Letter From Chairman Duncan to Governor Dean: DNC's Use of 'Fahrenheit 9/11' Footage in '100' Ad

Sun Herald ^ | April 29, 2008 | Republican National Committee

[mdittmar]

The following is being issued by the Republican National Committee:

April 29, 2008

Chairman Howard Dean

Democratic National Committee

430 S. Capitol St., S.E.

Washington, D.C. 20003

Re: DNC's Use of "Fahrenheit 9/11" Footage in "100" Ad

Dear Chairman Dean:

I write regarding the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) advertisement attacking Senator John McCain titled "100," which was released on Sunday, April 27, 2008.

As you are already aware, and as has been widely reported, the DNC's ad is troubling for at least two reasons. First, its message is factually false; the DNC is deliberately misleading American voters. Second, it constitutes an illegal excessive in-kind contribution from the DNC to its presidential candidates. Now the Republican National Committee has learned that the ad features footage from Michael Moore's 2004 conspiracy theory, "Fahrenheit 9/11."

According to ABC News, the ad features "an IED blowing up near US soldiers," an image ABC confirms that was used in "Fahrenheit 9/11." It is no coincidence that the same Democrat advertising firm that produced this ad also was responsible for producing over $6.5 million worth of Democrat political advertising using themes from "Fahrenheit 9/11" in 2004.

The DNC's combining its gross mischaracterizations with footage made famous by a movie director who meets with dictators and continually expresses caustic anti-American rhetoric only further reveals the DNC's utter lack of respect for Senator McCain and his service to our country. Further, "Fahrenheit 9/11's" director has compared Iraqi terrorists with American Revolutionary heroes. For the DNC to deploy such footage in a political advertisement suggests at best a lack of appreciation, and at worst a disrespect, by the DNC for the sacrifices America's brave men and women have made and continue to make to protect our freedoms on the front lines in the war against radical Islamic extremism.

As a national party chairman you have an obligation to be straightforward with American voters. Continuing to air this ad, and others like it, is inconsistent with that obligation. Your responses to the falsity and the prohibited financing of this ad demonstrate that the DNC does not feel constrained by the law from running the ad. I am hopeful, however, that in light of this new revelation, simple common decency will prevail upon the DNC, and you will pull this advertisement off the air immediately.

Sincerely,

Robert M. "Mike" Duncan

Chairman

Paid for by the Republican National Committee.

www.gop.com

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

SOURCE Republican National Committee

[cake_crumb]

"Democrats in America are evenly divided on the question of whether George W. Bush knew about the 9/11 terrorist attacks in advance. Thirty-five percent (35%) of Democrats believe he did know, 39% say he did not know, and 26% are not sure"

That's a third of half of all voters, with a slight majority believing he did not know.

[Hardastarboard]

simple common decency will prevail upon the DNC

Here's the punch line.