Actually I had no idea such a service was available, and therefore felt compelled to check it out myself. You go to the main party site, and then click on login to My Campaign, which takes you here.
Then you click on Call Talk Radio, input your postal code and topic you wish to discuss, and Poof! You're taken to a page showing all the talk shows in your immediate area, complete with times and tips on how to call in. The 'talking points' are merely lists of information to highlight Conservative accomplishments and failings of the other parties.
All in all, a fairly innovative and interactive program. It could even be useful to Conservative bloggers.
However, as the site suggests, you need to be prepared to ad-lib it with the show's host if he or she interrupts with some questions. As such, I doubt Joe Blow off the street would be inclined to get much use out of it. I always think it's better to talk from the heart on talk shows.
Liberal party spokesman Daniel Lauzon seems quite outraged:
“This undermines our democracy,” said Liberal party spokesman Daniel Lauzon.
“It's not up for someone in Ottawa to tell someone in Blind River what they should think. . . All we tell our supporters is, 'Speak your mind. Get out there and talk.'
“Never do we dictate messaging.”
My gosh, you'd think Stephen Harper himself arm wrestles every Conservative supporter to the ground and forces a recitation of the party line at gun-point.
More likely Mr. Lauzon is just expressing a sour grapes regret that they didn't think of it first.
* * * *
Update: One of my readers reminded me about that little CBC-gate incident:
Not to mention that in that case it was the Liberals needing to be fed questions, which doesn't speak well for their integrity, judgment and imagination.
- Especially when the CBC doesn't even know that Bill Casey is an Independent until a reader tells them.
Sheesh!
Compare it to CBC employees 'telling' MP's what to ask in the HoC:
Which method is more subtle and manipulative? How powerful is a caller to a radio show?
Does it threaten the democratic process in the HoC?
Not to mention that in that case it was the Liberals needing to be fed questions, which doesn't speak well for their integrity, judgment and imagination.
- Especially when the CBC doesn't even know that Bill Casey is an Independent until a reader tells them.
Sheesh!
* * * *
Wednesday Update: Victor Wong says this is old news. Someone should tell Alex Panetta.
Thursday Update: The Chronicle Herald obviously hasn't read Victor's post.
Thursday Update: The Chronicle Herald obviously hasn't read Victor's post.
26 comments:
I think the bigger question is why Conservatives can't simply think for themselves.
Liberal party spokesman Daniel Lauzon seems quite outraged:
“This undermines our democracy,” said Liberal party spokesman Daniel Lauzon.
“It's not up for someone in Ottawa to tell someone in Blind River what they should think. . . All we tell our supporters is, 'Speak your mind. Get out there and talk.'
“Never do we dictate messaging.”
Actually they do.
The section on caling your local radio station gives programs and telephone numbers to call, and the section on tips on calling has this little gem :
"Check our newsroom to find information about the Liberal position on today’s issues. "
and by golly they grabbed me arm and whisked me to me phone and forced me, i tell yas, forced me to make the call...tied me to the chair they did by golly.
in canada
without guns
i'm making this up.
Jad, the link you supplied doesn't seem to be working - at least not for me. Good point though.
...in canada
without guns
i'm making this up.
Ha! That was great, Anon. Thanks for the laugh.
Typical Liberal smear job. BTW Jad your link doesn't work.
Try this one
Sorry, it keeps getting redirected for some reason. Try this one
It should take you to the Site Map for liberal.ca, scroll down to almost the bottom and hit "Speak Out"
Damn, my link does not work either. Go to the LPC main sight, find the 'take action' tab on the top bar and select 'speak out'. They talk about the same things the CPC does on their site, but because it is the Liberal page I guess it does not 'undermine our democracy'
Thanks, Ardvark.
The only thing that they don't seem to do is to list their accomplishments. Of course, that would be because there aren't any. ;)
Sour grapes for sure!
Compare it to CBC employees 'telling' MP's what to ask in the HoC:
Which method is more subtle and manipulative? How powerful is a caller to a radio show?
Does it threaten the democratic process in the HoC?
I've tried to call and when the adrenaline flows the brain goes fuzzy. This is one of the great freedoms we have...call a radio station and express yourself.A little coaching on the how-to's certainly helps.
Compare it to CBC employees 'telling' MP's what to ask in the HoC
Oh man! Good point. Very good point.
BTW, I've found the way to avoid nervousness on talk shows is to just make a few little notes ahead of time, and then if your mind goes blank, you've got something to get you going again. It also doesn't hurt to admit it's your first time calling in (if it is) because the host will generally be very accommodating then.
Honestly, I support the Conservatives and have only been on their site a couple of times. I did not know that this existed. I am not certain if it is really needed though...this Conservative supporter thinks just fine for himself, thanks very much.
I did want to corret this line though...
"Check our newsroom to find information about the Liberal position on today’s issues. "
It should actually read...
"Check our newsroom to find information about today's Liberal position on today’s issues. Check back often as results will change constantly."
Heh heh...
Sheesh - I wish those libs would decide WHAT exactly is going to be the scandal of the week.
Lets see
We could have "PMO can't spell saskatchewan"
or
We could have "Conservative supporters forced to stick to talking points whenever they speak"
Which one, Which one.....
"Check our newsroom to find information about today's Liberal position on today’s issues. Check back often as results will change constantly."
You nailed it there.
Lets see
We could have "PMO can't spell saskatchewan"
or
We could have "Conservative supporters forced to stick to talking points whenever they speak"
Yup. Sure beats the heck out of Adscam.
The Liberal/Dippers/Unionist calling into Commie Joe on CFAX in Victoria make me so mad that a cheat-sheet from the CPC would burn up before I got on the air. Why waste my time? The west coast commies don't listen anyway because their heads are in the sand ... at the beach ... under a sea gull ... really.
West Coast Teddi, I hear ya.
We in Ontario have our heads buried under popcorn, beer and lemming droppings.
I call talk shows and write letters to the editor a lot. I never knew of these talking pints. I talk about what interests me. This whole controversy is silly. No one is being forced to say or do anything.
The liberals want me to believe that they don't have people calling talk shows?
Many a times I heard Liberal and Dipper and union supports on Lowell Green's show on CFRA arguing their case and you could tell that they were reading from a script. When Lowell would ask them questions that they couldn't answer from their prescribed text they just kept reading from it as if nothing had happened. Now that others are using the same propaganda technique they act astonished as if this was something new. Liars all of then.
Many politcally related organizations have talking points for their members and supporters. There's no problem with having a list of points for the supporters to examine. It is up to the supporter to express a point in his/her own words when calling talk-radio, writing a letter to the editor, or sending a petition-letter. For example, if an environmental group wants their supporters to send letters to a politician, individually crafted letters work better than form letters. They have more impact.
It is up to radio talk show hosts and newspaper editors to determine if a person who submits information by phone or email is thinking independently or belongs to an organized group.
Damn those Conservatives are good!
Right there in the 21st century.
Not like the Liberals who keep trying to retread their election platforms which are being rejected by Canadians.
That's why the Conservatives are killing them in fundraising. They are hip with the times and embrace the new technologies.
The liberals are just jealous that they can't get their party coordinated enough to do this also.
oh, and it's nothing new for the conservatives.
We've got a great crew on the ground educating voters on our policies.
Liberals have no policies.
Might want to get started sometime soon if they're going to be bringing down the gov't?
Hahahahahahahaha!
I wouldn't mind if all partisans (regardless of party) identified themselves first, if they are using party talking points. To not do so is intellectually dishonest.
Greg, I agree. Sometimes you hear people call in that are rabidly partisan that there can be no doubt the call is coming from someone in a particular party.
On the other hand I think there is a difference between a loyal supporter vs. someone who actually works for any given party.
The enraged commenters are having a circus at the G&M site. Most of them are deluded to the fact that media spin tells them how to think, yet a site that is clearly partisan (the CPC site) in their opinion should not be able to coach their own supporters.Do they not realise the CPC method is limited to CPC supporters?And is a choice?But the media method is 'mainstream'?
Are they really that deluded?
Like I said last evening:
and by golly they grabbed me arm and whisked me to me phone and forced me, i tell yas, forced me to make the call...tied me to the chair they did by golly.
in canada
without guns
i'm making this up.
Who is being forced to use these ideas from the CPC site?
They accept Lib influence of the MSM but want 'stops' on a CPC site.I think they assume everyone is lemmings like they are.
And as someone else said...the CPC have policies.
Can anyone identify any lib policies these days other than Harper-bashing?
bluetech
After a few years under the leadership of Bob Rae and the NDP, I decided to jump that ship and have been a conservative ever since.
No coaxing or help needed. Once you've had a taste of governance under Rae, I expect more Liberals will join me.
Just consider the source ... That's Alex Panetta of CP....
The hardest working cheerleader in the LIberal fold!
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