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Re: Godlessness in North Carolina

By Robert Stacy McCain on 10.29.08 @ 6:21PM

Phil, there is indeed such a thing as the Godless Americans PAC, and if radical atheists supported Kay Hagan, it is not a "religious test" for the Dole campaign to point that out.

Of course, if there were some unsavory (or, at least, unpopular) association on Elizabeth Dole's part, the Hagan campaign wouldn't have to run an ad to point that out -- the Charlotte Observer would make it front-page news and treat it like a legitimate issue that "raises questions" about the Republican.

One reason Republicans are always blamed for negative politics is that the news media serves the negative-attack function for the Democratic Party (think of all the national reporters who flew to Anchorage to dig up dirt on Sarah Palin) whereas Republicans have to do it themselves.

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Brian Westley| 10.29.08 @ 7:54PM

Another reason why Republicans are blamed for negative politics: negative political ads like this one, that intentionally demonizes one segment of Americans in an effort to shore up a losing campaign. It wouldn't be any more palatable if Jews were substituted for atheists.

paul serrano| 10.29.08 @ 9:01PM

Another reason why Republicans are blamed for negative politics: because they practice it so consistently. "Godless-ness?" Are you kidding me? This is what Dole is running on, that she is more 'god-ful' than Hagan? good grief....

JTS| 10.30.08 @ 3:02AM

Anyone who supports this kind of deceit by Dole is at her level... There's a special place in hell for the likes of you. An image of Hagan and a voice going "there is no God" implies that Hagan either said it or believes it. Keep it up browshirted jackboot wearing fascists.

And ya'll sure are slow learners. Haven't you learned yet that this kind of stuff just fills the coffers of people like Hagan?

Charles Martel| 10.30.08 @ 5:25AM

Association or alliance with organized militant atheists usually doesn't sit that well with the voting populations of most red states, of which North Carolina is a fine example. That said, the ad has had its effect and should probably not be repeated.

Despite Mr. Westley's suggestion, if Dole wanted to gain by associating Jews with one of the candidates, it would not be by means of a negative ad targeting her opponent, but rather by a positive ad featuring herself.

Mr. Serrano's observation that Republicans employ negative ads only serves to reinforce Mr. McCain's point that, unlike the Democrats, we don't have someone else we can count on to do it for us. It would seem that the point of Sen. Dole's ad is not so much that she is more godly (the word he was no doubt fumbling for) than Mrs. Hagan, but rather that Mrs. Hagan's associates and allies are less godly than most North Carolinians can be expected to be comfortable with and about which many might harbor reservations, if not also objections.

Thanks, though, to JTS for the love sent our way. Most Leftists use the word "fascist" merely as a synonym for "stuff we don't like", but at least you costumed yours correctly. But make no mistake: they are yours, not ours.