It’s Going To Be A Long Year

by John Hawkins | April 24, 2008 7:45 am

It has become a given that John McCain is going to run a wimpy campaign. Sure, he may try to rip the jugular vein out of any Republican who crosses him, but when he goes up against a Democrat, he turns into a Care Bear. I’m not happy about that, but I’ve made peace with it. It’s his style, it seems to work pretty well for him, and he isn’t going to change it at this point anyway. So be it.

However, I’m not happy to see that the RNC is actually complaining because Jeremiah Wright’s own words are being used in an ad.[1]

This morning the North Carolina Republican Party introduced a TV ad against Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., using images and sound from his controversial former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

(Okay, technically the ad is against Democratic gubernatorial candidates, but only nominally. It’s clear purpose it to tag Obama as “extreme.”)

“For 20 years, Barack Obama sat in his pew listening to his pastor,” the narrator says. Cue Rev. Wright and his “God d— America” sermon.

The ad then mentions Democratic candidates Bev Perdue and Richard Moore, who have endorsed Obama.

…I asked the campaign of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., what they made of the ad.

“John McCain strongly rejects this ad and the type of politics that degrades our civics,” spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker immediately responded. “From the beginning of this process McCain has expressed his intent to run a respectful campaign based on the issues, and we have repeatedly called for all parties to follow his lead.”

Within a few hours, McCain had written a letter to the chair of the North Carolina GOP, Linda Daves, saying, “From the beginning of this election, I have been committed to running a respectful campaign based upon an honest debate about the great issues confronting America today. I expect all state parties to do so as well. The television advertisement you are planning to air degrades our civics and distracts us from the very real differences we have with the Democrats. In the strongest terms, I implore you to not run this advertisement.”

…Republican National Committee spokesman Danny Diaz issued a statement condemning the ad as well.

“Senator McCain has been very clear that he expects to run a respectful campaign based on the critical issues confronting the nation,” Diaz said. “The RNC has been in contact with the NC GOP and communicated that we do not believe the ad is appropriate or helpful and have asked that they refrain from running it.”

Now, take a look at this ad. It uses Wright’s own words and calls Obama “extreme” for buddying up to him. What’s even supposed to be wrong with it?

If Republicans can’t even quote Obama or his “spiritual mentor” without it being declared out-of-bounds, we might as well just go ahead and concede the election now.

Moreover, since the McCain campaign and the RNC are being such weenies about this, here’s a suggestion: take any money that you were going to give to the RNC and/or McCain campaign this week and give it to the North Carolina Republican Party[2] instead so we can at least have somebody out there that’s not too intimidated to fight against the Democrats.

Endnotes:
  1. actually complaining because Jeremiah Wright’s own words are being used in an ad.: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/rnc-and-john-mc.html
  2. North Carolina Republican Party: http://www.ncgop.org/home/index.asp

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