Hamblin: Bush ad on Internet despicable

Denver Post ^ | 1.11.03 | Ken Hamblin

[mhking]

Well, here we go again: one more reason to take the "L" word in vain.

This time liberals got themselves into a huge political bind over the production of a proposed 30-second television spot against President George W. Bush that appeared on the Internet

The production, apparently designed to misdirect feeble-minded Americans into believing that there is actually a parallel between the president and Adolf Hitler, backfired big time. The hysterical lefties at MoveOn.org, where the anti-Bush propaganda appeared, were quickly forced to backtrack and eat their words.

A storm of protest fell on MoveOn.org from more traditional liberal groups like the Anti-Defamation League and the American Civil Liberties Union, which accused MoveOn.org of bad taste in their efforts to smear the president.

Wes Boyd, a co-founder of the Internet propaganda forum, ran for cover, claiming that the Republicans were "deliberately and maliciously" misleading the public about them by asserting they were responsible for the ads.

Nice try, Mr. Boyd, but MoveOn.org did sponsor the contest that produced the proposed Hitler/Bush spot, and you aired it on your website.

In denying culpability regarding the effort to smear the president, Boyd and his henchmen continue to live up to a long tradition of the political elite who have endeavored to mislead the voting public for their own political edification and power.

The "it-ain't-me" defense may play well with some, but not with me. I saw the made-for-television spot and it infuriated me, as it did a lot of other Americans.

If there is any negative association to be derived from using Hitler to try to destroy the character and reputation of an American president, it is with MoveOn.org for using the same standards of disinformation and lies that were invoked against the Jews by Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's minister of propaganda. His job was to sell the German people on the notion that the cause of their problems was the Jews who lived among them.

According to Boyd, who was quoted in The New York Times: "None of these was our ad. Nor did their appearance constitute endorsement or sponsorship by MoveOn.org Voter Fund."

All of which sound pathetically similar to the cop-out the Nazis used when they were held accountable for their war crimes against humanity during the Nuremburg trials.

"I didn't know."

"We didn't know."

"I was following orders."

"Who knew?"

No, thank you, MoveOn.org. Yours is an old and tired excuse.

This American has had his fill of left-wing, deceitful politics that promise utopia but all too frequently result in the men, women and even the children who oppose them ending up in concentration or re-education camps in Siberia.

With his back to the wall and no place to run, Boyd finally conceded that the ads were "in poor taste," and that he "deeply regretted that they had slipped through."

I'm sorry, Boyd, but that dog won't hunt, either.

I believe the only thing you regret was having your desire to win at any cost exposed and revealing how low you are willing to stoop to win - at any cost. Even if it means, as Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League pointed out, cheapening the level of political discourse."

Through it all, MoveOn.org continues to insist with myopic resolve that its voter fund exists to bring the American public into the political process and to produce a more fact-based election process and that they regret that the Republican National Committee doesn't seem to embrace the same goals.

Like I said: Those dastardly liberals.

[Rocko]

Bump.

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[international american]

Good post.

[EggsAckley]

The ACLU came down on this?? I hadn't heard that.


LOL!

[clamper1797]

I miss Ken Hamlin on KSFO during the week

[VRW Conspirator]

A storm of protest fell on MoveOn.org from more traditional liberal groups like the Anti-Defamation League and the American Civil Liberties Union, which accused MoveOn.org of bad taste in their efforts to smear the president.

Intuition tells me that there is more to the story than this. I cannot not picture the ACLU or the ADL getting on a soap box for this cause. Typical of these groups is to simply remain silent in such a case. Does anyone get that feeling also?

[Moonmad27]

I only wish the title made it clearer (to those who skim through the newspaper) that it was an ANTI-Bush ad that was despicable, not that GWB's reelection campaign did something despicable.

[Tall_Texan]

I'm not sure Hamblin has his facts straight. The left-wing attacks on the Bush/Hitler ads were from the ADL (yes, Foxman) and the Simon Weisenthal Center. I don't see where the ACLU would have any grounds to comment since this is not a legal issue or one involving church and state.

And it's really no surprise to me that the ADL and SWC would find the ad offensive and publicly say so. You must remember that many Jews use the Holocaust as a political crutch, much the way blacks use Slavery. Each groups sees these events as the ultimate in group victimhood. Comparing Bush to Hitler reduces the Holocaust to the equivalent of dropping some bombs on Baghdad. It would be like telling blacks that slavery was no worse than prostitution. Of course the Jews would be upset with this ad because they gain power through the sympathy attained by group victimhood and they don't intend to have such victimhood trivialized even if it is to smear someone they generally hold in little regard.

[DustyMoment]

There was a time, in this country, when the two political parties provided balanced, reasoned opposition to one another. No longer.

The leftists are only about power; having power, keeping power, or regaining power at ANY cost. The rightists are shrinking in numbers as the extremists from the left constantly pull them farther from their conservative base and closer to the left. One only has to look at the policies of Bush to see it.

There was a time, in this country, when politicians really cared about this country and serving in the best interests of the nation. No longer. Today, it is only about what they can get for themselves while giving the appearance of serving their constitutents.

There was a time, in this country, when the promises a politician mader were his/her bond. They were a benchmark of performance to which the politician was held accountable. No longer.

I miss those days; the days before political rancor, mudslinging and ugliness were the norm; when people were civil to one another and respected themselves and each other.

[Congressman Billybob]

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Congressman Billybob

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