Pat Rooney of IN funds Kerry smear attack ads on Black radio stations

[Ouabache]

Amos Brown's Aug 20 column in the Indianapolis Recorder provides some interesting info about J Patrick Rooney of Indianapolis and his efforts for the Bush 2004 campaign. Rooney is a wealthy executive from Golden Rule Insurance in Indianapolis. According to Brown's column of the 20th Rooney attends a predominately African American Catholic Church in Indianapolis and provides many scholarships to help African American kids attend parochial schools. Rooney has never participated in partisan politics though in African American communities until, according to Brown, it was revealed in the WP that he provided major funding for anti-John Kerry ads targetting the African American community. From the article it appears People of Color United has thrown $70,000 into ads on Black radio stations across the midwest that deride and denounce Kerry. They are attack ads. Rooney has provided 43% of that money. The ads also attack Kerry's wife. According to Brown's article the DNC has denounced the ads as "dirty tricks" from Rooney and his group. Several black leaders have said the ads "will backfire" and increase Kerry's support in the Black Community. None of the ads are running in Indianapolis. My guess is only the 'swing' states.

I will look for a link later at the Indianapolis Recorder. The Recorder has a website, but it is not very full featured and doesn't correlate a lot to the print edition. I would urge all Hoosiers who are able though to pick up print editions of the Indianapolis Recorder around Indianapolis or subscribe to it. There are many more community based articles in it than you will find in the Indianapolis Star. You can learn a lot from it, and be in closer touch to grass roots black community information, items of interest to all working people as well.

Amos Brown's column is a must read in the Recorder each week.


addendum: Here is what I worry about... the right wing runs ads like this, uses Diebold to doctor the vote, then claims these types of ads 'swung' the vote in black areas that get "Diebolded". (??)

also: Maybe someone could also help me look for WP links to this stuff?

[Metatron]

1. Here is a link to the text of the ads with analysis

http://www.factcheck.org/article.aspx?docID=239
(Annenberg Political Fact Check)

[Jokerman]

2. I believe Rooney has run for office as a republican.

Don't know about that statement that he never participates in partisan politics.

Rooney bears a striking resemblance to Mr. Burns of the Simpsons.