Conservative pre election attack ads worked..and well: angus reid.
Fri, 2008-10-24 07:58
#1
Conservative pre election attack ads worked..and well: angus reid.
Fri, 2008-10-24 07:58
#2
It also turned off a large part of the electorate from voting at all...
[url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=d9d876b3-21ad-4221... artilce[/url]
quote:
Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun
Published: Friday, October 24, 2008VANCOUVER - The attack ads the Conservative Party of Canada launched during this fall's election campaign not only convinced some declared Liberals not to vote for their party, they turned even more Canadians off from voting entirely.
Officials from Angus Reid Strategies on Thursday revealed polling results to The Vancouver Sun that showed the ubiquitous roll-of-the-dice TV ads that targeted Liberal leader Stephane Dion as a flip-flopping advocate of a carbon tax persuaded 11 per cent of Canadian respondents not to vote for any candidate at all.
Fri, 2008-10-24 09:56
#3
N.Beltov
... which just goes to show that liberal-minded campaigns to encourage people to vote, without supporting any specific parties or candidates, need to make war on those parties that engage in such attack ads that discourage voting.
But this will never happen because that would be "partisan". What a worthless sort of cosmetic electoral system we have.
Fri, 2008-10-24 11:09
#4
There is no doubt Conservatives were aiming for a low turnout, thats why lowering the quality of debate is such a win win for them.
But I don't believe 11 percent of Canadians decided not to vote because of Conservative attack ads. It was predictable that turnout would be low in this election and we saw the warning signs in the bi-elections. The last parliament was depressing, the opposition parties held a strong majority of seats but spent all their time and energy trying to one up each other. I think people were turned off by more than just the campaign.
Fri, 2008-10-24 11:20
#5
N.Beltov
Yes, I agree that the opposition parties bear SOME of the responsibility for the lowest turnout in decades. And the whole system is at fault, what with the way these parties exaggerate the (often) microscopic differences between them for their own selfish purposes.
Nevertheless, those who campaign in such a way as to discourage voting ought be given a hiding. [/end rant]
Fri, 2008-10-24 12:13
#6
Lard Tunderin Jeezus
Odd, is it not, that the mainstream media points the finger here without once acknowledging their own part in the ongoing deterioration of our democracy.
Who happily takes the cash and runs when the party-in-power campaigns for months without calling an election?