I was on the subway a couple of days ago and I saw that the Liberals were running their Bush-Harper ads on the screens on subway platforms (this is a great idea, by the way — you would be hard-pressed to find a more captive audience than people waiting for the subway).

It got me thinking about political advertising, and it reminded me of a couple of odd things that I had seen recently.

The first is this screen-shot I took of Jack Layton advertising on the Drudge Report.  The Drudge Report, of course, is a right-wing American gossip blog and Republican smear-machine.  It was responsible for leaking the Monica Lewinsky news, and earlier this year for posting a photo of Hillary Clinton looking wrinkled and asking whether America should have to watch their President become an elderly woman.  Right under Jack’s ad, it says “Support the Drudge Report.  Visit our Advertisers.”  Support the Drudge Report?  Thanks Jack.

Then I remembered a clip I saw of Jack Layton on CNN: he was doing a chummy interview with, of all people, Lou Dobbs!!  The same Lou Dobbs who is an anti-immigrant, xenophobic protectionist, and who harbours conspiracy theories about NAFTA super-highways and currency unions.  Anyway, he and Jack get along swimmingly:

Jack’s meagre campaign team here in Toronto-Danforth just dropped this piece of literature on one of my friends’ doorstep. I couldn’t believe it. “Don’t Vote for an Empty Chair.” Jack is clearly out of touch as well as out of riding. But for the first time in a long while, I agree with Jack. Except the empty chair that I’m not going to vote for was the one at the local debate that belonged to Jack Layton.

Just saw this piece from Comedy Central on Jack’s failure to show up for the local debate, and Peter Tabuns’s ejection from the debate hall when he tried to debate on Jack’s behalf. 

They even stole my line about it being a “most-candidates debate.”  Oh well.  Imitation as flattery…

http://blog.indecision2008.com/2008/10/09/eh-canada-its-jack-laytons-debate-and-hell-skip-it-if-he-wants-to/

From today’s Toronto Star (I had a good laugh at this… scroll down to the bottom of the link):

FOOT-IN-MOUTH SYNDROME

NDP Leader Jack Layton was scathing when asked during a campaign stop in Courtenay, B.C., this week what he thought of candidates who skip debates.

“I’d heard that it’s a malady that seems to be sweeping across the Conservative candidates across the country,” he said.

“I think that the best way to deal with it is to replace them in government so they can go back and get some bed rest, or whatever is required.”

That evening, one candidate failed to show for a debate in the far-off riding of Toronto Danforth.

The absentee? Jack Layton.

Dear Jack Layton,

My name is Gabe.  I’ve lived in Toronto-Danforth for 21 years.  I haven’t been a voter very long.  But every time I’ve voted in a federal election, I’ve voted for you. 

But this time, you’ve lost my support.  You take my vote for granted.  You insult me and my neighbours by asking for our votes, and then lie to us when we ask if you’re going to be here in Toronto-Danforth to debate the local issues.

On October 5th, I called your campaign office.  I asked your staff if you were going to be at the debate.  I asked your staff if I was finally going to get the chance to hear you speak to me about the issues that you purport to fight for.  Well, they lied to me.  They told me you were going to debate.  They told me you cared about the local issues, and that you cared about local voters. 

So why are you in BC?  You didn’t think I’d find this, did you?  It’s an article from the Comox (BC) Valley Record.  It says, in plain language, that while you’re supposed to be in Toronto-Danforth at a debate that was scheduled at a time that you said was convenient for you, you’re going to be speaking to a crowd of Vancouver Island residents.  The article says it’s your second time in that riding since August.  How many times have you been in Toronto-Danforth since August??  Well, your campaign office says ONCE.  Once.  It’s shameful – but then again, they could be lying to me about that too.

I can’t believe the arrogance.  I can’t believe the disrespect.  You tried to pull a fast one on your constituents, Jack, and we’ve had enough.  Between now and October 14th, Mr. Layton, you’ve got one hell of a lot of explaining to do.

Respectfully,

Gabe.

It seems Jack’s whole campaign thus far has been one big Barack Obama rip-off, without the widespread popular support or the possibility of forming a government. At first the evidence was purely rhetorical – Jack was all “Change” and “Hope” ad infinitum, even using the same stories as Barack (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVh2_2SpW9g).

But now, there is hard visual evidence that really makes you wonder whether Jack himself knows where he is. Jack looking off into the distance surrounded by an inspirational orange glow — now that’s graphic design I can believe in. Le voilà: