:16:54 PM
So long as the ad is not a one-timer - but, rather, the opening volley in a repeated theme: that being PM is just an ego-trip for Iggy - the ad is good enough. It's the opening sentence of a polemic, if it has been planned well.
However, given the Conservative Party's track record on sticking with a good idea, my bet is that the commericial is a one-time thing...or, even if it is the opening volley, as I say above, that it will be an abandoned campaign.
I expect little from the Conservatives in terms of combatting Liberal policy: they ARE the Liberals now. They made the decision to be the Liberals in December of 2008 (when they chose to prorogue). They're neck-deep in it now.
I'm expecting another minority Parliament, if things keep going as-is. A majority will take a sharp and dramatic worsening of the economy. A good majority will take - in addition - a widespread acknowledgement that bailouts and intervention are making things worse, not better.
Posted by: Paul McKeever | 2009-05-12 7:44:22 PM
Right on Mr. McKeever, when you state: "I expect little from the Conservatives in terms of combatting Liberal policy: they ARE the Liberals now."
There is NO "conservative" party in Canada.
Posted by: Stephen J. Gray | 2009-05-12 8:13:05 PM
Paul/Stephen, I agree.
I would add that a politician doing nothing, any kind of nothing, is preferable to doing something. The CPC is goading the Liberals to say what they will do. God forbid that they get elected and actually do something.
Posted by: TM | 2009-05-12 8:24:11 PM
You guys may not be entirely happy with Mr. Harper, but he's the only game in town.
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2009-05-12 10:03:54 PM
Let me get this straight, they ran an attack ad which attacks Iggy for running attack ads? Doesn't that seem a little bit, well, stupid?
Posted by: Gareth | 2009-05-12 10:26:25 PM
A much better way to make this point would have been to say that while he's enjoyed a great deal of success, it's come at the cost of being out of touch with everyday Canadians.
I was also surprised to see that the "We will have to raise taxes" debacle wasn't mentioned. It's shown up in fundraising letters and in question period. Why not in paid spots?
Posted by: Ker | 2009-05-12 10:42:02 PM
There are two problems with this ad, both of them VERY bad news for the Tories:
1. It's old news. Back before the 2006 Liberal Convention it was widely circulated that the Tories would use Iggy's 34 year absence as fodder, along with his stately, aloof personality. Now, after three years, Iggy's been back long enough for the claim to have *far* less resonance (more on that later) and, more worryingly, it shows that the Tories don't have any new ideas. They're still running on fumes from 4 years ago.
2. It's not important. Being away from Canada for 34 years is a long time, but it's hardly an indictment of one's ability to lead, govern, or connect with ones constituents, whether national or local. It's also worth noting that in Canada there are hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of citizens who spent equally long periods of their adult life outside Canada before the emigrated. These voters (and members of the ethnic communities the Tories so desperately want to crack) might find it a bit offensive to hear that 'real' Canadians are judged by the length of time spent in Canada.
The Tories are shooting themselves in both feet with this ad. Nothing but good news, frankly :)
Posted by: bbb | 2009-05-13 2:38:03 AM
Zeb wrote: "You guys may not be entirely happy with Mr. Harper, but he's the only game in town."
At what point do you stop playing the game (i.e. voting for major parties instead of only good candidates)? Certainly, there must be a point at which the differences are so marginal, you don't waste your time. Isn't that now?
Posted by: Robert Seymour | 2009-05-13 8:23:26 AM
The ads are shit, but the main message is accurate: he is only in it for himself.
I do know one of Ignatieff's inner circle people and she told me that he has a massive ego and becoming PM is all about stoking it. He thinks he's better than Trudeau and will leave a greater impression.
On the up side, the same source confirmed to me that he supports "two-tier" healthcare and does not like the tired socialist rhetoric surrounding the debate.
Posted by: Robert Seymour | 2009-05-13 8:27:03 AM
That should read "I know" not "I do know" and "stroking" not "stoking".
Posted by: Robert Seymour | 2009-05-13 8:28:35 AM
It is disappointing that Mr. Harper has not been more aggressive. However, given that the alternative is another Trudeauist regime, I'd take some imperfections rather than all-out corporate dictatorship.
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2009-05-13 8:33:41 AM
There is NO "conservative" party in Canada.
Posted by: Stephen J. Gray | 2009-05-12 8:13:05 PM
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Sad but true. Wake me up if one comes along.
Posted by: Stevie 202 | 2009-05-13 12:41:13 PM
You'll all be lamenting how good things under Mr. Harper if Iggy and Jack come to power.
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2009-05-13 1:19:28 PM
The ads are just proving that the LPC will win the next election. The ads are trying to distract Canadians from thinking about the current government. Shouldn't a party in power be GOVERNING! Why do they have so much time to create stupid things like this in the middle of a recession? I would say this to any political party that is in government but would rather attack than govern.
Posted by: Bob Peloquin | 2009-05-14 11:17:10 AM
Soon Iggy will be prime minister and Harper will be nothing but a bad memory. I can't wait.
Posted by: DrGreenthumb | 2009-05-14 12:22:03 PM
And marijuana will still be illegal. By the way, do you have any reason for voting for Ignatieff, other than that he isn't Harper? For that matter, do you have any idea of what it means to be a Canadian, other than not being American?
Posted by: Shane Matthews | 2009-05-14 12:30:23 PM
Yes cannabis will still be illegal but it will be quasi-illegal, we won't have retarded mandaTORY minimum sentences for growing a single plant, nor will we have nearly as much pressure from government on the police to step up enforcement. The liberals will go back to ignoring us which isn't as good as legalization, but its far better than what Harper and his goons have planned for us. It will be better for everybody when Harper is gone. Not just for cannabis users.
Posted by: DrGreenthumb | 2009-05-14 3:27:04 PM
This reminds me of an episode of Cops. They pulled over some guy who denied that he was doing drugs. He didn't notice that he had one stuck in his hat!
That's why they call it dope, suckers.
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2009-05-14 3:35:09 PM
Yeah as opposed to how intelligent people act when under the influence of alcohol eh?
Posted by: DrGreenthumb | 2009-05-15 11:04:11 AM
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