Bush campaign add

[Shamrock]

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/elect...n/04bushad.html

 

WASHINGTON -- President Bush's day-old campaign commercials drew sharp criticism Thursday from relatives of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and a firefighters union with ties to Democratic rival John Kerry demanded they be pulled from the air.

 

 

AP

(ENLARGE)

Video image from a President Bush campaign ad showing the World Trade Center and a funeral.

 

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The White House defended the ads, which include images of the destroyed World Trade Center and firefighters bearing a stretcher through the rubble.

 

"It makes me sick," said Colleen Kelly, who lost her brother Bill Kelly Jr. in the attacks and leads a victims families group called Peaceful Tomorrows. "Would you ever go to someone's grave site and use that as an instrument of politics? That truly is what Ground Zero represents to me."

 

In Bal Harbour, Fla., the International Association of Fire Fighters Union approved a resolution asking the Bush campaign to pull the ads, spokesman Jeff Zack said. The resolution also urges Bush to "apologize to the families of firefighters killed on 9/11 for demeaning the memory of their loved ones in an attempt to curry support for his re-election." The union gave Kerry an early endorsement in the presidential race.

 

The controversy erupted as Bush's re-election campaign began airing the commercials nationally on cable television and on broadcast stations in about 80 media markets in 18 states.

 

The ads refer both to the terrorist attacks and to the recent recession, and are designed to project Bush as a candidate offering "steady leadership in times of change." The commercials do not mention Kerry.

 

Bush's aides defended the use of the images that stir memories of the worst terrorist attack in the nation's history.

 

"Sept. 11 changed the equation in our public policy. It forever changed the world," said Scott McClellan, the White House press secretary. "The president's steady leadership is vital to how we wage war on terrorism."

 

Nor did all victims' relatives criticize the ad.

 

Patricia Riley of Staten Island, N.Y., who lost her sister in the attack, said: "The president has every right to point to his leadership during that time."

 

Bush's campaign had said it would not use the attacks for political gain, and current and former aides defended the commercials.

 

"September 11th was not just a distant tragedy. It's a defining event for the future of our country," Karen Hughes, a Bush campaign adviser, told "The Early Show" on CBS. "Obviously, all of us mourn and grieve for the victims of that terrible day, but September 11 fundamentally changed our public policy in many important ways, and I think it's vital that the next president recognize that."

 

One of the ads shows the charred wreckage of the twin towers with a flag flying amid the debris. Another ad ? and a Spanish-language version of it ? use that image as well alongside firefighters carrying a flag-draped stretcher through the rubble as sirens are heard. Firefighters are shown in all the ads.

 

Harold Schaitberger, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Union, called the ads disgraceful and said they should be pulled.

 

"We're not going to stand for him to put his arm around one of our members on top of a pile of rubble at Ground Zero during a tragedy and then stand by and watch him cut money for first responders," Schaitberger said. He said his union is politically independent even though it endorsed Kerry and has donated money to Republicans.

 

Barbara Minervino, a Republican from Middletown, N.J., who lost her husband, Louis, in the attacks, questioned whether Bush was "capitalizing on the event."

 

David Potorti, an independent from Cary, N.C., whose brother Jim died in the north tower, called the campaign's use of the images audacious.

 

"It's an insult to use the place where my brother died in an ad," Potorti said. "I would be just as outraged if any politician did this."

 

Until Bush cooperates with the federal commission that is investigating the nation's preparedness before the attacks and its response "by testifying in public under oath ... he should not be using 9/11 as political propaganda," said Kristen Breitweiser, of Middletown Township, N.J., whose husband, Ronald Breitweiser, 39, died in the World Trade Center.

 

"Three thousand people were murdered on President Bush's watch," Breitweiser said. "He has not cooperated with the investigation to find out why that happened."

 

Should he use these types of adds in his campaign? Discuss.

[Lcyberlina]

:no but he will nevertheless.

[catchoftheday]

exactly ... he needs everything to gain popularity.

 

 

although i still dont think its right.

[hot4beckett]

Very wrong on Bush's part.

[Izzie]

I'm glad he did this just because it pissed people off and people don't vote for you when you pissed them off and offend them

[Shaq-Man]

this has got to be the most douchebag, fraudulent, partisan powerplay i've seen in quite awhile.

