The So Called "Progressive" Liberals

Probably a bit of anger there. It was a sign against the Liberal right in front of his campaign office. Does not make the NDP look good either. If I were running in an election I would certainly not have workers put up obvious provocation right in front of another party's campaign office. Do you really think this story helped the NDP at all? Provoking the opposition then making a complaint after catching them in reaction. In fact I understand the Liberal more than the New Democrat. Stinks and the local voters probably think so too. This is not the kind of story that will help the NDP in 2015. Looks like a complete set up from the get go and the NDP campaign obviously knew about it with the Liberal pleading for them to remove it. Obviously baiting.

This is not a proud NDP moment. And then we are to laugh at the Liberals being dirty?

Was not just one of their signs it was an attack ad sign attacking the Liberal candidate-- posted right in front of their office designed that anyone working there would have to see it all day long.

It was provocative. It was designed to harass low-level campaign workers. It was not necessary as it had no campaign benefit other than riling the Liberal campaign team to the point they would call many times to get the sign taken down and eventually lose it and come out where a new Democrat was hiding to record them doing the illegal thing of taking down something specifically put up to harass them -- just so that a complaint could be made. This is what the public following this story sees.

If you did this as a test in front of every campaign office in the country probably a high number of campaigns from all parties would fail the test and eventually lose their cool and rip the sign down. At a time when many voters are cynical this results in more poeple concluding that the political culture of this country do not deserve the little time it takes to vote.

I am sure there have been other nasty campaigns before. But there is no excuse to do this ever.

This is not how to win elections.

I would be very angry at this from another party certainly. But I am a paid member of the NDP. I expect a higher standard. I expect that money to be used to engage the public on NDP priorities not to try to provoke a response from a Liberal in order to make a complaint and get some news. If the NDP spent all that energy getting attention for NDP policies we would do better at the polls.

If anyone thinks the NDP is gaining out of this they are delusional. As I say if this had been a campaign worker on a campaign I was either leading or running I'd have asked them to step back if I could not fire them but likely they were applauded as we can see the pleading from the Liberal to take the sign down was refused by the NDP campaign office. Even if it was a Monday morning joke -- when you got their attention you take it down. Adding to the partisan nastiness only makes it worse. Ask yourself is this what Stanley Knowles would do?

The NDP talks about the hyper partisan Liberals and Conservatives. How is this little entrapment game different?

I sure hope other NDP members/supporters express revulsion at this type of tactic. The NDP, if it wanted to, could try to lift the tone, lift the standard rather than get down in the gutter. Just because the Sonas of this world would find this cute does not mean that we should. I think it is safe to say that so long as we do this crap we won't ever lead a government. Many felt Layton was trying to raise the level of decency and it was that impression that in my view got the NDP to Official Opposition.

Don't excuse this.

Sean in Ottawa wrote:

Was not just one of their signs it was an attack ad sign attacking the Liberal candidate-- posted right in front of their office designed that anyone working there would have to see it all day long.

It was provocative. It was designed to harass low-level campaign workers. It was not necessary as it had no campaign benefit other than riling the Liberal campaign team to the point they would call many times to get the sign taken down and eventually lose it and come out where a new Democrat was hiding to record them doing the illegal thing of taking down something specifically put up to harass them -- just so that a complaint could be made. This is what the public following this story sees.

If you did this as a test in front of every campaign office in the country probably a high number of campaigns from all parties would fail the test and eventually lose their cool and rip the sign down. At a time when many voters are cynical this results in more poeple concluding that the political culture of this country do not deserve the little time it takes to vote.

I am sure there have been other nasty campaigns before. But there is no excuse to do this ever.

This is not how to win elections.

I would be very angry at this from another party certainly. But I am a paid member of the NDP. I expect a higher standard. I expect that money to be used to engage the public on NDP priorities not to try to provoke a response from a Liberal in order to make a complaint and get some news. If the NDP spent all that energy getting attention for NDP policies we would do better at the polls.

If anyone thinks the NDP is gaining out of this they are delusional. As I say if this had been a campaign worker on a campaign I was either leading or running I'd have asked them to step back if I could not fire them but likely they were applauded as we can see the pleading from the Liberal to take the sign down was refused by the NDP campaign office. Even if it was a Monday morning joke -- when you got their attention you take it down. Adding to the partisan nastiness only makes it worse. Ask yourself is this what Stanley Knowles would do?

The NDP talks about the hyper partisan Liberals and Conservatives. How is this little entrapment game different?

I sure hope other NDP members/supporters express revulsion at this type of tactic. The NDP, if it wanted to, could try to lift the tone, lift the standard rather than get down in the gutter. Just because the Sonas of this world would find this cute does not mean that we should. I think it is safe to say that so long as we do this crap we won't ever lead a government. Many felt Layton was trying to raise the level of decency and it was that impression that in my view got the NDP to Official Opposition.

Don't excuse this.

It was a childish and stupid trick which elicited a childish and stupid response. The only ones who look good in this are the other parties.