For Monday a few thoughts on the truth ads put out by the CPC.
The Media: Overwhelmingly the MSM has come out against the ads by saying they are childish, they won't work, they will backfire etc. It was also these same members of the MSM almost to a member who said exactly the same thing about the 'not a leader' Dion ads when they first came out, yet today this same group must grudgingly admit that the Dion ads did work in spite of what they first predicted. They got it wrong last time and I think that time again will prove that they got it wrong a second time as well.
The Liberals: For a group of people who claim they are not concerned about the ads they sure have spent a lot of time responding to them; including radically changing their strategy on fund raising as a direct result of the ads. I guess it is just another case of Liberal words not matching their actions.
The spin: The spin from the Liberal on the ads has been something of a mixed bag. The first comments played the victim card with the Libs
decrying the general use of attack ads in general, but this was a tough sell since the
Liberals have a long history of doing this very thing themselves and pretty much everyone is aware of it so it fell flat.
The next bit of spin comes from trying to claim that the ads say something they really don't, that is that Ignatieff is not Canadian, or not Canadian enough. BS! Nowhere in any of those ads is the claim made that MI is not Canadian; the only place that this exists is in the minds of
liberal hacks trying to take the heat off of their boss. Look, if the CPC really thought that Ignatieff really was not a Canadian you can rest assured that they would not bother to run ads on TV about it they would instead have deported his foreign ass out of Canada a long time ago if that were the case, because as lefties everywhere are always saying, the Harper government is just that evil.
A slight variation on this has now come out from the Liberals claiming that the ads attack new Canadians, or those that work or study abroad, but again they are reaching as the ads are clearly only aimed at Ignatieff and the weak attempt to tie it to others does not stand up to any scrutiny what so ever. The ads deal with Ignatieff and Ignatieff alone; any claims to the contrary are just smoke and mirrors by a party that claims they are not concerned.
The bottom line question: This is what the Liberals are doing everything in their power to distract Canadians from and not to dare answer themselves.
Why did Ignatieff really return to Canada?No wonder the Libs are doing their best to try to avoid the question because we all know what the answer to that question is don't we. So why hasn't ANYONE in the MSM asked it?
Update: As I was writing this something sort of ironic hit me. On the subject of the ads with all of the media punditry and the Liberal counter spin involved, the only thing true about any of it is contained in the actual ads themselves.
Late Update:
NDP television personality and strategist Brad Levigne:
LAVIGNE: You may have written a book on negative campaigning Warren, but the
"Just Visiting" ads on Ignatieff are a far cry from the "Face" ads against
Chrétien.
Here are five reasons why these ads will have an impact.
5. They're timely. Most of the country doesn't know Michael Ignatieff. These
ads, and his response to them, will have an effect on how he is defined by
voters.
4. The narrative is simple. It's not about working overseas or about who is a
good Canadian (that's the Liberal talking points trying to change the channel).
The storyline here is questioning the motivation for coming back to Canada after
34 years to get power and if he doesn't get it he'll leave again. Average folks
grasp that. Doubt is being planted in the mind of the jury. Once credibility on
motivation is lost it doesn't matter what Ignatieff promises after that.
3. They use Ignatieff's own words. One reason why the "Not a Leader" ads were
effective was because they used Dion's own words ("Do you think it's easy to
make priorities") and Ignatieff's own words ("Stéphane, we didn't get it done")
to carry the message. This is also the case with "Just Visiting." This is
Ignatieff on Ignatieff. And his lines "this is just as much as my country as it
is yours" in reference to the U.S.A. is devastating to cross-pressured
Liberal-New Democrat vote switchers while "I don't want to take a GST hike off
the table" will be a tough sell to Liberal-Conservative switch voters.
2. The buy is large and the campaign is multi-platform. There's no question
there is some substantial weight behind the ad buy. Pick a non-elite channel or
show, including Blue Jays games and Family Guy and you'll see these ads. It's a
full campaign using a variety of platforms including the web and Facebook
meaning that its reach will be substantial.
1. We're talking about them. And as a result, we're analyzing Ignatieff's
motivations much more closely than had the ads not been produced. There is huge
gulf between the bubble of Ottawa and Main Street Canada. While some
commentators suggest that these ads are "stupid," others need to get over the
fact that just because you don't like the messenger (Harper and his Team),
doesn't detract from the relevant question their ad campaign poses.
But Warren, you are right to suggest that average folks would much rather have
their federal leaders focused on the economy. And while you manage the latest
flip-flop and Tim defends his ads, Jack Layton and the team will continue to
dominate Parliament by getting EI reform, real credit card protection, a right
to repair bill, a charter for airline passengers and help for our vets passed
through Parliament.
