Activist says no rival behind anti-Dean ad

[Freddie Stubbs]

WASHINGTON — Two political activists with ties to Rep. Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., and Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, are behind new political attack ads against Howard Dean airing this week in Iowa.
The two, former Gephardt fundraiser David Jones and former Harkin aide Timothy Raftis, raised $230,000 through a non-profit political group to buy a week's worth of ads on television in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids.

Raftis said that he and Jones formed the group, Americans for Jobs & Healthcare, in mid-November because of "how passionately I feel about progressive issues ... and how critical I see the next election, and the selection of our party's nominee."

Gephardt and Dean are competing for Iowa's progressive-minded Democratic voters in the state's caucuses Jan. 19. The ads point out that Dean received top marks from the National Rifle Association on the issue of gun owners' rights. "If you thought Howard Dean had a progressive record, check the facts and please think again," the ad says.

more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2003-12-08-ads-usat_x.htm

[OhioStateProgressive]

1. good...maybe Harkin won't sell out and endorse Dean(nt)

[hedda_foil]

2. Oh puhleeeeze!

Sure, nobody's campaign paid for it directly. This is a soft money ad. But it sure as hell was funnelled from someone in VERY close touch with another campaign. And the PR/ad man and politico team who put this piece of shlock together is called "activists"? That's as disingenuous as it gets. It's sort of like calling Karl Rove an activist.

[BJ]

3. I think it many help Dean.

Right now I have a very good friend working for the Gephardt campaign who opposes current gun control legislation. Many of the guys I used to work with were avid hunters and union members. My friend and I also are members of the Izaak Walton League and it's membership is about 51-49% Republican to Democrat and 99% gun owners (myself being an exception.)

A lot of these guys want a reason to vote for a Democratic candidate but the NRA keeps scaring the pee-Jeezus out of them. The Brady Bill and the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban doesn't put a paycheck in their pocket, food on the table or keeps a roof over their families' heads.

[blm]

4. So, just roll with the NRA/GOP meme?

Then we should just give up because they also say that the Dems are against the military. And tax and spend liberals.

Hasn't anyone noticed that Dean has already modified his NRA progun stand to get more in line with the gun control folks? That's some set of principles Dean has there. When he wants the NRA support he opposes the federal AWB, and then when he wants to fool voters he changes his stand.

[BJ]

5. I think you and I have been over this before.

But I'll tell you once again that gun control, like abortion and civil unions, are loser "issues" for Democrats.

Why?

Because those are not really political issues.

And BTW, what's a meme?