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Furor over Bush's 9/11 ad
New York Daily News ^ | 3/04/04 | MAGGIE HABERMAN in New York , THOMAS M. DeFRANK in Washington

Posted on 03/04/2004 1:53:23 AM PST by kattracks

The Bush reelection campaign yesterday unveiled its first three campaign commercials showcasing Ground Zero images, angering some 9/11 families who accused President Bush of exploiting the tragedy for political advantage.

"It's a slap in the face of the murders of 3,000 people," said Monica Gabrielle, whose husband died in the twin tower attacks. "It is unconscionable."

Gabrielle and several other family members said the injury was compounded by Bush's refusal to testify in open session before the 9/11 commission.

"I would be less offended if he showed a picture of himself in front of the Statue of Liberty," said Tom Roger, whose daughter was a flight attendant on doomed American Airlines Flight 11. "But to show the horror of 9/11 in the background, that's just some advertising agency's attempt to grab people by the throat."

Mindy Kleinberg said she was offended because the White House has not cooperated fully with the commission and because of the sight of remains being lifted out of Ground Zero in one of the spots.

"How heinous is that?" Kleinberg asked. "That's somebody's [loved one]."

Firefighter Tommy Fee in Rescue Squad 270 in Queens was appalled.

"It's as sick as people who stole things out of the place. The image of firefighters at Ground Zero should not be used for this stuff, for politics," Fee said.

But Jennie Farrell, who lost her brother, electrician James Cartier, called the ad "tastefully done," adding: "It speaks to the truth of the times. Sept. 11 ... was something beyond the realm of imagination, and George Bush ... led us through one of the darkest moments in history."

The gauzy, upbeat spots, aimed at shoring up Bush's sagging approval numbers, begin airing today on national cable networks and 50 media markets in 17 states that Bush-Cheney strategists consider electoral battlegrounds.

Two ads, including a Spanish version, show fleeting images of the World Trade Center devastation. The 30-second spots include a poignant image of an American flag fluttering defiantly amid the WTC wreckage.

One, titled "Safer, Stronger," also features a one-second shot of firefighters removing the flag-draped remains of a victim from the twisted debris.

Both ads reinforce the Ground Zero imagery with frontal shots of two firefighters. Unlike the paid actors and actresses in most of the footage, they are not ringers, but their red headgear gives them away as non-New Yorkers. The Bush campaign declined to reveal where the burly smoke-eaters actually work.

Bush officials defended the imagery as totally appropriate.

"9/11 was the defining moment of these times," campaign manager Ken Mehlman told reporters. "Because of that day, America is at war and still is."

Charging Democratic rival John Kerry with politicizing the attacks by alleging Bush has turned his back on the city, Mehlman added: "The President's never forgotten. It's a central part of his leadership."

The spots, pegged to the theme of "steady leadership in time of change," do not mention Kerry. Instead, their uplifting message hopes to refurbish Bush's battered image after two months of harsh Democratic attacks and a series of missteps by the normally surefooted White House political apparatus.

"We've been off our game for weeks," a senior Bush strategist conceded. "Thank goodness, there's plenty of time to get well, and plenty of grist to chop Kerry down to size."

With Kenneth R. Bazinet and Michele McPhee


Originally published on March 4, 2004


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: ads; angrydems; areportershitpiece; crybabies; gwb2004; pooooorbaby; putsomeiceonit; wahwahwah
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Amazing that there are three negative comments, and only one positive. Bias? Nah.
1 posted on 03/04/2004 1:53:23 AM PST by kattracks
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To: kattracks
Watching them fake their little "furor" is so pathetic.

Qwinn
2 posted on 03/04/2004 1:55:29 AM PST by Qwinn
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To: kattracks

Truly amazing. NOT. I do find it amazing that the quoted individuals would find fault with the ad. I "know" they're democrats by their feigned outrage.

3 posted on 03/04/2004 1:55:42 AM PST by onyx (Kerry' s a Veteran, but so were Lee Harvey Oswald, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Timothy McVeigh)
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To: Qwinn
Three people (who are most likely Democrats) do not a FUROR make.
4 posted on 03/04/2004 2:01:36 AM PST by kattracks
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To: kattracks
"It's a slap in the face of the murders of 3,000 people," said Monica Gabrielle, whose husband died in the twin tower attacks. "It is unconscionable."

I have viewed the ad and it does nothing of the kind.

It is very 'conscionable' in that it stirrs the conscience of an American people that so often wants to 'forget and move on'.

It is this very characteristic that begets RAT politicians and leaders who in turn beget more 9-11's.

5 posted on 03/04/2004 2:04:12 AM PST by evad (We all stand together OR we hang separately!)
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To: onyx
This is the spin they will place on any ad that shows GW's actual record vs Kerry's manufactured record.
6 posted on 03/04/2004 2:04:26 AM PST by Texasforever (When democrats attack it is called campaigning)
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To: Texasforever

I am waiting for the flightsuit ads to really piss them off. He sure looks GOOD in a flightsuit. :)
7 posted on 03/04/2004 2:06:02 AM PST by onyx (Kerry' s a Veteran, but so were Lee Harvey Oswald, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Timothy McVeigh)
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To: kattracks
They want furor? Ask me how I feel about the Dem lies and smears,the misrepresentations of Bush's record and accomplishments.I find them infuriating!
8 posted on 03/04/2004 2:07:13 AM PST by MEG33 (John Kerry's been AWOL for two decades on issues of National Security!)
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To: evad
The Dem's worst nightmare is for anything to remind the American people of what happend 3 short years ago. Their candidate's plan cannot be accepted given that one event and they know it.
9 posted on 03/04/2004 2:07:34 AM PST by Texasforever (When democrats attack it is called campaigning)
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To: onyx; kattracks; Texasforever; evad; Qwinn
Kattracks posted from the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS...their side of the story.

