Every 527 is Not the Same

[louis c]

and shouldn't be treated the same by the Presidential candidates.

The get out the vote drive by Americans Coming Together (ACT) is doing nothing scurrilous or wrong. Registering folks to vote in areas that are mostly Democratic is legally and morally correct. By the same token, Christian Coalition groups doing the same thing in Republican areas are not in any violation. One could criticize the use of religion in politics, but the same is done among African-American churches and the Rainbow coalition.

T.V. ads which are put out by Moveon and other groups which criticize the record deficit, jobs losses, the Abu Ghriab prison scandal, the lack of WMDs in Iraq, or the loss of freedom under the Patriot Act are all legally and morally within the bounds of fair play.

By the same token, and criticism of John Kerry's voting record in the Senate, or his positions on issues, even if I disagree, are in the same category.

Here's the difference. No ad by a 527 should be allowed to besmirch the candidates character. It is morally wrong, even if it is legal. John Kerry condemned the Moveon ad that said bush's father got him in the National Guard to avoid service in Viet Nam. This ad is morally wrong, because there is no proof of that fact.

Ads that criticize policy are fair game, so the Bush campaign's efforts to fog up the issue by treating all 527 ads the same is strategically incorrect.

Some hypothetical examples of independent 527 ads that Kerry should condemn would be an ad attacking the First Lady for killing her boyfriend in an auto accident. Another, which would be placed in southern Florida, reminding voters that George's great-Uncle, Prescott Bush was found guilty of collaborating with Hitler's Nazi Germany in 1942 through banking fraud. Another ad that would be out of bounds would be individuals coming forward to expose George Bush's past drug and alcohol abuse. Another would be his ex-girl friend explaining George's hypocrisy in being pro-life, but assisting her in having an abortion.

You see, there are acceptable and unacceptable 527 political ads. The candidates should disavow any that are morally repugnant, even if they are legal. There is no need, however, to condemn those ads which criticize policy.

[seabeyond]

1. hear hear

yes

very clear and articulate. and excellent examples, lol lol

[papau]

2. personal, negative, pushing boundaries of political discourse ads are OK

personal, negative, pushing boundaries of political discourse ads are OK

Or that seems to be the way the ABCNote put it this morning

"the Swift Boat ad and their primary charges about Kerry's medals are personal, negative, extremely suspect, or false. To be (secretly) associated with them (and a presidential campaign) is qualitatively different than working with any of other 527s on either side, whose ads are at their most extreme simply personal, negative, and arguably pushing the boundaries of political discourse."