Attack Ads Are Good -- This Is An Election About One Man

There is a general sense that attack ads are a bad idea -- the sense is wrong.



Attack ads that focus in real things -- issues and not, say, Harper's choice in sweaters -- help the public focus on what matters. That's a good thing.



And what matters here, for real, is leaders and leadership. This is an election about Harper.



The Conservatives know it and that's why their first ads are about a warm and cuddly Prime Minister. They'll attack Dion brutally but that will be so as to divert attention from Harper. If Canadians are shown Harper in all his colours and still vote Conservative, well, that's their right (and I am glad of it) but I don't see it happening.



We must focus on what Harper said and then what he did. We must focus on what Harper will do if he wins again, especially if he wins a majority.



There is a vast amount of material of Harper calling for clean, open government; fixed election dates and the like. Ads based on that material almost write themselves -- remind people what Harper said and then show what Harper did. No need to spend a lot of time on the hidden agenda (because it's not hidden; although imagine Harper with a majority!); we can point to the concrete stuff.