# What Kind of Dork shake's his kids Hands



## BigDL (Apr 16, 2003)

Just viewed TV news and Stephen Harper shakes his kids hands as he sends his children off to school.

Hey Stephen ever hear of "more hugs less drugs" or will you just impose stiffer prison terms?


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

I don't see anything wrong with that. Not every parent is a 'hugger', nor should every parent be one. Everybody shows affection differently and respect for their children differently. Of course the socialist hordes would like that standardized within a government creche system (to play along with the gravitas of your second line).

It is strange to see anti-Harper poop with even less substance than usual. Don't worry, he'll give you some real material soon. I'm certainly looking forward to some.


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## lpkmckenna (Jul 4, 2004)

Most kids ask their parents to stop hugging them in public at some point. They start hugging again in their twenties.

Don't read too much into this little thing. I mean, how would all your mannerisms look under a microscope?


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

still it's bad optics
keeps harpo's wooden image well intact


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Anyone ever stop to think that the kid has watched his Dad shake hands with so many people in the last two months that HE thinks it's cool and wants to be part of the scene so offered to shake hands with Dad?

Geez, you guys can come up with the darndest ways to try and discredit the man.


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## BigDL (Apr 16, 2003)

Macspectrum I think you are right. 

In my mind you touch the child's arm, pat their back, tousle their hair or simply smile, wave and wish the children luck or bid them to "have a nice day." 

You don't shake their hands for the camera.

Harper to me looks worse than wooden. He looks contrived. 

To me the optics begs the question what kind of dork shakes his kids' hand and how far out of the mainstream is this lad anyway?


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

SINC said:


> Anyone ever stop to think that the kid has watched his Dad shake hands with so many people in the last two months that HE thinks it's cool and wants to be part of the scene so offered to shake hands with Dad?
> 
> Geez, you guys can come up with the darndest ways to try and discredit the man.



don't you just love being in power? your every move under a microscope.
now, let's look at harpo's wardrobe....


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## PenguinBoy (Aug 16, 2005)

BigDL said:


> Hey Stephen ever hear of "more hugs less drugs"...


Maybe he's for "less hugs more drugs"! If this is the case, then he has some common ground with the NDP after all: http://www.endprohibition.ca/ Too bad they don't hold the balance of power anymore...


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

SINC said:


> Anyone ever stop to think that the kid has watched his Dad shake hands with so many people in the last two months that HE thinks it's cool and wants to be part of the scene so offered to shake hands with Dad?
> 
> Geez, you guys can come up with the darndest ways to try and discredit the man.


From Harper, who places so much value on Family - it looked very contrived. A handshake? Sorry that does not cut it.... and if you watch the footage, it looks like Harper has to chase after his kids to get them to shake his hand...


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## Vandave (Feb 26, 2005)

BigDL said:


> Macspectrum I think you are right.
> 
> In my mind you touch the child's arm, pat their back, tousle their hair or simply smile, wave and wish the children luck or bid them to "have a nice day."
> 
> ...


I think you are reading too much into it. Different people show love in different ways. Quite often those 'wooden' people have quite large hearts. They often show their love through action, not words.

Harper strikes me as a man of action, and less of words. He went into Ottawa without big fanfare and you probably won't hear from him for a few weeks. He will be busy working away in the background trying to make this country better.


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## PenguinBoy (Aug 16, 2005)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> now, let's look at harpo's wardrobe....


What's wrong with his wardrobe?

http://www.ctv.ca/generic/WebSpecials/political_summer/gallery/images/img01.jpg


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

PenguinBoy said:


> What's wrong with his wardrobe?
> 
> http://www.ctv.ca/generic/WebSpecials/political_summer/gallery/images/img01.jpg


after seeing that harpo outfit, tell me again why he is against gay marriage?
Harpo. I CAN quit you


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## blue sky (Oct 24, 2003)

"an unusually reserved Prime Minister"

"But before becoming the Prime minister of Canada Harper is working on his most important job as a father to his two children.

Early this morning, you could find him accompanying his daughter Rachel to her first day at Rockcliffe Public School. The Harper family arrived in Ottawa yesterday afternoon. And Harper himself is aware of the changes being Prime minister will have on his family as he said in a speech on the 23rd.

"Ben and Rachel, your dad's heart aches when he does not get to spend as much time with you as he would like, and I love you very much," Harper said*on*election night."

Perhaps SH might have difficulty demonstrating his affection and love for his children due to his high level of intelligence. Perhaps it was nervousness.

