3+ years ahead of an election, and who says Rae is even going to vie for the leadership position? Why is Rae some kind of a threat all of a sudden? Why not ads aimed at Mulclair? I get the feeling that between this attack ad, and the new ad praising Harper's economic 'leadership', that there is more to this then we are unaware of. Distraction/deflection from some news about to break perhaps?

are. I think the Conservatives are afraid of Rae and with good reason. They are doing it now to try to ensure that Rae doesn't get the Leadership of the Liberal Party.

He's articulate, sharp as a tack but also an experienced career politician. Is Rae really a threat, especially at this point? I think he may be too shrewd a politician to risk running for the PMO, because he knows that Ontario Liberals remember his baggage from his NDP premier days. Would Ontario vote for the guy who promised public auto insurance, but instead gave us photo radar (cash grab), Rae days (killed union support), and massive debt. The cons would have lots of attack ad material against him, and I think the Lib party leadership knows it. But who knows, perhaps the Cons know or suspect that he's about to announce his candidacy and the ads are a preemptive strike to deflate his announcement? That'd be kind of pathetic, and desperate on the Cons behalf, but not all surprising.

conservative like Chretien and Martin. Their economic policies succeeded where his failed in the mid 1990s. Everyone knows that. I think it was why he changed parties.

become the natural governing party. Rae is ressurrecting them.

Granted, in Harper's Cheneyesque little heart he wants to destroy to the Liberals, but he also knows that his own path to electoral victory is by keeping the left divided. Rae has done great job, but he's also had the luxury of competing with Nycole Turmel. At this point it looks very likely that within a week she'll be replaced by Mulcair, who'll rally the French base, may peel off a few wavering Liberals, and will unload furious vengeance upon Harpers government.

So why the timing of the ads? Why couldn't/wouldn't Harper wait a week? Why center out Rae who's only the interim leader? The best rationale I can think of, is that the plumbing is backed up with something foul soon to be released, mandating bye-elections in liberal leaning districts like Guelph.

dividing the left - yes that is true. I believe the whole 'highlight the Queen' meme is to drive separatists nuts and get them activated again which will also divide the left.

There is a reason the Conservative Party launched an attack ad against Bob Rae on the same week as the NDP leadership convention.

The Conservatives are convinced Mr. Rae will lead the Liberal Party into the next election–an increasingly safe assumption. And they fear him more than they fear whomever the New Democrats choose on Saturday. So while the Tories wait to learn who will lead the official opposition, they’re getting their licks in against what they see as the greater threat.

Though nominally only interim leader, Mr. Rae’s hold on the job appears unassailable. Potential rivals – Quebec MP Justin Trudeau, former Quebec cabinet minister Martin Cauchon, New Brunswick MP Dominic LeBlanc – have either decided they’re not interested, or have tested the waters and found them frigid. Ottawa MP David McGuinty, brother to Ontario’s premier, and MP and former astronaut Marc Garneau may also be interested, but at this point Mr. Rae is seen as by far the most credible permanent leader for the third party.

Mr. Rae has solid support in caucus, and can point to rising poll numbers as proof of his effectiveness on the job. He may also be the best candidate to execute a strategy penned by John Duffy, a former adviser to Paul Martin, whose recent article in Policy Options magazine has been widely and carefully read by Liberals everywhere.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/john-ibbitson/bob-rae-attack-ad-shows-its-a-liberal-revival-the-tories-fear-most/article2376179/

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=john%20duffy%20%22policy%20options%22&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CCoQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irpp.org%2Fpo%2Farchive%2Fmar12%2Fduffy.pdf&ei=z85pT9yQD-iYiAKX2_X3BA&usg=AFQjCNFU1TGBEcHOVz7b-fbi2hRjfJ5D8A