Start spreading the news

Yesterday's Mercury editorial tried to set the tone for the ongoing by-election:

A good byword for the byelection
July 28, 2008
GUELPH MERCURY

The Guelph candidates will do themselves no favours with voters if they move into attack mode and indulge in personal slanging matches instead of involving themselves primarily in fervent discourse and debate with their opponents on the things that matter most to voters.

There's no reason to think that civility won't be the byword in the Guelph byelection. On this score, we hope the candidates don't disappoint.

When it comes to blogs, as the Mercury's own Guelph Votes demonstrates in many of the posted comments, the exact opposite is often the norm. For the most part, the partisan back and forth is generally ignored by the greater public and the media.

The infamous Oliva Chow dog posting by Liberal official Mike Klander demonstrates the part that isn't ignored. Liberal blogger Steve Valeriote serves up another example today with his post entitled Arf Arf.

Generally this type of puerile posting is chuckled at by some and ignored by most. When the blogger is a relative of the Liberal Candidate, Frank Valeriote, the perception is a little different.

I don't think Frank should be responsible for what everyone in his family does. It's obvious Steve Valeriote has no respect for Gloria Kovach, despite her impressive record of local, national and international work, but you would think he would show some degree of respect for Frank Valeriote and the difficult campaign he faces. Juvenile antics from a relative of the candidate certainly won't make that campaign any easier.

H/T Christian Conservative