 

this supposed "outrage" by families of 9/11 victims is such a bunch of baloney. i've seen all 3 of the questionable bush commercials on TV and i can honestly say that they are all very tasteful. i can't imagine how a moderately intelligent person could watch any of those clips and draw outrage from it.

 

what you're seeing is a bunch of partisan people using 9/11 as an excuse to attack bush. there are 10,000 relatives of 9/11 victims; in such a large group, you can guarantee that there will be people with political axes to grind... criticism from "families of the victims of 9/11" has actually been going on for several months now on a variety of subjects and it's the biggest sham. a firefighters union that has endorsed and contributed to john kerry expresses outrage over the ad... gee whiz!

 

think about it this way. pretend you lost a loved one in 9/11 then watch the ads and tell me if you could feel outrage over it. the ads are at:

 

http://www.georgewbush.com/tvads/

 

its such horse s***. 9/11 was an attack on the entire country and national security is a HUGE issue for all americans... it's totally fair game to mention 9/11 in a campaign ad. hell, john kerry did it too during the iowa caucuses.

 

the fact that this stuff is even newsworthy is disgraceful.

[Rune]

If this is an issue of national security and the war on terror than WHY have U.S. Soilders in Iraq gone missing from these ads?

 

Oh yeah because that's not a popular area for Bush so he'll go to 9/11 which was the reason he's even still near 50%. Plain and Simple, Bush is using 2000 Dead Americans to sell him as A Patriot.

[nc marlin]

this has got to be the most douchebag, fraudulent, partisan powerplay i've seen in quite awhile.

 

this supposed "outrage" by families of 9/11 victims is such a bunch of baloney. i've seen all 3 of the questionable bush commercials on TV and i can honestly say that they are all in very tasteful. i can't imagine how a moderately intelligent person could watch any of those clips and draw outrage from it.

 

what you're seeing is a bunch of partisan people using 9/11 as an excuse to attack bush. there are 10,000 relatives of 9/11 victims; in such a large group, you can guarantee that there will be people with political axes to grind... criticism from "families of the victims of 9/11" has actually been going on for several months now on a variety of subjects and it's the biggest sham. a firefighters union that has endorsed and contributed to john kerry expresses outrage over the ad... gee whiz!

 

think about it this way. pretend you lost a loved one in 9/11 then watch the ads and tell me if you could feel outrage over it. the ads are at:

 

http://www.georgewbush.com/tvads/

 

its such horse s***. 9/11 was an attack on the entire country and national security is a HUGE issue for all americans... it's totally fair game to mention 9/11 in a campaign ad. hell, john kerry did it too during the iowa caucuses.

 

the fact that this stuff is even newsworthy is disgraceful.

Well said Alkazoid. I completely agree.

[Shaq-Man]

If this is an issue of national security and the war on terror than WHY have U.S. Soilders in Iraq gone missing from these ads?

 

Oh yeah because that's not a popular area for Bush so he'll go to 9/11 which was the reason he's even still near 50%. Plain and Simple, Bush is using 2000 Dead Americans to sell him as A Patriot.

lol... you sound like you havent seen the ad. i found the image of firefighters raising flags inspirational in a nonpartisan sort of way.

 

not judging you or anything, but it clearly sounds like you're venting at bush and not the ad.

[farmer_fran]

this has got to be the most douchebag, fraudulent, partisan powerplay i've seen in quite awhile.

 

this supposed "outrage" by families of 9/11 victims is such a bunch of baloney. i've seen all 3 of the questionable bush commercials on TV and i can honestly say that they are all in very tasteful. i can't imagine how a moderately intelligent person could watch any of those clips and draw outrage from it.

 

what you're seeing is a bunch of partisan people using 9/11 as an excuse to attack bush. there are 10,000 relatives of 9/11 victims; in such a large group, you can guarantee that there will be people with political axes to grind... criticism from "families of the victims of 9/11" has actually been going on for several months now on a variety of subjects and it's the biggest sham. a firefighters union that has endorsed and contributed to john kerry expresses outrage over the ad... gee whiz!

 

think about it this way. pretend you lost a loved one in 9/11 then watch the ads and tell me if you could feel outrage over it. the ads are at:

 

http://www.georgewbush.com/tvads/

 

its such horse s***. 9/11 was an attack on the entire country and national security is a HUGE issue for all americans... it's totally fair game to mention 9/11 in a campaign ad. hell, john kerry did it too during the iowa caucuses.

