Posted on 10/04/2004 8:31:40 PM PDT by GoBucks2002
October 5, 2004 ADVERTISING Kerry Ads Draw on Saudis for New Attack on Bushes By JIM RUTENBERG
n the final month of the campaign, Democrats are increasingly tying the White House to the Saudi Arabian royal family, a line of attack that they say is highly effective, but it has stirred concern among Saudi officials.
Senator John Kerry and the Democratic Party introduced two new advertisements this weekend that criticize President Bush's administration as giving the family "special favors" and as having an overreliance on Saudi Arabia for oil.
And the Media Fund, a Democratic group, said yesterday that it would spend $6.5 million to run advertisements hitting the Saudi theme still harder in Ohio, Florida and Wisconsin during the next couple of weeks.
Officials with the Media Fund said they decided to do so after a test run in St. Louis late last month produced what they said were unexpectedly good results with voters.
The line of attack is reminiscent of "Fahrenheit 9/11," the anti-Bush documentary by Michael Moore that highlights what it call Mr. Bush's ties to the Saudi royal family.
Mr. Kerry's new advertisements imply that ties between the president and the Saudis have caused Mr. Bush to take a slack line against the Saudis on oil prices - a message Kerry aides say they hope will resonate particularly well in the days before Mr. Kerry's Friday debate on domestic issues with Mr. Bush.
"The Saudi royal family gets special favors, while our gas prices skyrocket," an announcer says in one spot as the screen flashes a picture of Crown Prince Abdullah. In another, Mr. Kerry says, "I want an America that relies on its own ingenuity and innovation, not the Saudi royal family."
Tad Devine, a senior strategist for Mr. Kerry, said in an interview: "The heart of their policy is to benefit the powerful and the privileged. Bush is beholden to powerful interests and not the American people."
Steve Schmidt, a spokesman for Mr. Bush, said: "It's the mainstreaming of Michael Moore. What's unusual is that conspiracies would be adopted as mainstream messages by John Kerry, who's running for president of the United States."
Nail al-Jubeir, a spokesman for the Saudi embassy in Washington, said yesterday that the assertion in the ads was unfair and inaccurate. "Saudi bashing is not an energy policy," he said, denying the nation has won any "special favors." "Unfortunately, it's a cheap shot."
Mr. Jubeir had harsher words for the Media Fund advertisements, one of which calls the Saudi royal family "close Bush family friends" who are "corrupt." It goes on to note "even though 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis, top Bush adviser James Baker's law firm is defending Saudi Arabia against the victims' families." The spot includes images of President Bush holding hands with Crown Prince Abdullah and mug shots of the Sept. 11 hijackers superimposed above a shot of rubble from the attacks.
Mr. Jubeir said yesterday, "There is nothing but fear mongering and hate mongering in some of these ads."
Erik Smith, executive director of the Media Fund, echoed Mr. Devine that Mr. Bush was "putting other people's interests ahead of the interests of the American people."
He said that the Media Fund decided to put $6.5 million behind the ads because in St. Louis they seemed to have had a huge influence. An internal poll the Media Fund shared showed Mr. Kerry trailing Mr. Bush in St. Louis by one percentage point before the ads ran and jumping to a 7-point lead afterward. "It leverages existing perceptions and it's powerful because it's deeply troubling," said Steve McMahon, whose firm produced the spots.
Great ad, but most people we need to reach don't download video clips to watch campaign ads.
John has a better idea..his "Nukes for Oil" program in Iran!
Bush doesn't defend himself, or Republicanism, or conservatism. He's a big wimp like his dad who has damaged what Reagan started.
Trying to defend some of GWB's actions 10 years from now is going to be amusing. Only reason to vote for him is the Supreme Court.
IF he keeps T-ing off the Saudis they just might cut oil production then what will he do to run his 5 homes, his 2 boats and his 3 suvs and other cars along with his Gulf Stream 2 jet? Oh, I know he'll tax us more.
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