Still, it would have been a perfect opportunity to show the country that he is
a loving father who is not afraid to show his affection for his children. He missed an excellent opportunity to soften his wooden/plastic image.

Besides laughing so hard when I saw this, I felt very sorry for Ben & Rachel. Maybe they are accustomed to this lack of visible affection.

http://www.ehmac.ca/attachment.php?attachmentid=1117&stc=1&d=1138280662


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

Vandave said:


> Quite often those 'wooden' people have quite large hearts. They often show their love through action, not words..


A handshake is not words - it's an action - so is a hug....


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## Vandave (Feb 26, 2005)

ArtistSeries said:


> A handshake is not words - it's an action - so is a hug....


Like I said, Harper is a person who would rather be judged by his actions. Here is the point people are missing.... He showed up....

I would love for somebody to do a little research to see if Paul Martin actually showed up to the first day of school for his kids or whether their nanny took them in the family limo.


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

Vandave said:


> Like I said, Harper is a person who would rather be judged by his actions. Here is the point people are missing.... He showed up....


It looked like a photo opt that did not quite work out....
He looked like a dork that had no clue what he was doing... 
And using your kids for a photo opt makes it all right to comment. When Mulroney was trailing in the polls, he started to use his family as an accessory - Frank Mag ran a contest to "deflower" his daughter - I remember how pissed he was but it served him right...


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## Pavmentsurfer (Jan 4, 2006)

Amen to that Vandave
I stoped wanting hugs from my dad when i about 10. Didnt like to show affection in public because I thought it was uncool. I think it broke his heart but we came to an unspoken arrangment. He would let me know he loved and cared about me in a way I understood and felt comfortable with. Perhaps Steven Harper cares more about how his kids feel than how it looks to others. He showed up, he did something to show he cares for his kids. We look at it and criticize... which could be the root of the problem. We create plastic people by watching and criticizing everything they do. I dont even know what Martins family, if any, looks like... But i do know Harper has 2 kids, their names and what THEY look like.


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

If you use your family for political gains, then they are fair game.
Shake your boy's hand, maybe, but your daughter's?

BTW, that was very quick to get his family into school - wonder if he pulled any strings to arrange that...


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## MLeh (Dec 23, 2005)

As the mother of a teenager, I'm here to tell you that a handshake more than any teen will allow in public. And that will be accompanied by rolled eyes. Most of the time it's a wave and 'yeah, whatever' in response to whatever terms of affection you may have pronounced as you drop them off at school.

I can hug my daughter in the house, but definitely not in front of school. I doubt I'd get any form of physical contact, not even a handshake. Just not cool. Give the man a break.


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## PenguinBoy (Aug 16, 2005)

ArtistSeries said:


> BTW, that was very quick to get his family into school - wonder if he pulled any strings to arrange that...


Well, since he's been in Ottawa for the last 12 or so years, I expect his kids are going to the same school they have been for a while.

I think you're grasping at straws here.


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## MissGulch (Jul 20, 2005)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> after seeing that harpo outfit, tell me again why he is against gay marriage?
> Harpo. I CAN quit you


:clap: 
Ka-ching! This one is worthy of the joke du jour forum.


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

I don't get the fuss... maybe there was a little inside family joke about it; ie: have a good day "Prime Minister" (cordial handshake), rather than the usual "see you later 'dad'; have a good day" sort of thing?

Perhaps people were waiting for him to blow raspberries on his kid's tummies? :lmao:


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## PenguinBoy (Aug 16, 2005)

« MannyP Design » said:


> I don't get the fuss...


Agreed!

While I'm all for having a bit of fun at the expense of public figures (on the right *or* the left), I think some of the folks here are trying to read to much into this.

If you don't like Harper or his policies by the time the next election rolls around, don't vote for him. Just because he shakes his kids hands when he drops them off for school, or wears a goofy cowboy outfit, doesn't make him any more or less capable as a Prime Minister.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

i'm just saying it's bad optics and promotes harpo's wooden image


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## Vandave (Feb 26, 2005)

ArtistSeries said:


> It looked like a photo opt that did not quite work out....
> He looked like a dork that had no clue what he was doing...
> And using your kids for a photo opt makes it all right to comment. When Mulroney was trailing in the polls, he started to use his family as an accessory - Frank Mag ran a contest to "deflower" his daughter - I remember how pissed he was but it served him right...


