Harper attacks Dion after interview foul-up
p2pnet news view | P2P | Politics:- Canadian Conservative government leader Stephen Harper is, “ready to go very low in order to win an election,” says opponent Stephane Dion, leader of the Liberal party.
The charge followed Harper’s critical reaction to a Dion “interview foul-up,” says the Toronto Star.
In a taped interview with CTV Halifax anchor Steve Murphy, Dion was asked, “If you were prime minister now, what would you have done about the economy and this crisis that Mr. Harper hasn’t done?” – says the Globe and Mail, continuing »»»
Mr. Dion replied: “If I had been prime minister 2½ years ago?”
Mr. Murphy replied: “If you were the prime minister right now.”
Mr. Dion started talking about his 30-day action plan to tackle the crisis but had trouble enunciating and asked to start again.
“I’ve been slow listening to your question,” he said.
Mr. Murphy repeated the question again. Mr. Dion asked: “If I was prime minister starting when? Today?”
At one point a Liberal aide came in to explain the question.
On the third try, Mr. Dion began explaining what he would do once elected, such as calling a prime minister’s conference and investing in infrastructures and manufacturing.
The Liberals asked the network not to air the portion in which Mr. Dion appears confused, but CTV felt it was their responsibility to show it. That segment is already posted on YouTube.
The Tories delayed their flight so Harper could watch the tape and comment on it, says the story, adding:
“Stephen Harper usually talks to the media only once a day, but last night he met journalists again.”
Following the interview incicddent, “Harper held a special news conference on Thursday night to slam Dion, saying a leader only gets one chance to make things clear when running a $1.5-trillion economy,” says the Toronto Star.
Notes the Canadian Press:
“The argument over the state of the Canadian economy is taking on a sharply personal tone as the federal election campaign speeds toward the day of reckoning.
“Prime Minister Stephen Harper is pointing to a bungled English-language interview by Stephane Dion as proof that the Liberal leader doesn’t have what it takes to cope with the current financial crisis.
“The Liberals retort that Harper is taking a cheap shot at a man whose English is imperfect, and who has a hearing disability to boot.”
This will probably do Dion more good than harm, and NDP leader Jack Layton is in the meanwhile taking his message to the people via the Net.
In a YouTube post aimed specifically at Canadian P2P, People to People, online communities, “We don’t want to see hidden fees and gouging and service slow-downs all in the interests of promoting the objectives of certain large corporations,” he says in a YouTube statement, exclusive to p2pnet.
“This election gives us a real opportunity to put issues like Net Neutrality and reasonable copyright on the election agenda,” he states.
We’ll continued to bring you posts on events taking place during the campaign until its conclusion on October 14.
Toronto Star – , October 10, 2008
Globe and Mail – Dion criticizes Harper, CTV over interview, October 10, 2008
Canadian Press – Tone gets nasty as campaign nears day of decision, October 10, 2008
message to the people – Jack Layton on Net neutrality: P2P Power, October 10, 2008
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October 10th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
and thats all the neo cons have to attack the guy ROFL
omg call out the feds call the press
my bet is the person asking wasnt a clear english speaker and you kow what happens when you tell a french guy smething in slang english or slur your speech. they have a small prob wooo, and unlike harper it even shows HE LISTENS to AIDES.
harper – dictator
DION – a teacher , and that will be good for canada, unless of course he retires on the bell canada we all know and love pension.
net neutrality now!
say no to copyright reform – it already works.
leave the copyright levy alone , thats what legally allows us to download
remove it and you remove the limbo for downloading
and make millions a canucks criminals
October 10th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
the levy is ridiculous. out dated, and doesn’t support artists or stop you from lawsuits.
harper = out of touch “the fundamentals of our economy are strong” mccain/bush/ Harper
dion = needs improvement with his english but its completely acceptable for him to misunderstand the question. I imagine if Harpers first language wasn’t english he’d need someone to reiterate it to him as well.