Radio ad backfires on Democrats

The State ^ | December 9, 2001 | Lee Bandy

[wimpycat]

South Carolina Democrats blew it. The special election last Tuesday for Senate District No. 43 was a gimme for them, but they frittered it away by deciding to play the race card at the end.

At issue was a controversial radio ad played on black radio stations to energize the African-American vote.

The commercial, paid for and produced by the state Senate Democratic Caucus, had a black announcer portraying Republicans as country-clubbers who want to take the state back to the days of segregated communities and poor schools in black neighborhoods.

"These are the same Republicans who put the Confederate flag in our face and wanted the symbol of hate to stay atop our State House dome. ...

"They are the same narrow-minded people who want Republican John Kuhn in the Senate," the announcer said.

It backfired.

Republican Kuhn defeated Democrat Leon Stavrinakis, the favored candidate. The vote wasn't even close: 57 percent to 43 percent.

The district is 38 percent black. It has been in Democratic hands for a dozen years or more. Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore carried it by a comfortable margin. The seat became vacant when state Democratic Sen. Ernie Passailaigue resigned to become executive director of the State Lottery Commission.

The race turned ugly.

Mark Hartley, immediate past chairman of the Charleston County GOP and a moderate, was offended.

"That ad was way out of bounds. It was ridiculous for them to imply that Republicans want to send blacks to inferior schools or return to segregated communities. It's just hogwash," he protested.

As always, negative ads beget negative ads.

So, what did the Republicans do? They took the Democratic ad and played it on radio stations serving the white community. Their attitude was if Democrats want it out, then let the whole community see the kind of politics they practice.

It cost the Democrats the election.

While the ad had its intended effect -- to increase black turnout -- it sacrificed the white voters in the process.

The Goose Creek precinct, 21 percent black, voted 78 percent for Kuhn. White voters turned out in large numbers. The same was true for whites south of Broad Street.

"There's no question that by stooping to the level they did, the Democrats energized our base. We couldn't have done it without their help," said GOP consultant Heath Thompson.

Campaign consultants for Stavrinakis made it clear the radio ad wasn't their idea. It was the Senate Democratic Caucus. They said in hindsight that if they had to do it all over again, they would have vetoed the radio ad.

Senate Minority Leader John Land, chairman of the Democratic caucus, said he didn't hear it or sign off on it.

But generally, he said, "I like a positive campaign."

Democrats blamed defeat on turnout, not the ad. "We just have real difficulty in special elections," said state Democratic Chairman Dick Harpootlian.

State GOP Chairman Henry McMaster weighed in, saying, "It was the same old discredited and contemptible fear tactics that Democrats have used successfully, but this time it backfired on them."

If this is a foretaste of what we can expect next year, the 2002 elections could become really nasty. Here's hoping wiser heads will prevail.

[wimpycat]

Why not do this all the time?

I agree wholeheartedly. Instead of whining about how crooked and deceitful the Democrats are, we are going to have to work that much harder to counter their tactics. We can whine and complain all day long, but that only means they'll continue to do it and continue to be successful at it. I don't think we should try to beat them at their own game, but we should make their own game work against them.

[SusanUSA]

Bush's support among blacks skyrockets

The poll said blacks support Bush's conduct of the war 59 to 30 percent and his handling of the anthrax scare 56 to 31 percent. But they disapprove his handling of the economy 50 to 32 percent.

Will Bush be able to convert his high current approval among blacks into more black support for Republicans in 2002 and 2004?

[SusanUSA]

Ah, you've got me wrong. I left the Libertarians in '90 and have voted the straight Republican ticket without fail since '92, and plan to continue to do so.

Even in local elections?! Whatever for?

[Huck]

My point is that the DEMOCRATS use the confederate flag, and in doing so LIE.

I don't doubt that the democrats lie. But in this ad, it seems to me, they were factually correct. The GOP did put the flag "in their faces", if they want to characterize it like that, and they did want to leave it up there, didn't they?

The GOP in South Carolina, and elsewhere, tend to take the position that OUTSIDE activists should not be TELLING a state what flag to fly...how you can assert that this means the ne-confederates are in the GOP is beyond me.

But the GOP in SC decided. My impression was that that is what the ad speaks to. My assertion regarding neo-confederates and the GOP is based on experiences here at FR, as well as the last 30 years of conservative writing and journals. There is debate within conservatism (see Jaffa versus Sobran), but the entire debate takes place within conservatism, i.e., within the GOP ranks. In the South, there are a few old crackers who never left the Democrat party, like Byrd, or Hollings, but the shift in the South has been towards the GOP, and is pretty much complete. Which party was in favor of taking the flag down? Does anyone have to ask?

If these ACITIVIST REALLY cared about the flag, they would look for it everywhere, NOT just where they want to attack republicans.

Be careful what you ask for.

The SOUTH votes Republican because we do not vote SOCLIALIST like they do in New England. We have STRONG values that the modern democratic party runs 180% contrary to. (The flag has NOTHING to do with how most Southerners vote). I have NEVER had ONE person suggest that their voting had anything to do with the flag.

I don't doubt any of what you say on that. I would hope folks have more important priorities than whether or not the old rebel rags should fly.

The ONLY people who care about the flag issue are the OUTSIDE democrat controlled GOP attackers, and their democrat buddies in the state houses.

Well, it seems to have been an ineffective strategy in this case.

[Zoey]

That's right. We need to do this more often.

[Cacique]

bookmark bump

[Sabertooth]

Even in local elections?! Whatever for?