Was it a photo op, or did the press just show up to his kids school hoping for Harper to show up?


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## RevMatt (Sep 10, 2005)

Looks like paparazzi journalism to me. Maybe it did make him look wooden. So what? The media should have been leaving him the hell alone at that moment in time in the first place.

On the other hand, now I know the answer to my wife's question about what we have to do to get our kid into Rockcliffe - just get elected PM


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

Vandave said:


> Was it a photo op, or did the press just show up to his kids school hoping for Harper to show up?


welcome to the PMO
imagine photographers following the PM around
rookies....


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

That's the kind of problem I have with this... it's a private moment in the life of a public figure. It's not theatre, so actions and intent aren't conveyed in a way that people can easily read. It's a photo so you can't hear what was said. Where's the context?

This isn't all that far departed from the Nat'l Enquirer.

If it is a photo op... :yikes:


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## MLeh (Dec 23, 2005)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> i'm just saying it's bad optics and promotes harpo's wooden image


Optics and image do not necessarily translate into sound policy & good government.


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## Vandave (Feb 26, 2005)

« MannyP Design » said:


> That's the kind of problem I have with this... it's a private moment in the life of a public figure. It's not theatre, so actions and intent aren't conveyed in a way that people can easily read. It's a photo so you can't hear what was said. Where's the context?
> 
> This isn't all that far departed from the Nat'l Enquirer.
> 
> If it is a photo op... :yikes:


If I was a photo op, I wouldn't be happy with Harper.

I doubt it was.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

MLeh said:


> Optics and image do not necessarily translate into sound policy & good government.


bad optics and bad image certainly don't translate into sound policy & good gov't

now about harpo's 4 month (and counting) dodge of the Grewal inquiry.....

one would think that someone claiming to "clean up Ottawa" would be eager to cooperate with an investigation of wrongdoing, especially by one of his own party...


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## MLeh (Dec 23, 2005)

Who does the Ethics Commissioner report to?

I know when Chretien first promised to appoint an Ethics Commissioner, the idea was to report to Parliament, but that changed and they reported only to the PM. Has this changed?

I'll wait to judge Harper's ethics when the Ethics Commissioner is truly non-partisan. I anticipate it will be part of the first package introduced into the next sitting of Parliament.


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

Vandave said:


> Was it a photo op, or did the press just show up to his kids school hoping for Harper to show up?


VanNutt, always ready to have blinder on...



> *Harper refused to take questions during the staged photo-op*, suggesting he'd have plenty to say during a scheduled news conference Thursday.


http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/01/25/1411202-cp.html

Shall we talk about the "rules" that Harper imposed on today's press conference?
Bush Jr® more and more....


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

ArtistSeries said:


> VanNutt....


:heybaby:


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## BigDL (Apr 16, 2003)

PenguinBoy said:


> Maybe he's for "less hugs more drugs"! If this is the case, then he has some common ground with the NDP after all: http://www.endprohibition.ca/ Too bad they don't hold the balance of power anymore...


PenguinBoy are you in agreement that every Government that declared a War On Drugs has gotten their a$$ kicked. 

Gun violence has been fueled by the illegal drug trade. 

Or, are you in favour of pouring good money after bad in a never ending battle to keep losing the war? I am not sure of your stand.


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## BigDL (Apr 16, 2003)

What I find sad is the fictional Canadian Tire Guy looks hip and happening as compared to our soon to be PM Harpo  (BTW Good One MACSPECTRUM)


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## PenguinBoy (Aug 16, 2005)

BigDL said:


> PenguinBoy are you in agreement that every Government that declared a War On Drugs has gotten their a$$ kicked.
> 
> Gun violence has been fueled by the illegal drug trade.
> 
> Or, are you in favour of pouring good money after bad in a never ending battle to keep losing the war? I am not sure of your stand.


No real opinion either way BigDL, just a (lame) attempt at humour, like the link I posted to Harper's cowboy outfit.

I really don't care if Harper shakes his kids hands or wears unusual clothes, I would like to see how he does in office. If Canadians are more or less pleased with his work when this minority falls in a year or two, he will get back in, if not, someone else (likely the Liberals) will take his place.

Either way, and regardless of what I might think of any particular party, I'm glad that there are once again two mainstream national parties that can form a government. I believe that a lot of the corruption we saw was due to having a single party in power for too long, with none of the opposition parties having a reasonable shot at power.

