Where is the old, cynical media of the Harper era?
It would be cartoonish to say that Stephen Harper avoided the media at all cost. But what he did attempt was discipline toward consistent messaging from his government – a discipline that often created an impression of secrecy. Looking back now, that approach was salutary for both sides. It protected the government from the bane of contradictory messaging that has already occurred under the new administration. And it allowed the media to do their job and scrutinize government policy.
I’m just waiting for the national media to be more like the Saskatchewan media and realize the self-appointed role of ‘Official Opposition’ should actually come into play when the real Opposition parties are in disarray and rudderless.
very nice sarcasm.
Of course the Canadian Media Guild/Party will get right on it,as soon as they finish tongue bathing their new product.
You will enjoy a long wait.
When it comes to defining Harper, his actions, his strategies, the goals of his governemnt and his relationship with the media, I think it is fairly safe to say that the media did their very very best to misrepresent and malign Harper, mostly by using Alinsky like tactics – particlulary #12 in the rules for radicals.
Harper may not have coddled the media – but I count that as a plus. After all as evidenced by their 10 year temper tantrum, I would say that the media has demonstrated that they will give good copy to politicians who cozy up extra nice to them, and knife whoever does not.
Barney Fife spent 10 years berating Harper on his “anti-democratic” “corrupt” policies. Now he has spent 6 months blowing Trudeau every week on national TV. What kind of self image as a news professional does an idiot like Fife have?
Oh good grief, don’t you remember when Harper got his majority and the Liberals were thoroughly trounced? What did the media do and actually say: With the opposition in disarray we (the media) need to be the Official Opposition!
The CBC actually said that. But it only applies to small ‘c’ Conservatives of course. Any Liberals, Dippers or red Tories will get kisses and snuggles galore. Especially PM Zoolander. I’m truly shocked by people I know who almost literally swoon over the boy.
I couldn’t comment on the Prince Herald site because I don’t Faceplant, er book.
But I would have said the following.
If the media wasn’t a bigoted progressive entity then Canadians would have known about PM Trudeau’s love for tyranny (see China comments), his friendship with convicted pedophile Ben Levin (Wynne’s school policy buddy), his anti-Canadian support of terrorists (a Canadian is a Canadian – really?), and his economic ignorance (budgets balance themselves).
Credit where it’s due. The media got JT elected because he spews progressive dogma.
It’s worse than pathetic because it shows the media is actually the enemy of liberty, and of Canadians.
With Harper it started before he was elected and they are not done yet. I call Fife the weasel and I hereby apologize to all weasels. This all has nothing to do with what Harper did or would do . It is all about keeping Western Canada in its proper place of serfdom in confederation. It’s a far more dangerous game than they understand.
Let’s not forget that Harper did several things very well.
He recognized early that there was ABSOLUTELY no way that the media would ever give him a fair shake.
This left him with two choices – either pretend to cultivate a relationship by playing by their rules, OR tell them to p*ss up a rope.
He did the latter, proving that you can get a message through to people and get elected without kissing up to the slime – difficult, but not impossible.
Unfortunately, the lesson is lost on others.
Where is the old, cynical US media of the Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II years? Back then, they would point out weaknesses in the economy even when it was strong as a whole.
Now they’re too busy licking 0bama’s boots to notice the US economy is basically still in recession since 2008 and the job market is horrible.
Cbcpravda spoke mostly of Layton . They could barely say the word Conservative majority
Just reeks of adscam
The Media Guild campaigned for the half-wit Turd… I don’t expect the Media Guild campaigning to stop anytime soon, Turdo is the Media’s boy, they will continue to aid in the nit-wits act, protect and shield the moron from criticism and scrutiny just as they’ve done since the empty headed actor was first crowned King of the Twits. The Media coddling of lispy Justine will continue, nauseatingly so, anyone expecting the Media to suddenly do the job of “journalists” and hold the actor and his puppet masters to account will be very disappointed. The Media see their job as palace guard to the nit-wit’s kingdom, not as “opposition”, and frankly the Media couldn’t care less what anyone thinks regarding their collusion with the Trudo Party, the majority of Media dipshits wear the corruption like a badge of honor. It’s a safe bet to say that as long as the CBC actor remains in office the Media will continue with their extended holiday pausing occasionally to do some PR for the boy princess and perhaps the occasional bong hit.
No matter. The media are circling the toilet. Truly the architects of their own destruction.
I suppose the media is already figuring out how to portray Clown Prince as a “bold” and “decisive” leader in view of what happened in the Philippines.
All of the above. Concerned, exactly.
Fife, Oliver, and Giggles Whatsername first in line for the tongue bath. Some of the National Post writers seem to now have second thoughts after doing their best during the election campaign to malign Harper every chance they had.
bob fife, craig oliver and don martin are a disgrace to their profession full stop
Political Junkie @ 7:16;
I consider one of the biggest failures of the Harper era was his failure to develop an alternative to the MSM to get the CPC message out. The realization that the MSM is hostile to conservative thought has been well established for decades. Not only did Harper not solve this problem but he continued to fund the public side via the CBC. I actually had the Leader of the House defend their support of the CBC to me not 2 years ago. According to him I simply did not understand how important the CBC was to eastern Canada, particularly the Maritimes. I knew then that the CPC was in serious trouble.
What could Harper have done? IMHO he could have supported SUN TV much more than he did. Not only did he not support their effort to be bundled by carriers but he did not give them exclusive interviews which would have forced better coverage. Why not Ezra Levant lobbing softies into Harper to hit out of the park instead of Fife doing what he does for Turdeau? Why not a Christmas fireside chat with Levant? Brutal lack of effort IMO.
A final comment would be the re-establishment of top down CPC management to the rifing associations. If Harper had no MSM strategy other than disengagement then certainly keeping the ‘grassroots’ involved, which was his strength, should have been a priority. Instead the opposite happened as far as I know. Our MP became a simple mouth piece for Ottawa who came to Board meetings and repeated Caucus BS. No input of membership needed or apparently wanted. I hold Harper very responsible no matter who was operating behind the scenes to sandbag his agenda.
Political Junkie @ 7:16;
I consider one of the biggest failures of the Harper era was his failure to develop an alternative to the MSM to get the CPC message out. The realization that the MSM is hostile to conservative thought has been well established for decades. Not only did Harper not solve this problem but he continued to fund the public side via the CBC. I actually had the Leader of the House defend their support of the CBC to me not 2 years ago. According to him I simply did not understand how important the CBC was to eastern Canada, particularly the Maritimes. I knew then that the CPC was in serious trouble.
What could Harper have done? IMHO he could have supported SUN TV much more than he did. Not only did he not support their effort to be bundled by carriers but he did not give them exclusive interviews which would have forced better coverage. Why not Ezra Levant lobbing softies into Harper to hit out of the park instead of Fife doing what he does for Turdeau? Why not a Christmas fireside chat with Levant? Brutal lack of effort IMO.
A final comment would be the re-establishment of top down CPC management to the rifing associations. If Harper had no MSM strategy other than disengagement then certainly keeping the ‘grassroots’ involved, which was his strength, should have been a priority. Instead the opposite happened as far as I know. Our MP became a simple mouth piece for Ottawa who came to Board meetings and repeated Caucus BS. No input of membership needed or apparently wanted. I hold Harper very responsible no matter who was operating behind the scenes to sandbag his agenda.
Doing my part below the 49th by targeting mindless government employed relatives praising pretty boy’s “arts” budget. They had not yet heard the “Zoolander” honorific. Of course, they would have to turn the channel from something other than the OWN network or maybe even crack a book to name a prior Canuck PM.
Yes, very well said.