Actually, in local elections we don't get a choice, since they're "non-partisan" in California.

It's one of the stupidest ideas possible, but it serves the Dems, and they control things.

Will Bush be able to convert his high current approval among blacks into more black support for Republicans in 2002 and 2004?

Not if he tries to kiss their butts and buy their votes with that "compassionate conservative" nonsense. He'll get outbid by the Dems every time.

And not if he doesn't use illegal immigration as a wedge issue to split the Dems' taken-for-granted black electoral block. That's the only way to get black votes without losing white votes. Bush's poor showing among whites (as opposed to previous victorious Republicans) was the main reason the 2000 election was even close. And he did worse among blacks than any Republican in History for his wqasted efforts.

I like Dubya a lot, but he gives every indication of typical Republican cluelessness on these matters.

[Alabama_Wild_Man]

.....I Love it when a Plan comes together....

[aomagrat]

Good post! I hope the Republicans remember this tactic for the 2002 elections.

[Moosilauke]

As always, negative ads beget negative ads.

How is it negative advertising when you simply replay your opponent's material?

[Norb2569]

Perhaps this tactic can be used around the country to counter racially inflammatory ads. Let the sun shine in on this type of political advertising!

I think this move was brilliant!! Playing this type of ad to the GOP audience can MOTIVATE and turn 'regular' Republicans into 'BROKEN GLASS' Republicans!

I think the James Bird dragging ad last year might have been treated the same way, making Florida less important, and giving George W. Bush a more decisive mandate.

[GuillermoX]

About time the GOP started playing hardball back...I'm surprised the Dems didn't call the GOP "racist" for running the ads themselves.

[Moby Grape]

You make excellent points. I think my only disagreement is whether the flag issue is at the core of any republican thinking. It is a NON-ISSUE in the South, until the other side makes it so. And, as I have stated, those who bring up the issue REALLY do not care a rat's a** about the flag, if they did, they would have brought it up in Arkansas and Tennesse. The GOP's stance that it is a STATE issue,and should not be forced upon the people of the state by outside aggitators with political, not social, agendas, is a positive one. However, YOU are right, that taking this stance gives fodder to those who will claim that the GOP is protecting the anti-black symbolism that a very small minority of narrow minded people may harbor, and would associate with the flag. I have lived in the South my entire life, and the flag was never even a subject of conversation until the other side made it so. I for one, do not mind the flag being removed from government offices, or state flags changed to remove any apearance of support for slavery, but, I do not want POLITICIALLY motivated demorat operatives using it for POLITICAL, not social, reasons, and I think by pointing out that they only find the flag to be a problem in republican held areas is the right thing to do.

[Irene Adler]

"A very good point and one the national GOP can learn from. It was a brilliant tactic. Everytime the 'Rats play the race card, the 'Pubs should throw it right back in the Dems' ugly, lying, racist faces. If they want to sow the seeds of racial divisiveness, then that is precisely what they should reap. A few more of these kinds of results and the 'Rats will learn that its a losing political strategy as well a morally bankrupt one. Getting a few more points from increased black turnout that is offset by twice that in the non-black vote is a result that even the most stupid 'Rat will understand."

YES, YES, YES! It has driven me CRAZY for years that we play their game and never acknowlege what they say about race and class in the U.S. We need to SURFACE every lie they put out and every dishonest thing they do (yes, I know there are really far, far too many of both to surface them ALL) but we need to make this stuff PUBLIC and not let them get away with saying one thing to the whites and another to the minorities. It's just the same as Arafat making one speech in English for the Westerners and quite another one in Arabic for his constituents.

Dems provide us with such GOOD material all the time. We need to USE IT by making it public for the general public and not let them keep it secret.

[BornOnTheFourth]

This is what happens when Republicans show some backbone, and stand up to the Dimocrats! Maybe this example will serve as a lesson to the GOP on a National level!!

I sure hope so. (Trent et al, are you paying attention?!?!) I have a feeling that the GOP is going to need all the cajones they can find this next election.

[Lancey Howard]

Bump for great freeping.
It's nice to know that somewhere Republicans are thinking.
And now, thinking back, what if Republicans had decided to run that ad about "another church will burn" that ran in Illinois, or the "lynching" ad that ran in Texas, on mainstream outlets of their own choosing?
Yessir, file this interesting article away for future reference.
Gotta love it.

[LadyX]

Yes - "BROKEN GLASS Republicans!"

We tend to carry and regard those shards as badges of Victory!
(Marines, especially, eat 'em for breakfast, don't they?!)

[MeekOneGOP]

BIG Texas BUMP for Truth in Advertising!

I wonder if these guys had input on the NAACP ads they put out last year in the Presidential race in which they implied that George W. Bush was part of the James Byrd lynching in Jasper, Texas???? LMAO! !

[alnick]

State GOP Chairman Henry McMaster weighed in, saying, "It was the same old discredited and contemptible fear tactics that Democrats have used successfully, but this time it backfired on them."

It backfired on them because the GOP DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT!! Mark Racicot should be made aware of this article and encouraged to DO SOMETHING to expose the 'rats for the, well, rats that they are. A huge part of the problem is that the media portrays things like this as politics as usual, both sides do it, blah, blah, blah.

Well, the fact is that it's democrat politics as usual. While both sides are politically motivated, obviously, the democrats make the Republicans look like saints. The 'rats count on the Republicans taking the high road and not exposing their filthy tactics.

Well, we can still take the high road while at the same time exposing the 'rats for what they are.