Unfortunately I wouldn't be surprised if we keep heading to the polls every 18-24 months, as it will be difficult for *anyone* to form a majority as long as the Bloc takes 50 seats or so out of play.


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## JAMG (Apr 1, 2003)

I saw the handshake at the time and I though, "Dude, that is so going to be all over the news... You better hope that The Daily Show and Jon Stewart do not see it."

It was strange to see a father trewat a son like a business aquaintance.


and for the "What the fuss? crowd... Hey Harpo won the big prize and gets all that goes with it.

if you want to be PM, expect to have every sneeze over analysed by friend and foe....

Frankly the worst abuse Mr. Harper will get from this is when it filters down to the school yard level of humour and his son rebukes him...

"Daaad, You're imbarrassing me!!! Have the driver drop me off around the corner"

You know thats comming.


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

JAMG said:


> It was strange to see a father trewat a son like a business aquaintance.
> 
> 
> if you want to be PM, expect to have every sneeze over analysed by friend and foe....


Harper made the school drop-off a photo opt. This was not spontaneous, he invited journalist there. I think it's part of his "make-over", just like we will be "treated" to glimpse of the Harper family in women's magazine and all...


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

And in future episodes of the Harper Happy Home Life series, we will learn that the household includes separate twin beds a la Rob & Laura Petrie.


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## FeXL (Jan 2, 2004)

I guess what I have trouble comprehending (in this day of supposed tolerance, understanding, awareness, _et al._), is how many people on this board have gone on record as saying:

"Ooooo, he looks creepy, I'm not going to vote for him..."

"Ooooo, he dresses funny, he must be some kind of weirdo..."

"Ooooo, (insert quirk here), (insert insult here)..."

Without espousing support for any political party, let's see what the man does with his new post, rather than reduce ourselves to grade-school finger-pointing, name-calling antics.

So he looks stilted-how many of us could conduct ourselves in a well-oiled fashion in front of television cameras, media and an audience of millions of people? Does anybody know a CEO who deals with millions of dollars a year, hundreds of people a week, can make a deal-a-minute, yet freezes up in front of the microphone at the staff Christmas party? I do!

Sure, the guy looks like he's walking on eggshells. Newsflash-he is! Anybody paid attention to the parliamentary seat numbers lately? Pretty tenuous lifeline.

Yes, he is in the public eye and, as such, bears more scrutiny than those of us who are not. However, let us not turn this into some petty adolescent game. 

Let's see what kind of results he delivers.

/rant


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

FeXL, the Cons used a pretty creepy picture of Paul Martin in their ads (with added lens distortion and photoshop manipulations). 
Politics is a game where how you present yourself counts. It's similar to a business environment in that respect. 

The fact that he called the photo opt, when he did not have to, makes it okay to comment. If he want's to play the paparazzi game, I'm sure he knows the rules ahead of time.


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

ArtistSeries said:


> The fact that he called the photo opt, when he did not have to, makes it okay to comment. If he want's to play the paparazzi game, I'm sure he knows the rules ahead of time.


Yes, but some of the commentary seemed to question his parenting skills. That's very different than evaluating his media skills. MacNuttian smearing from the left...how fitting. If you don't like Harper, say anything and everything you can, because that's the game?


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

If you place certain issues at the forefront of your media personality, then they are open to revision. Harper has used his family to advance his message with "I love you and daddy misses you". He has painted himself as a loving father. Seeing a functionary handshake to his young kids at a planned photo opt does jar with the image he is trying to project. 

Harper should of just driven ( or chauffeured ) his children to school without fanfare. Instead, he tried to convey a message. He was able to place his children in a very desirable school on a few days notice - I wonder what strings he pulled. 

His media skills are being questioned - from someone who advocates the importance of family to see such a stilted performance at a photo opt makes you wonder.....


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## PenguinBoy (Aug 16, 2005)

FeXL said:


> Without espousing support for any political party, let's see what the man does with his new post, rather than reduce ourselves to grade-school finger-pointing, name-calling antics.


Amen to that!

While I have no problem with having a bit of fun at the expense of public figures, let's not take it too seriously.

Let's see how he does in office, and not worry about what "GQ Advises" has to say about his fashion sense! We should have a good idea what we think of his policies by the time the next election rolls around.

Good post FeXL!


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## lpkmckenna (Jul 4, 2004)

i can't believe this discussion is still continuing. People critical of Harper for this little thing have a very tenuous grasp on what's important. Please grow up.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

I felt the same way but my daughter had a very negative reaction to it which surprised me. Must be a hot button for some.

