'Gotcha' tactics working for all the war rooms
Updated Fri. Sep. 26 2008 6:12 PM ET
Roger Smith
Even as he accused reporters of taking the low road, Stephen Harper seemed eager to follow.
Amid the flurry of apologies and resignations by candidates for past indiscretions, Harper blamed the media.
"I do think some of these stories are 'gotcha' journalism that have nothing to do with what's important in the campaign."
Yet his own Tory war room, like all the others, fuel the mud-slinging by flooding reporters with e-mails full of accusations about rival candidates.
And Harper himself piled on after Lesley Hughes was turfed as a Liberal candidate in Winnipeg over past blogs in support of 9-11 conspiracy theories. She quoted sources that claim Israeli businesses got advance warning to vacate the twin towers before they were hit. Harper accused her of going even further -- "a candidate says Jews are behind the 9-11 attack ... Is this kind of political discourse that's tolerated in the Liberal Party?"
Of course, it wasn't tolerated -- the Liberals gave her the boot. Yet at the same time, Harper is tolerating Calgary MP Lee Richardson, who suggested immigrants are responsible for a disproportionate share of crime. Harper says Richardson clarified his remarks even before the article was published.
As for opposition demands that Richardson get the hook, not much chance of that. Harper stood by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz after he apologized for tasteless Listeria jokes, and he plans to stand by Richardson too.
But Ritz has been invisible ever since, except perhaps in his riding, and the usually media-friendly Richardson seems to be doing his own disappearing act. He wasn't among the MPs who greeted Harper at Calgary airport last night and he wasn't at Harper's policy announcement this morning.
Comments are now closed for this story
| Dave from the borderlands |
I agree. The Gotcha tactics have to cease. Since the Conservatives started this, perhaps they can show their good faith by being the first to back away. Closing their war room would be a good start.
I don't however think that will happen. Dirty tricks are just too darn useful, especially for the conservatives.
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Stephen Harper and his Conservatives have not offered anything substantial on any items of importance to this country such as health care, the environment, child care, education or others in this campaigning process. he continues to tell us the economy is sound and offers small policy changes that matter little in the middle of an election.
Day after day he puts all the other parties in one basket and tells us he is the only leader with the only party who can save us from certain destruction. His followers need to get wise.
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The Conservatives started this??
I remember how unhappy I was over the "soldiers in our cities" commercial that the Libs ran or the one where they asked if we could trust a man with eyes as blue (steely) as Harper's.
NeilD
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Harper, Manning & Stockwell Day had to endure non stop mus slinging and scare tactics of their "hidden agenda's) during every other election campaign. Now that Harper is in power, people think he is being mean spirited, it's an absolute joke. If a Liberal slings mud, it's politics, if anyone else does, they are called a bully. That's the Fiberal way I guess. Go Harper.!
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I have to agree the gotcha politics of the media is not reporting the media is worse then the people that said or supposely said these things if all you can report is dirt get a real job. Maybe enter politics you spin the BS very good.
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How about talking about the issues, but the media needs to start this instead of the crap they relish reporting on now!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Yes, closing their campaign headquarters (aka war room)would have absolutely nothing to do with this news article. But it would be the only way the Liberals could have a fighting chance of winning the election.
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CTV asked who had the best campaign, and I can't help but be proud of the Libs for not having the attack and childish ads that the Cons have, ie, the slots.
Maybe that is the mentality Harper is trying to hook. We live 5 min. from a casino and never go to the place, we don't believe in gambling, WE HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO WITH OUR MONEY, we vote LIBERAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I don't mind gotcha journalism. There's little time to figure these people out.
I want to know about their values. I want to where they draw lines in the sand. What can they condone? What can they not tolerate?
Do they care about their next door neighbours? Do they care about their third world neighbours? Or, do they only care about themselves and their own?
Can these people compromise, and are they able to make difficult decisions? I'd like to know what they read.
It's our responsibility to elect politicians who present policies and platforms that we find agreeable, but also to elect individuals who we feel will make good and compassionate decisions.
In my opinion, Mr. Harper has disregarded compassion in politics. I feel that he values winning more then he values his neighbours.
I sense that his ability to compromise is compromised. He draws lines in the sand, and his positions are intolerant. His values are guided by free market capitalism, the same free market capitalism that is flourishing south of the border.
Mr. Harper doesn't want to be happy, he wants to be right, and I'm certain that he will do whatever he needs to do to have a chance to be proven wrong.
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