Here's the latest Tory ad, which suggests to me the people who come up with these ideas are aggressive but not strategic.
What is the strategy behind this ad?
Of course, it's meant to ridicule the Liberal leader and I suppose to conjure up images of Howard Dean.
And I am sure hard-core Tory partisans will think that's wonderful.
But the purpose of a "negative" ad is to get non-partisans to turn against your opponent. Often such ads are based on hours and hours of polling research --- finding just that right weakness to expose.
This Tory ad looks like it was dreamed up in about five seconds, by a bunch of drunken frat boys.
It doesn't work on any level.
First off, few Canadians if any will make the Howard Dean connection. Secondly, and more importantly, any fair-minded, non-partisan individual viewing this ad will see it as nothing more than a clumsy hatchet job.
The end result could be to hurt the Tories more than the Liberals. Running attack ads is always risky and ads that clearly go over the line usually backfire. --- See Tory attack ad mocking Jean Chretien's facial features.
If I were the Liberals I would play a little political jiu-jitsu and turn this ad against the Tories.
"See how the Prime Minister is debasing political debate in this country with outrageous and appalling personal attacks? Haven't you had enough!"
Then there is the ethical factor. Michael Ignatieff never said "Yes" to an "unnecessary election." Yet the Tories are implying he did through a cheap editing trick.
Anybody could do that.
Here's how the Liberals could counter the Tory spot:
Announcer: Does Stephen Harper really want to close down orphanages and dump toxic waste into our lakes?
Clip of Stephen Harper: "Yes I do." (Never mind that Harper was actually answering the question, "Do you love kittens?")
In short, somebody needs to put a leash on whoever is writing these ads. Negative ads are like nitro glycerin, they can be powerful but should be handled with care. Score: 0 out of ten.
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24 comments:
Go pound salt
Annnnnddddd werreeee going to go to Toronnnnntttoooooooooooo.
Annnnnnndddd wereeee going to go to Montrealllllllll.
Annnnndddd were going to go to Vancouuuvveerrrrrrrrrr..
And were going to take our message of Trudeau social engineering all overrrrrrrrr Canadaaaaaaaaaa.
It would have been much better to accuse the Liberals of having a hidden agenda and wanting to put soldiers with guns on the streets of our cities.
NeilD
Gerry, I look forward to your NEXT appearance on CTV’s PP when you stand on principle and bring up CTV’s cropping of Iggy’s news conference to make him look good, calling it disgusting and that CTV should offer an apology for being shills of the LPC. Even if you have to digress to do so, you had better get it in!
But you’re not going to do that, are you, Gerry?
Down the toilet your credibility will go if you don’t.
Decisions. Decisions.
I’ll be watching.
They are embarassing. If a high school media studies group had turned out that crap they would have been failed for sure.
"First off, few Canadians if any will make the Howard Dean connection"
You did...
The funny thing is the LPC emailed the Ignatieff Dean scream to all of their supporters,
they liked it!
Gerry, here is the proof of CTV Liberal bias
http://thealbertaardvark.blogspot.com/2011/01/ctvgate-ctv-cuts-2-seconds-out-of.html
1. gave the LPC free prime time advertising
2. cut out Ignatieff's gaffe, naming Bill Gates as the US Secretary of Defence
I agree with your analysis. Also many LPC supporters and many in the MSM did not see a "Dean screem", they saw a rare moment of passion from their leader.
The non-elected team in Ottawa seems too smart-Alecky by far. Personal attacks and cheap shots, especially those as morally dishonest as this one will fail in the long-term.
Even Dave Rutherford dedicated a half hour to this AND while he noted the "out of context" but the fact that it was used to promote the fact that Iggy WANTS and election IS fair.
I am sure though, that all those who disagree with you Gerry - will form the subject of another post where you whine about the "partisans" who disagree with you.
Like others - I too await your calling out CTV for their dishonesty in creating "context" in the continued branding of Michael Ignatieff - especially since they followed that report with a report decrying Peter McKay's faux pas.
