Well, apparently those despicable ads haven't dissauded Republican candidates from using Howell's fine services. This year, for instance, Howell is hard at work, "crafting the message" for Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT), Rep. Mark Kennedy (R-MN), Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO), Mike Bouchard (R-MI), Tom Gallagher (R-FL), Bob Corker (R-TN), and...yes, you guessed it, our own George Allen (R-VA).
So, what's Howell been up to this year? Has he changed his nasty, race-baiting ways? Please, but you jest! Look, let's put it this way: fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, and Scott Howell's gotta create race-baiting ads for Republican candidates. That's what he does, and he's damn good at it, if you can call evil "good."
Howell's latest outrage? According to Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post, Howell is now responsible for this despicable, race-baiting ad against Harold Ford paid for by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). How bad is it? Even Bob Corker, the Republican nominee, has asked that it be taken down. And, according to Cillizza, "The Chattanooga Times Free-Press called the commercial 'a new low in political advertising in a Senate race in this state.'"
The New York Times weighs in with the following thoughts:
Critics asserted that the advertisement was a clear effort to play to racial stereotypes and fears, essentially, playing the race card in an election where Mr. Ford is trying to break a century of history and become the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction.Hilary Shelton, director of the N.A.A.C.P.GÇÖs Washington bureau, said the spot took aim at the sensitivities many Americans still have about interracial dating.
John Geer, a professor at Vanderbilt University and a specialist in political advertising, said that it GÇŁis playing to a lot of fearsGÇĄ and GÇŁfrankly makes the Willie Horton ad look like childGÇÖs play.GÇĄ
Meanwhile, according to BET, "The NAACP called the ad an obvious attempt to make a sexual innuendo about a Black man and a White woman."
So, there you have it; Scott Howell up to his old tricks again, playing blatantly on racial stereotypes and fears in an attempt to win an election for his Republican client.
So, what does George Allen have to say about all this? I mean, he EMPLOYS Scott Howell, the race baiting disciple of Lee Atwater and Karl Rove, after all. You'd think that George Allen, who claims he has changed on racial issues over the years, would strongly and immediately condemn the latest Scott Howell race-baiting ad, while firing him on the spot. Yet, all we get from Allen HQ is a deafening silence.
Of course, that silence could be partly due to the fact that Allen's handlers are keeping a muzzle on him, not letting him speak in fear of what might come out of his mouth. But surely, Allen must be aware that his #1 ad man, Scott Howell, has just made yet ANOTHER outrageous ad that, at the minimum, plays with anti-Black stereotypes and white fears. Surely, George Allen must have an opinion about this. Perhaps Allen approves, perhaps not. As the saying goes, we can't know what's in George Allen's heart.
But so far, actions speak louder than words, with Scott Howell continuing to make his lying, smearing, anti-Webb ads for George Allen here in Virginia, in addition to his race-baiting ads for Bob Corker against Harold Ford in Tennessee. What gives? Does Goerge Allen approve of this behavior or not? Will he keep Scott Howell and let him spread his lies about Jim Webb?
*An ad claiming that Webb will raise your taxes by $2,000 - A BLATANT LIE
*An ad that claims Webb would bring back the "marriage penalty tax" - ANOTHER BLATANT LIE
*An ad that claims Jim Webb's anti-women - ANOTHER BLATANT LIE
*An ad that claims Jim Webb opposes traditional marriage - ANOTHER BLATANT LIE
*An ad that claims Webb "dissed" Nancy Reagan - ANOTHER BLATANT LIE.
*An ad that claims Webb wan't really praised by Ronald Reagan - ANOTHER BLATANT LIE.
*An ad that...well, we could go on and on but you get the point.
So, when is George Allen going to: a) condemn his ad man Scott Howell's despicable race baiting in Tennessee, b) fire Scott Howell from working on his campaign, and c) take down any ads that spread outright lies about Jim Webb?
I'm not holding my breath, but all of us should be watching Allen's actions today, not 30 years ago, when deciding who to vote for on November 7.
Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign. The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.
Speaking of someone who will say and do anything for a vote -- here are Santorum's two latest
You know things are bad for you when you're a right wingnut invoking how well you work with Hillary Clinton!!!