Contrast that, with the NEW YORK POSTS' side of the story BUSH EVOKES 9/11 IN RE-ELECTION ADS

Conclusions?

10 posted on 03/04/2004 2:08:58 AM PST by Neets (“I now know Him in a more personal way that I have. It is as it was " Jim Caviezel)
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To: onyx
If they don't like that one they are going to really hate the Saddam de-lousing and probably the Osamma autopsy or trial.
11 posted on 03/04/2004 2:10:07 AM PST by Texasforever (When democrats attack it is called campaigning)
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To: kattracks
" "How heinous is that?" Kleinberg asked. "That's somebody's [loved one]." "

Yes it is heinous.

The entire event should be something we all keep in perspective. I'm not dwelling on it but I also have not forgotten about it, it's part of who I am and who this nation is.

I'm willing to bet alot of people upset over this are people that can't handle real events. We are at war. War, should mean something, especially to those who lost loved ones. This is not a time to wallow in self pity and beg for peace, at any cost. This is a time to stand up and fight for the right to exist, those who attack us have no doubt they want us erased from the face of the earth. The greatest monument and service to those who died would be to vendicate them and make this a world their children and loved ones can live in peacefully....not some wimpering moment of flowers smoke and mirrors, then sulking off to a corner.

Once again this society of whiners is out front moaning, not upset at the murderers but at those who stand to defend them.

12 posted on 03/04/2004 2:10:30 AM PST by Kakaze
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To: kattracks
One person says he would be "less" offended if the President was shown in a pic with the Statue of Liberty.

I think some idiots will be offended by anything.

As if the President of the U.S. being shown in a pic with the Statue of Liberty is wrong.

13 posted on 03/04/2004 2:10:39 AM PST by Free Trapper (One with courage is often a majority.)
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To: Neets
I'll post here more or less what I posted there, which is that Bush has been so successful in leading the recovery from 9/11 that many Americans have almost forgotten it ever happened.

We shouldn't be allowed to forget. Heck, the Dems are obsessing on events of 40 years ago (in which they played a less than honorable role, on top of it all).
14 posted on 03/04/2004 2:12:35 AM PST by livius
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To: kattracks
There's one other comment, in a photo caption with the story:

'After 3,000 people were murdered on his watch, it seems to me that that takes an awful lot of audacity. Honestly, it's in poor taste.' - Kristen Breitweiser, with her husband's ring.

This woman is probably the biggest professional 9/11 victim there is -- anytime there's 9/11 whining, she's involved. Note that she seeing no problem with blaming Bush for 9/11, or posing for photos with her late husband's wedding ring, but it's "in poor taste" for the president to even mention 9/11 in his ads!

I also notice that it's the same half-dozen or so 9/11 professional victims quoted in every single article about 9/11. With 3000 families, you would think the media could find some different people to talk to.

15 posted on 03/04/2004 2:14:09 AM PST by NYCVirago
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To: Neets
Conclusions? I think if NY goes for Kerry over Bush, they will be no better than Massachusetts. How soon some folks forget. WTC in '93 led to 9/11 thanks to a democrat president.

16 posted on 03/04/2004 2:15:11 AM PST by onyx (Kerry' s a Veteran, but so were Lee Harvey Oswald, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Timothy McVeigh)
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To: kattracks
If I had a loved one in that tower I would want every opportuntity to remind the public to never forget. With all due repsect to thos family members, I think they are more upset that Bush is using the images than a democrat usings those images.

Kerry's campaign is probably trying to figure out how to dovetail his vietnam medal to the images of the twin towers.
17 posted on 03/04/2004 2:18:00 AM PST by longtermmemmory (Vote!)
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To: Texasforever
If they don't like that one they are going to really hate the Saddam de-lousing and probably the Osamma autopsy or trial.

Right. Plus the 9/11 ads will be well received by the rest of the country at large. NY and DC got the attacks, but the rest of us don't want one in our cities. Kerry cannot be trusted to fight the WOT. He wants to "dialogue" and likely in French --- damn him. Dangerous man, dangerous agenda.

18 posted on 03/04/2004 2:18:20 AM PST by onyx (Kerry' s a Veteran, but so were Lee Harvey Oswald, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Timothy McVeigh)
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To: NYCVirago
With 3000 families, you would think the media could find some different people to talk to.

I would imagine they have tried, and apparently have been unsuccessful in finding more people who can advance their aganda.

19 posted on 03/04/2004 2:21:25 AM PST by kattracks
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To: onyx
Yep, wait until the Carrier pics AND the pics of W serving the troops in Iraq!
20 posted on 03/04/2004 2:25:46 AM PST by cardinal4 (Terrence Maculiffe-Ariolimax columbianus (hint- its a gastropod.....)
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