Is Secrecy a Progressive Value? WP denounces Dean attack group

[farmbo]

Is Secrecy a Progressive Value?

Sunday, December 14, 2003; Page B06

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61289-2003Dec12.html

SOME HARD-HITTING ADS have been running in Iowa. One compares former Vermont governor Howard Dean to President Bush, citing both men's "top grades" from the National Rifle Association. The latest notes that "Howard Dean and George Bush stood together and supported the unfair NAFTA trade agreement." At the end, the announcer intones, "So if you thought Howard Dean had a progressive record, check the facts. And please, think again." But it's not any of Mr. Dean's rivals who are seeking this reconsideration. nstead, it's a new entity that calls itself "Americans for Jobs, Healthcare and Progressive Values."

Values that don't include letting voters know who's footing the bill. The group has spent $230,000 for the first week of ads, but it won't say where the money is coming from. Under the out-of-sync reporting schedule that governs such groups, donors' names don't have to be revealed until early February, after the caucuses are safely over. Meanwhile, its identity is getting more and more mysterious: Early last week, its president was Timothy L. Raftis, a former aide to Sen. Tom Harkin; now, a new president has suddenly appeared on the group's Web site: former representative Edward Feighan (D-Ohio). The group's treasurer is fundraiser David Jones, who has worked for one of Mr. Dean's chief rivals, Rep. Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri -- but suddenly, it has a new spokesman, John Kerry's former press secretary, Robert Gibbs, which might suggest, to the conspiracy-minded, an effort to deflect attention from a possible Gephardt connection. (The Gephardt campaign says it knows nothing about the group.)
<snip>

This outside-group dodge is troubling enough when employed by those who don't pretend to believe in campaign finance reform. From those who pose as champions of "progressive values," it's despicable. "I believe strongly in the view of Thomas Jefferson that an informed electorate helps insure the strength of democracy," Mr. Raftis said on the group's Web site. Informed, that is, of what he chooses to tell them. What hypocrisy.
<snip>

IF Kerry, Gephardt or Clark (or their lackey-boys) are linked to this classless, Rovian slime, I for one will NOT support them in November.

Why bother?

We already have one soulless Karl Rove in the Whitehouse. We don't need another with democratic stripes.

[slinkerwink]

1. kick

[xultar]

2. Dean supporters you're getting way too paranoid...Clark wouldn't

run the Ads, remember he doesn't have the $$$$ and he's not even running in IA.

Come back from the edge.

[pruner]

4. I think Clark has the money…

but I don't think he's involved in this.

I'd put my money on the unions backing Gephardt.

[madfloridian]

5. I doubt the campaigns are involved, but they should loudly denounce it.

Loudly and publicly. It would do a whole lot toward stopping more of this kind of thing.

[Cha]

19. It would be interesting to know who the

supporters of this ad Do back?

[farmbo]

8. Clark has the benefit of the doubt...for now.

But Ed Feighan of Cleveland (the nominal "executive director" of the sludge-spinning 547 group) is a longtime political crony of Tim Hagan, Clark's Ohio chairman.

And he's not saying ANYTHING!

Why won't they denounce these ads!

[Cha]

20. You don't need to make a sweeping

generalization of "Dean Supporters". I don't think Clark had anything to do with this stealth ad. it smells like the rose garden gep... to me.

[Cha]

3. That's what I called them....Stealth...

"We've seen this kind of stealth group before. During the 2000 primary campaign, a mystery group calling itself "Republicans for Clean Air" suddenly appeared with more than $2 million in advertising supporting then-candidate George W. Bush. Brothers Charles and Sam Wyly, Dallas investors, came forward to claim responsibility, but their exploit underscored a dangerous loophole in the campaign finance system that allowed groups to avoid disclosing their activities unless they called explicitly for a candidate's election or defeat. Congress responded with a law requiring such groups to report their donations and expenditures. But it didn't think through the consequences of the reporting schedule it chose: Until the election year, groups are required to file reports only twice a year. (Disclosure is required if the groups run broadcast ads naming a candidate within 30 days of the caucus or primary, but even that rule doesn't apply to other forms of campaign activity, such as direct mail or phone calls."

[AntiCoup2K4]

9. Republicans for Clean Air were SUPPORTING Junior??

Must be one of those Orwellian things like "Save the Forests" (by clearcutting them) and "Leave No Child Behind" (in the complete destruction of public education)

[blm]

15. Koch brothers did that ad. The ones who bought Vermont Yankee.

The ones whose dealings with the State of Vermont Dean refused to turn over to Conservation Law Foundation.

[blm]

6. I doubt they did it, but did you support Dean pushpolling in Iowa?

That's pretty despicable.

How about Dean calling longtime liberals, "Bushlite" was that OK? Especially since his record was FAR to their right.

How about Dean supporters spreading the propaganda that Kerry is a "corrupt Washington insider" is that OK?


"First phone attack

Straight-talking Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean is testing his attack message in Iowa. Political operatives say Dean's phone polling is probing for weaknesses in support for Sens. John Edwards and John Kerry and Rep. Dick Gephardt. For rookie pol Edwards, it's about experience. For Gephardt, it's his alliance with Bush on key issues. Questions about Kerry test Iowans' reaction to his vote backing the war in Iraq."

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/archive/030512/12whisplead.php

[pruner]

7. got any evidence Dean did push-polling in Iowa?

I didn't think so.

[blm]

16. look above you

.

[pruner]

17. that blurb was in the "whispers" column…

which means it's a rumor.

got any solid evidence?

[AntiCoup2K4]

10. Why don't you ask James Baker?

:evilgrin:

[dsc]

13. either prove this or be quiet

I am sick and tired of you posting stuff without proof.

[legin]

11. Which candidate is Iowa important to ?

because that will be who did it.

I've seen it posted here I'm sure.

[farmbo]

12. The Ads are also running in South Carolina...

...that broadens the group of potential suspects.

[stickdog]

14. Exactly. (nt)

[mrgorth]

18. I don't think it's Clark

hee seems better than this. It stinks of Gep.

[Moderator]

21. Duplicate - locking

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=895293