Thursday, April 22, 2010

I told them they should invoke a culture war.

Frank Graves, CBC (and Liberal Party) pollster: ‘I told them that they should invoke a culture war. Cosmopolitanism versus parochialism, secularism versus moralism, Obama versus Palin, tolerance versus racism and homophobia, democracy versus autocracy. If the cranky old men in Alberta don’t like it, too bad. Go south and vote for Palin.’

Michael Ignatieff: "One of the things I took away from the experience is it awoke particularly strong feeling in the West. I’m in this country to unite Canadians, not divide them, and I took the messages from the West very seriously. There was a genuine feeling of anger on that issue, and we all have to learn from that."

Abortion motion anyone?

How about the gun registry?

It looks like Ignatieff is already taking advice from the grave in spite of what he himself has said repeatedly about not trying to divide Canadians.


Update:
Be sure to catch CBC's Power and Politics this afternoon. I hear that Frank Graves will be on with Kory Teneycke, which should be very entertaining, and it's Thursday so time for 'point of order' with our old friend Scott Reid who I hear may be making some type of clarification.


18 comments:

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a section 13 violation.

Are Albertans an identifiable group?

Ardvark said...

I guess we are.

Speaking as an Albertan, though not so old or cranky, Frank Graves can go to hell (not my first choice but this is a family blog)

Bec said...

Yes, this is right up there with Charest and McGuinty dissing Alberta but worse because this guy is speaking about ALL western Canadians.

It did indeed work for Chretien like his boss before him but the message missed is that is the reason that they do so poorly in the West and now will continue indefinitely.

I always felt Donolo had opinions like this as a pollster but held back enough so that you were never quite sure but knowing he learned on the knee of papa Jean, I suspect that his molding machine is working at full speed on apprentice, Mr Zzzz.

These people are exhausting and attempting to understand their arrogance, a puzzle that is missing a piece.

Ardvark said...

Invoking US politics.

Hey isn't that what the left is always saying the conservatives do?

Anonymous said...

Graves is telling Libs to do what they've always done: Focus on the votes in Ontario and Quebec, forget about the west, who gives a damn about them.

And this is what they're going to do.

To this end, they're going to raise from the dead all the old bogiemen, gun ownership, abortion, western wealth that belongs to the entire nation, east against west, rural against urban.

These are Liberal lefties who simply don't give a damn what it takes to get power, they're prepared to do it.

The more things change, the more they stay the same, right?

The sad truth of it?

It'll probably work.

Mike B. said...

It's NOT going to work. Donolo was used to campaigning against a divided right.

The only hope the Liberals have is bleeding votes off the NDP, unions, and Greens and only if they get pissed off enough about the Conservatives.

But I think these voters see through the Liberal B.S. because Iggy flip flops.

maryT said...

When does equalization come up for review.
Would be great if liberals try this and we cut of the golden goose.

Ardvark said...

Maybe they could get the money from James Cameron.

Jen said...

Ardvark said...
Maybe they could get the money from James Cameron.

Danny Millions would gladly give millions to his ABC friends.

Ann Coulter likes Alta.

CanadianSense said...

The West left the Liberal trainwreck before Jean Chretien came to power.

Graves might be suggesting the Liberals save their airfare in visiting ridings West of Mississauga. Ontario has been the REAL shift in the loss of power for the Liberals since their last majority.
Catholic vote, visible minorities etc.
Frank is wrong to blame the West for Liberal fortunes.
Ontario and Quebec delivered 136 seats. (Ontario 100 in 2000)

Now in 2008 Ontario popular vote and seats are now in CPC camp.

Ardvark said...

Frank Graves on P&P today denies he is on the payroll of the Liberals and Kory Teneycke rips him a new one on his campaign contributions.

$11,000 to the Liberals!!!!!

CanadianSense said...

Did a quickie search on Elections Canada Website did not find $ 11k

Did find some. Feel free to grab screenshot if you like.

Will now actually watch CBC clip. It has been a few weeks since I watched any clips on current affairs from CBC.

maryT said...

Did you find any evidence the leadership guys have paid back their debt.

Anonymous said...

Graves is simply a porkbarreler. His polls have no credence and his opinions are lacking any substance. Let Rae follow these Ekos polls. They mean nothing.

greyburr said...

So Graves is just saying is get back to your roots,'the politics of division'.We have to get back to power,we are the natural governing party.

Ardvark said...

CS don't feel bad, I have to watch just to make sure Scott Reid does correct his earlier remarks.

The politics of division has worked well in the past as Springer pointed out, so why change now.

With Graves advice I guess that you get what you pay for.

maryT said...

Wonder what Graves would say to the Republic of Western Canada.
Then let Quebec see how it could get along without our oil.
And think of the cost savings with no French language crap.

gimbol said...

Graves is mistaken on his strategy.
The reason is that the liberals are not facing a multitude of conservative choices. That means that if the liberals want to raid the right they have to sacrifice some of the left.
However that allows the other left parties to fill that void and in the end the liberals end up with a net gain of zero.
The electoral result would be one where the liberals would have to gain the support of the other parties in the house in a coalition arrangement.
Because its now plausible that the libs would put such an agreement in writing to share power not only with the NDP but the Bloc as well, does not make the "lend us your vote" meme to palatible to the ROC.

The point is that in the next election the choice is between a party that will do what it has to to protect and preserve the nation, or one that is willing to sign a deal with the devil so can gain power.
Under those circumstances the liberals won't be to successful with the divide and conquer tactic.