 

the fact that this stuff is even newsworthy is disgraceful.

glad somebody said it.

[miami15]

Using people's deaths to strenghen your campain? That's cold.

[farmer_fran]

Using people's deaths to strenghen your campain? That's cold.

you obviously haven't seen the ad.

[Shamrock]

I cant find a source that indicates what the majority of 9/11 families think of these adds and after viewing them myself I couldn't find what the article is talking about.

 

heres a funny video of a stumbling bush: http://images.indymedia.org/imc/washington...6/9_11laugh.mpg

[SorianoFanHFW]

Everytime I see the world trade center collision, those fire fighters struggling, Bush vowing revenge next to his fellow man, I want to kneel down and cry. It is disgusting he's trying to take advantage of people's emotions.

[legacyofCangelosi]

I dont know sorianofan why you have to see things with such a narrow mind. Just b/c you dont like Bush doesnt mean that everythign he does is wrong or stupid. I agree with alka on this one. He isnt using deat hto his advantage, he is using the American response to this time of crisis as leverage. He handled the situation after the fact well. He kept America united and we persevered. Thats what hes showing in the ad, they arent of bad taste at all, in fact that this is such a big deal is wats distasteful

[Fish Fry]

I just watched the ad, and I have to say that it's not really as distasteful as people make it out to be; BUT it still stinks of fearmongering which Bush has been ramming down people's throats for the past couple years.

 

Not to mention, the ad blatantly lies. The economy wasn't in a recession in 01/01, it happened on Bush's watch. The Dot Com bust happened AFTER Bush was in office and he'd already rammed his tax cut through Congress. I'll say, though, if it makes people hate G. Dubya and want to vote for Kerry, then I'm all for it.

[SorianoFanHFW]

I dont know sorianofan why you have to see things with such a narrow mind. Just b/c you dont like Bush doesnt mean that everythign he does is wrong or stupid. I agree with alka on this one. He isnt using deat hto his advantage, he is using the American response to this time of crisis as leverage. He handled the situation after the fact well. He kept America united and we persevered. Thats what hes showing in the ad, they arent of bad taste at all, in fact that this is such a big deal is wats distasteful

Showing what happened to the towers invokes too much emotion for a political ad in my honest opinion. This is not me being narrow minded, I hgihyl approve of Bush's 4 months after september 1tth. I don't think there was a single man who could have done it better. We BELIEVED he was one of us, he took us through it. The media tried to make it seem it was all Rudy, but in m opinion Bush did more, and I'm a HUGE Rudy supporter.

 

However, that doesn't mean I have to like Bush's commerical.

[legacyofCangelosi]

Obviously you dont have to like it, but politics is politics, Bush's strongest argument for reel;ection was the way he handled 9/11 at first. And the tax cuts did not cause the recession, the economy doesnt respond that quickly to anything. the effects of a policy that passes today wont be felt for months even years.

 

Guiliani '08!!!

[Shaq-Man]

Showing what happened to the towers invokes too much emotion for a political ad in my honest opinion. This is not me being narrow minded, I hgihyl approve of Bush's 4 months after september 1tth. I don't think there was a single man who could have done it better. We BELIEVED he was one of us, he took us through it. The media tried to make it seem it was all Rudy, but in m opinion Bush did more, and I'm a HUGE Rudy supporter.

 

However, that doesn't mean I have to like Bush's commerical.

dude, watch the ads first.

 

they dont really show what happened to the towers, and the writer of the article above exaggerated what exactly is depicted in the ads.

[Fish Fry]

And the tax cuts did not cause the recession, the economy doesnt respond that quickly to anything. the effects of a policy that passes today wont be felt for months even years.

 

I didn't say the tax cuts caused the recession. I was just pointing out that Bush had been in office long enough to implement his centerpiece legislation before the country officially went into recession and the dot com crash happened. He's trying to pass it all off on Clinton which is tantamount to a lie.

[Beinfest4Prez]

Why don't you ask the majority of firefighters, police officers, and 9/11 families what they think about Bush using the tragedy as a political tool?

 

 

This is a disgrace to garner support from this and he is saying to himself right now, "We will avenge 9/11 and oh yeah, we will hide all of your pension money and throw out the lawsuit against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia because we love their oil. Did I mention I will be risking the lives of your friends and family for a preemptive attack on Sadamn Hussein so I can have his oil."