Reaping the Rewards of Nastiness

So I see our cowardly PM in his continued obsession with attacking, while hiding behind a law suit, has decided to increase his claim against the Liberals by an additional $1M.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has upped the ante in his $2.5-million defamation suit against the Liberals, claiming an additional $1-million for "misappropriation of personality."

I have to admit I laughed out loud when I read what he is claiming. Anyway, it's not surprising that he's keeping up this strategy, but I do find it interesting how this supposed strategic genius doesn't understand the impact of attacking people and institutions on Canadians. Actually, I take that back. I'm sure he does understand, but his hubris prevents him from caring.

The poll suggests that he's turning people off rather than attracting them to the party.

A new poll suggests the federal Conservatives have lost key support amongst women, Quebecers and Ontario voters.

It's easy to understand that he turns off women, but it would seem that the progressive base that he thought he could tap into in Quebec and Ontario is beginning to get a clearer picture of the man and his party.

The poll suggests the Liberal advantage among women living in cities has increased to 10 percentage points over the Tories from five since December.

In Quebec, the poll suggests Tories lost a 15-point lead with voters who say they're neither federalist nor separatist - and are now tied with the Liberals.

And in Ontario, it indicates Conservative support has dipped outside the greater Toronto area and especially in the 613 area code.

613? Oh, oh! Petulant Pierre may be in trouble after all.

Interestingly the article states that Harper lost this support over the last session of parliament. That has become a pattern hasn't it? The more people see of the Con's, the less enchanted they are. So, you would might expect his numbers to go up now that we are into the summer, but I'm not so sure about that.

He certainly hasn't dialed things down. Frankly I don't expect him to. As I said, he's too arrogant. No I think we can look forward to more ridiculous comments about the Green Shift and the environment in general, especially at the upcoming G8 meeting. I'm sure too that his and some of his party's (yes I know that 2 Lib's didn't not react positively either) remarks about Morgentaler won't advance his cause to woo women and urban voters.

Additionally, I think Dion's strategy of calling Harper out to debate is a good one.

Accusing the prime minister of indulging in "low blow politics and character assassination," Liberal leader Stéphane Dion challenged Stephen Harper yesterday to a one-on-one carbon tax policy debate in Calgary, the Conservative PM's riding and the energy capital of Canada.

Harper will never bite of course because he's got everything to lose. The strategy doesn't even make Harper out to be the coward he is in the classical sense, it simply underscores out that he cannot debate because he has nothing to offer. Furthermore, his reactions (or his spokesman's reactions), sound more ridiculous as time goes on.

"Mr. Dion hasn't even realized that the debate started weeks ago," Harper's spokesman Dimitri Soudas said.

Really Dimitri? I must have missed that. Canadians just aren't that stupid. They know how to read report cards.

Since your strategy seems to be to solidify your base here's an idea for a future talking point.