Certainly points out the perils of public life.


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## JAMG (Apr 1, 2003)

It was at best a moment of aukwardness... Every politician has them, often, I'll bet. However, when you are the new PM, The media is looking for anything to air that is not old election rehashing. 

This was all just fun for a day. Anyone who makes it more serious than that needs a life.






What is more important is that Harper did not win a minority...

He lost a majority... Candians wanted the liberals out, but not enough to put Harper in...


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

MacDoc said:


> I felt the same way but my daughter had a very negative reaction to it which surprised me. Must be a hot button for some.
> 
> Certainly points out the perils of public life.


Don't worry, Mr Harper's wife supplied a picture of him with a cute little kitty to the news media...XX)


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## NBiBooker (Apr 3, 2004)

lpkmckenna said:


> i can't believe this discussion is still continuing. People critical of Harper for this little thing have a very tenuous grasp on what's important. Please grow up.


Well said.


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## PosterBoy (Jan 22, 2002)

You know, I didn't even bother reading all the responses to this because realistically, there are a lot of reasons I can think he shook his sons hand and none of them have anything to do with him being anything other than a good father.

Learn to deal people.


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

PosterBoy said:


> You know, I didn't even bother reading all the responses to this because realistically, there are a lot of reasons I can think he shook his sons hand and none of them have anything to do with him being anything other than a good father.
> 
> Learn to deal people.


One son, one daughter. Staged photo opt.


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

ArtistSeries said:


> One son, one daughter. Staged photo opt.


Yes, and a predisposition to criticise him at all possible opportunities. 

Those who countered senseless Martin/Liberal criticism are as ridiculous as their opponents in some insane view of 'fair'. Really, if the anti-Martin/Liberal set were being so silly, what does mimicing their behaviour say? 

Those who sleep with dogs will rise with fleas.


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## BigDL (Apr 16, 2003)

PosterBoy said:


> You know, I didn't even bother reading all the responses to this because realistically, there are a lot of reasons I can think he shook his sons hand and none of them have anything to do with him being anything other than a good father.
> 
> Learn to deal people.


Think of Stockwell (Doris) Day wet suit, personal water craft photo op. :clap: 

The shake hands photo op brought to us by the same fine folks. 

22 minutes made note of it. Will Rick Mercer say something or nothing? Doris Day indeed!:lmao:


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

Beej said:


> Yes, and a predisposition to criticise him at all possible opportunities.
> 
> Those who countered senseless Martin/Liberal criticism are as ridiculous as their opponents in some insane view of 'fair'. Really, if the anti-Martin/Liberal set were being so silly, what does mimicing their behaviour say?
> 
> Those who sleep with dogs will rise with fleas.


welcome to the PMO


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

Beej said:


> Yes, and a predisposition to criticise him at all possible opportunities.


No, not quite. If you stage a contrived photo opt, then it's fair game. Notice most did not comment on the little image of Harper with the kitten that was supplied to the media by his wife.




Beej said:


> Those who countered senseless Martin/Liberal criticism are as ridiculous as their opponents in some insane view of 'fair'. Really, if the anti-Martin/Liberal set were being so silly, what does mimicing their behaviour say?


Two things. I have not seen the anti-harper crowd outright lie and invent stories about Harper yet. Criticism of Martin and the Liberals here would certainly qualify as fantasy and delusions. Starting from a fact and commenting on the actions in the context of a family man is very different from "all Liberals are crooks". 
I see no problem using similar tactics to the NeoCon brigade here. I don't think that the Liberals will ever abase logic to the level that it will be replaced with dogma (religious or otherwise) and is the current with the Cons. Media manipulation and false think tanks spewing out garbage is something to examine. You seem to want non partisan thinking (that a good thing) but given the predisposition to an absence of truth in the Cons thinking (someone should really study the "why" of it), you can only try and discuss so long. 
We can see what happened to the south of us, yet seem to want an embrace the same with the same kind of rhetoric and propaganda. 
Just like movies have a lot of special effects that are never obvious to the public, the manipulation of the media by the Cons is something that should be pointed out. 
How many thought that the photo of Harper delivering kids to the school was something not staged? Even after pointing it out, some argued that it was a paparazzi like event.


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

ArtistSeries said:


> I see no problem using similar tactics to the NeoCon brigade here.
> ...
> Media manipulation and false think tanks spewing out garbage is something to examine. You seem to want non partisan thinking (that a good thing) but given the predisposition to an absence of truth in the Cons thinking (someone should really study the "why" of it), you can only try and discuss so long.
> ...
> ...


