While I expect the attack ads to have some impact on him, especially early on, I also think they will not be as effective as in the past both because of the Harper CPC record/history in their use (and as a government, it is always easier to tear down when you can still look good by being empty vessels, but the Harper CPC lost that with the majority after several years in minority, especially given they never stopped acting like they were still a minority government with that majority) and because JT is something unique in our federal politics, the son of a well respected PM (and for all those that say it evens out because of how many still have strong negative feelings for PET I would point out his death and the reaction to it tends to indicate that those are still minority number voices, and almost certainly are already hardcore CPC supporters, well those that aren’t hard core Quebec nationalists who either are BQ or NDP these days) who grew up in front of the eyes of the older voters who also has major appeal to younger voters who have not bought into the electoral process but seem more willing to in his support. I think those that are sounding the panic button about how JT is handling the ads so far need to remember his boxing win against Brazeau and how he did it, I suspect he plans on taking a similar approach to Harper and I think it may well prove out to be at least as effective given the clear fatigue for the constant non stop politicking the Harper regime has been engaging in, especially the blatant self promotion combined with the relent negativity. It also helps that Harper and the CPC are acting so worried about the leader of the small third party while ignoring the actual Official Opposition, it raises JT’s credibility and directly undercuts the CPC’s own slogan, because common sense says if he really is in over his head there is little reason to fear him let alone spend such efforts to discredit him right from the outset.

I don’t think they would go deliberately with that angle especially when Sophie Grégoire begins to be featured prominently in the general election campaign, it would really come across as a slap in the face of the Cons.

Either way, it’s done with taxpayer money so that’s upsetting by itself.