Even if you would try to argue that it's okay for Howell to be on the campaign staff because he hasn't created any racist ads for Allen, there is no escaping the fact that Allen has yet again associated himself with some controversy. If Allen cannot even avoid having some extremely questionable figures on his campaign staff, how can we trust him to surround himself with advisors that will help him to make decisions that accurately illustrate the views of his consituents. The answer is simply, we can't.
October 26, 2006, 11:09 am
The Beat Goes On in Tennessee
By Kate PhillipsOne ad comes down, (in some places), and another offends. Caucus readers told us on Wednesday night of both problems. Although national Republicans promised to shutter a controversial ad with a come-hither blonde as its closer, a television ad which many people complained had racial overtones against Congressman Harold Ford Jr., the commercial continued to play on some local television stations.
Some station officials told local newspapers they didn’t like the replacement offered, an ad that we’ve linked to in the last few days. (The Ford campaign has called the second television ad “libelous,” because it accuses Mr. Ford of approving abortion pills on demand for children (the campaign says the morning-after pill wasn’t even approved at the time of a vote) and of supporting gay marriage (which he says he doesn’t.)
On top of that, Caucus readers alerted us on Wednesday night about a radio ad, this one sponsored by Bob Corker, the Republican candidate in this exceptionally close Senate race, because it uses drum beats in the background.
John Geer, a professor at Vanderbilt University and author of “In Defense of Negativity: Attack Ads in Presidential Campaigns, ” told the Tennessean he found the radio ad part of a “disturbing pattern’’ using racial code.
“These are not accidents,” Mr. Geer said, likening the drumbeats in the Corker ad to “tom toms” and said Mr. Corker’s suggestions that Mr. Ford is “not one of us” could be code for his not being white.
First, there was the "white hooker" ad on TV. It played to both: the traditional racist fears (they'll be sleeping with our women and how will we know our sons?) *and* to the "values" fears (how sinful can he get?). The black woman saying that Ford's good looks were enough of a basis for a vote was just adding insult to injury (of course, black women vote with their you-know-what, not with their heads).
Then came the jungle-drums ad, on the radio. I would not be at all surprised to find out that it's author was the same man who "crafted" the NRC's TV one. Possibly "inspired" by Allen's original misstep -- jungle, monkeys, macacas.. -- welcome to Tennesee, Mr Ford...
And, today, comes that little addition (via ElectionCentral):
By Greg Sargent | bio
Here's some news likely to give rise to more bitter recriminations in the already-white-hot race between GOPer Bob Corker and Dem Harold Ford, Jr. A story just posted over at the Jewish Daily Forward says that the Tennessee GOP has sent out a flyer which says across the top: "Vote early to preserve your way of life." The recipient of the flyer, Rabbi Louis Zivic of Knoxville’s Heska Amuna Synagogue, tells the paper that he sees it as a "subtle message," adding: "I think this is all pitched sub rosa to people who have a tendency to be discriminatory." As the Forward puts it, "in earlier decades, some white leaders used similar language in opposing civil rights for blacks."
I don't know just how racist Tenn is, but I hope that GOP has over-reached itself...
I'm judging.
In light of George Allen's remarks as recently as two months ago, I find it difficult to believe that Allen will take Howell to task over race-baiting in an election. I don't know if Allen is or was a racist himself, but he certainly seems to be quite comfortable with political consultants who prefer sleaze to "positive ideas" and a high level discussion of the issues.
I am sure if Allen felt he could have gotten away with it he would have done away with any executive order against illegal discrimination. The fact that on his first day in office, January 15, 1994, he changed the Executive Order from One to Two is symbolic and highly revealing. Governor Gilmore kept the Executive Order as number two. When Governor Warner was elected he changed it back to Executive Order Number One. Currently it is Executive Order Number One under Governor Kaine as well.
Sorry to interupt this thread, didn't know where else to put this breaking news.
Which way will she go?
I suppose the republicans will be only too glad to pull the ad now the damage is done, and replace it with yet another manipulative and vile piece. And another and another all the way to November 7th. This will let us know just how comatose the voters are, if they work, and Ford is defeated.
Yes, I'm still following this race from the corn fields!
Keep kicking their a**, Virginia deserves Webb.