That, to me, is part of the problem, as I pointed out during the most heated moments of pointless posting. To be clear: the Sinc vs You debacle.
...
You are, of course, proving my point. Media manipulation and false think thanks for...both sides! People choose to, for example, attack the Fraser Institute while using the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (I use them for free StatsCan data!). Pick sides, attack, rinse, repeat. 

People choose to, for example, post multiple Torstar columns because they...wait for it...demonstrate clear biased statements in favour of what? Really, we can do better.
...
Manipulation of the media by the Cons...are you trying to make my point for me? It's the polarising hacks that are the problem. Not the Cons, not the Libs, not the Dips, the polarising drones are the problem. Why it took a comedian (Stewart) to point this out in the U.S. is sad. Why people still, apparently, don't see it here is sadder. We could be worse, and we will be if we let it happen. Most of us, including myself, are guilty of this problem, but some more than others.


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

Beej, you are assuming that I'm Liberal. I am not, if anything I espouse a responsible Libertarian doctrine.


> What is a Libertarian?
> 
> A Libertarian believes in the principle of liberty, that you should be free to make decisions about your own life as long as you do not interfere with the basic rights of others - their life, liberty and property. Libertarians believe that government has a legitimate role in protecting those rights.


http://www.libertarian.ca/english/libertarian-party-faq.html

When it comes to our friends to the South, I do believe there is clear deception that is being used to manipulate. Sadly, it seems that the Cons are using this as a principle weapon. WMDs? Still waiting for them....

And when it comes to bias, I see it more from the Rights side in Canada. Calgary Sun headlines are rather funny and scary - I don't imagine it being accepted around here (and we have trashy French newspapers...).
The Left does not have a propaganda machine that equals Rush. And there exist many right wing talks show host on both sides of the border - very little Left spin machines.


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

ArtistSeries said:


> Beej, you are assuming that I'm Liberal. I am not, if anything I espouse a responsible Libertarian doctrine.


I'm not assuming you're Liberal, and you claiming that you espouse Libertarian doctrine doesn't mean anything. I could claim to be a Marxist, but my specific support just doesn't line up.

With regards to the broader issue at hand, I will use your own line (I understand the irony):

You just don't get it.

I think you have had some valuable commentary here and there but, to repeat the line you used against an opposing view,

You just don't get it.

Cheers.


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## MLeh (Dec 23, 2005)

My goodness Beej, first today you used one of my favourite sayings ("Lie down with dogs, you'll get up with fleas"), and now your espousing "Actions speak louder than words?" 

*swoons*

I think I've found a soul mate. or ... What size is your shoe? (perhaps we're just sole mates).

Sorry for the tangent. Carry on. (You've far more patience with AS than I do.)


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

MLeh said:


> I think I've found a soul mate. or ... What size is your shoe? (perhaps we're just sole mates).


At 12 1/2 to 13, odds are we're not sole mates. But odds are not facts...


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

No Beej, I just don't get your point at the moment. 

I don't like government in my business but if it to be there, I hope it does it well. I think that we will find solutions that are best for us as individual, so when it comes to public endeavours (such as school and healthcare), I don't think that a for-profit system will work. 

Careful before you characterize my reaction to anyone with whom I have an opposing view - I have always started with respect to what the other persons says and have put myself in their shoes. That courtesy has rarely been extended.


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

ArtistSeries said:


> Careful before you characterize my reaction to anyone with whom I have an opposing view - I have always started with respect to what the other persons says and have put myself in their shoes. That courtesy has rarely been extended.


I don't know what things you consider off-screen. On-screen, your posts display something that is arguably at odds with a) Libertarian doctrine (frequently, not just nitpicking) and b) courtesy, respect and understanding. 

This is not an attack, I just think you're not leaving a libertarian, courteous, respectful and understanding image to the extent you may feel that you are.

In saying 'that courtesy has rarely been extended', you seem to be evaluating off-screen versus on-screen in a similar manner to me. Neither of us knows what people think before they type -- or if they even do  -- we go with what we've got.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

> Neither of us knows what people think before they type -- or if they even do -- we go with what we've got.


we're supposed to 'think' before we type?
uh oh.....


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> we're supposed to 'think' before we type?
> uh oh.....


We just don't know, people just won't say.

I may be making this up.


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