Should Dion and Obama Go Negative?

In Canada after pounding Stephane Dion with degrading attack ads for a year and a half, and having his thugs smear him a little more this week, Stephen Harper is heading for a majority.

In the United States John McCain edges ahead of Obama, thanks to the Barracuda Effect and a barrage of attack ads....portraying Obama as a dangerous Negro.

So it's not surprising that both Stephane Dion and Obama are being urged by their supporters to fight back harder....or go negative.

In the U.S. this blogger wonders whether it's too late.

For all that's right and good about Barack Obama, he suffers from the same fatal flaws that have afflicted most Democratic presidential nominees over the last thirty-two years: he is both a gentleman, and a scholar. Since the day he tossed his hat into the ring he has been hit up with vicious innuendo and outright lies regarding his heritage, his patriotism, and his religion. And in almost every circumstance his denials have been tepid when not simply nonexistent.

But at least Obama has reason to hesitate.

What reason does Dion have for holding back? When he has nothing to lose and everything to gain?



















Is it just because, as Paul Wells says, Harper loves politics and Dion doesn't?

Does Dion REALLY think he can convince voters to vote for him because of a carbon tax? At a time when voters care more about jobs and cheap gas than they do about the environment. Does he really think that elections are about reason rather than gut feelings and impressions?

And if so will someone please hit the professor on the head with a ruler...gently... and knock that nonsense out of him.

The fact is the ONLY way Harper can be stopped is by picking at the scab of his greatest weakness. The fact that Canadians don't quite trust him, and worry what he might do with a majority.

Forget about complicated arguments, concentrate on creating impressions and keep it visceral.

This NDP ad is a step in the right direction.



But I think we can do even better. We can contrast the old ugly Harper with his new and phony Mr Nice Guy image, and then ask Canadians if they can really take a risk with a man who has TWO faces.

Whether they can REALLY trust him not to criminalize abortion, rollback gay rights, destroy Canadian institutions, privatize medicare, play footsie with the separatists and the theocons, and turn Canada into a yankee stooge jungle.

The more doubts we can plant, the more Canadians will hesitate to give him a majority. It's as simple as that.

In the meantime don't be too discouraged. Remember for all our human weaknesses...like the tendency to fight each other....we are much better than they are. Better people with a better vision for a better world. We may have to get down and dirty for a while. To teach our enemies that we won't be bullied. And that we fight back.

But we never forget what it's all about. Like this group of office workers.

Imagining the day before the American election...



Progressives of the world unite !!!!!

Yes we can. Yes we will.

Have a great weekend everyone !!!