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Hooray for Attack Ads

I was an in studio guest on the Gary Doyle Show recently and at one point during the interview Gary said he thought “negative political attack ads” were bad for democracy.

Immediately I disagreed, telling him “I love attack ads.” Indeed, I have produced dozens of them over the years.

A shocking admission, I know.

In Canada we are supposed to hate attack ads. Canadian politicians especially hate attack ads because they are so impolite and rude.

Back in 2004, for instance, while he was still leader of the Opposition, Stephen Harper denounced “American-style” attack ads and pledged he would never use them.

Yet we now learn the Tories are airing anti-Dion “American-style”attack ads on TV.

And right on cue, Liberal leader Stephan Dion says he is outraged.

“Harper has nothing positive to say about his own record,” Dion told CBC Newsworld. “Being unable to say anything positive about [himself], he wants to spend all this money to try to attack me in a very negative way.”

Yeah right, Stephane it’s terrible.

But wasn’t it your party that set new lows for nasty attack ads in the past two federal elections?

So maybe my love of attack ads isn’t so shocking after all.

In fact, maybe the only difference between me and the politicians is that I’m more honest, although being more honest than a politician is not much an accomplishment.

It’s like bragging that your skinnier than Michael Moore.

For more on my view on this check out this column I wrote a while ago for the Vancouver Sun.

Comments

Dan Romano says:

Attack ads are very much a necessary and positive aspect of our free democracy:

1) they keep politicians on their toes,
2) they serve to inform the public of important shenanigans,
2) they reaffirm our freedom of expression.

As long as they are honest and pertain to political practices and politics as opposed to the politicians private lives, then I have no problem with attack ads.

Dan Romano
President
C.A.G.E. — Citizens Against Government Encroachment
C.A.G.E. — Citoyens Anti Gouvernement Envahissant
3445 Drummond, #307
Montreal, QC H3G 1X9
CANADA
514-288-5016
www.cagecanada.ca

submitted on January 29th, 2007 at 12:03 pm

Glen Bogart says:

All of the above is tue and it give the Press and TV and sensationalist something to justify thier existance with.

submitted on February 1st, 2007 at 5:27 pm

Jacquie says:

Mr. Dion is leader of a party, not of the country, so all this criticism, is for what, there is nothing you have on him. I am a little tired of the environment there are much more important issues to discuss.
For the record Mr. Dion, was appointed Environment Minister in 2004, within a year he had a plan, then came elections. As his plans were being implemented Harper canceled all of them. Harper told the CBC 4 years ago he did not believe there was a problem with the environment therefore he agreed with the Liberal position. In that same interview Harper had a sudden revelation that maybe pollution is a problem after all.
Dion, himself said his party did not do enough, however as environment minister he tried to make a difference. The biggest polluters in the world is the U.S., China, Japan. Canada’s pollution is below, if Canada adds a few brownie points to the enviornment, it will not matter much if the biggest polluters do nothing, we will still be in a mess. Thus the reason for Koyto, however, lets start at home, and take on the world next.

submitted on February 4th, 2007 at 1:42 am

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