From the replies you see here, it is easy to understand where all the media money is being spent by the CONS.
Wait till you see the one where Iggy talks about losing his virginity.
You seem to have a lot of gutless commenters on here hiding behind ANONYMOUS, nothing like people who make stands behind a electronic mask, con games.
Here's how the Liberals could counter the Tory spot:
Announcer: Does Stephen Harper really want to close down orphanages and dump toxic waste into our lakes?
Clip of Stephen Harper: "Yes I do." (Never mind that Harper was actually answering the question, "Do you love kittens?")
Some clever bloggers have already jumped on it, Gerry:
Harper confirming that he will eat children - which must be true because he says so right there in that video. Mockery is the sincerest form of.... telling someone you think they are an idiot.
Harper: "We Need To Raise Taxes" - which has the benefit of being true, listing Harper's many job killing tax increases.
Wow, there seems to be a bit of a "bash Gerry" bandwagon going. I hate to seem to be joining it, the more so since I can't claim to have been bashing Gerry before it was fashionable. (I wouldn't mind so much if it was just the rest of the world catching up with me.)
But I think Gerry's being unduly doctrinaire about the purpose of an attack ad. They are not by their nature meant to influence the non-decided voter. Like all ads, they're intended to influence everyone who sees them. What sets attack ads apart is that they are not intended primarily to drive up support for the party that runs them, but to drive down support for the targetted party.
A good Tory attack ad on Igantieff might make a wavering or potential Tory voter feel good about his choice of party, but that's not the primary goal. What's wanted is for the Liberal voter - potential, wavering or hitherto committed - to ask himself why he's considering voting for such a doofus and whether he really should bother. Given the divided state of the Liberal party and the evident existence af substantial factions hostile to Ig, it's not a bad idea to motivate them to sit this election out. The more Liberals don't vote, the further the Tory base can carry the party.
That said, I doubt that this ad isthe way to go about it.
I don't know about you, Gerry, but I'd rather give my vote to a politician who wants to call a Spring election over one who eats kittens during an economic downturn (how gross).
I think your comments, no matter how appropriate, Gerry, are pissing off some Cons supporters, eh? No Senate apppointment for you, naughty boy !!
And the ads have been pulled...
The ads are gone. I guess Gerry hit a nerve here and in the PMO. It's tough being right sometimes isn't it.
But sheesh. Aren't we ever allowed to disagree with backroom strategy?
Gerry who are these cowards called Anonymous.Are they your Liberal friends.Why don't you and Russ just get lost on the Liberal side.Is there nowhere we can get away from your ilk.You even have to corrupt the Conservative blogs.You are getting worse than the friggin CTV and CBC with your horn blowing.We turn that crap off when you get on Gerry and we only used to do that for Fife.You get the drift Gerry ?You have turned into the complete ass hole.You have amazingly morphed from a 50/50 square shooter to FN Liberal ,literally in about a month.Good luck with your new career as butt kisser to Iggy.
There is no sense of humour in the Toronto bubble . Lighten up Gerry !
From the art of war... don't anger your opponent
G&M Jane Taber made the Iffy Dean connection
CTV Roger Smith made the Howard Dean connection,
even reported on Iffy's Dean scream on CTV,
so now millions of Canadians have made the connection.
CTV news with Roger Smith:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVl9frWDmgo
Perhaps Ignatieff should win an election for leader of his own party before he thinks he 'deserves' to be PM.
What a joke, the liberals made a whole ad campaign (whatstephenharpersaid.com/"guns in our cities") from out of context quotes and now you're complaining that the tories took ONE (pathetically goofy) clip out of context and they're the assholes. Please.
You know these ads suck and Gerry's right from the fact that they are already pulled.
Gerry we know the Liberal controlled media wants to reign in these right wing fanatics but you don't have to shill for them here do you? God man, have some dignity. (real conservative)
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