Interesting Facts About The Dean Attack Ad

[rucky]

First let me preface by saying that I think it's premature to lay any blame on Kerry & Gep, so I will avoid that altogether. Through small degrees of seperation, you can tie anybody to anything in Washington. An incestuous lot. But back to the research:

The ad was put on by Americans for Jobs, Healthcare & Progressive Values, headed by longtime Dem congressman Edward Feighan (D-OH). While Feighan had a pretty good progressive record in congress, his high point was being primary sponsor of the Brady Bill. Gun control activists aren't really fond of Dean - even though Dean has come forward in support of the BB, he has been criticised for doing so reluctantly. Is this whole attack a single-issue issue? Then why not smear Dean about his gun stance? Plus, the hawkish tone the ad's message just underlines the dishonesty.

Another Factoid: In 1977, Dennis Kucinich became the youngest mayor of a major US city in history. His grassroots campaign ran against opposition from the party & business elite, who already had a man in mind for the job: Edward Feighan. He's beginning to sound less and less progressive. http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=10

Then you jump to his recent, post-congressional resume. He's CEO of a national insurance company, and much much more: An excerpt from the ad-sponsor's website:

Mr. Feighan is also a founding partner of American Foreign Capital Partners (AFCAP). Maintaining offices in Cleveland, Ohio and St. Petersburg, Russia, AFCAP represents several multi-national businesses in the former Soviet Union. From 1998 until Mr. Feighan joined the senior management of Century Insurance Group, he served as the Managing Partner of Alliance Financial, Limited, a Cleveland, Ohio-based firm specializing in mergers, acquisitions and merchant banking services. http://38.113.97.196/websites/Health/default.asp?ID=3

:wtf: The group claims to be against NAFTA, but his resume doesn't reflect his commitment to keep jobs in America? What's with this guy?

Okay - here's where the real irony kicks in. Enter Mourad "Mo" Topalian - a prominent Armenian activist in the US. Before he was convicted of terrorism in 2002, Topalian had bombed Turkish buildings & businesses here in the US, then went on to become Chairman of the Armenian National Committee - a lobbying group. Topalian also served on the Feighan campaign. (Cleveland Plain Dealer; "CCC official an unlikely terrorist"; Sunday, October 17, 1999)

As i said, an incestuous bunch. But as long as we're making ties here, wouldn't it make more sense to smear this Feighan guy? Paint him as an ex-insider turned hypocrite & wacko, rather than give credence to the message (and more polarization) by trying to tie it to Kerry & Gep?

Any other takes on the info?

[Ediacara]

1. The Cleveland mayoral race tidbit is interesting

and you're right, he doesn't sound as progressive as he says he is. I wonder if the Kucinich campaign knows more about this character?

[blm]

2. And what about Club for Growth's ad about Dean? That was odd

considering Stephen Moore at the CATO Institute has also said that Dean was a Democrat they can work with, and has maintained a friendship with him since Dean's schmoozing appearance at CATO in 1997 where he boasted of his efforts on deregulation.

[Scott Lee]

4. Deflect Deflect Deflect

Can you speak to the actual issue here, blm? To remind you, its the topic article.

[rucky]

5. He raises the question...

where on God's green earth is all this coming from? why can't they just come out & say why they really hate Dean?

I think "they" fear populism, but that's just my hunch. But ads are expensive... follow the money.

[HFishbine]

3. Who is Robert Gibbs?

As noted in other thread, another person behind Americans for Jobs, Healthcare & Progressive Values is former Kerry campaign spokesperson Robert Gibbs.

Does anybody know his home city? I'm curious because there are a couple of Robert Gibbs who have made campaign contributions, one to Dean (at a time when "the" Robert Gibbs was working for Kerry), and another who donated to the RNC.

The Dean contributing Gibbs lives in Vashon, WA.

The RNC contributing Gibbs lives in Augusta, Ga.

[rucky]

6. Opensecrets is a hellova resource

too bad organizations like Feighan's don't have to disclose their donors.