By Jim Spencer
SpencerSpeaks.com
One of two attack ads being aired in
The ad’s content has fallen off the radar as charges fly about the relationship between the supposedly independent political group Common Sense Issues Inc. and Udall’s opponent, former Republican Congressman Bob Schaffer.
The ad in question shows Udall getting a made-up “Cuban hero award†from Fidel Castro for sponsoring a bill that lets U.S. companies drill for oil off the coast of Cuba. The ad tries to make Udall seem like a commie sympathizer while he opposes drilling for oil and gas on
The problem for Republicans is that the bill Udall sponsored in the current session of Congress mirrors a very similar bill introduced by Republicans in the Senate in 2006 and a similar bill co-sponsored by Musgrave in the House of Representatives in 2006.
So if the GOP is going to link Udall to Fidel for wanting to let the
Schaffer campaign consultant Walt Klein said he was unaware of the other drilling bills. Klein said Udall’s willingness to drill off-shore, but not on the Roan was an issue, as was Udall’s willingness to lift the trade embargo with
“What’s the difference between a bad idea by Republicans and a bad idea by Democrats,†Schaffer said. “Raul and Fidel Castro are still doing cartwheels.â€
“I think (Udall) was trying to throw a bone to the energy industry,†Klein said.
But Klein called the Democrats’ charge that the Schaffer campaign had illegally conspired with Common Sense Issues on the attack ads “B.S.â€
Schaffer refused to comment on the charge or the attack ads.
“They (the Democrats) can file a complaint, and I can respond to it,†he said. If Democrats don’t file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, he added, then they know they have no case.
“You’d think there was some deep, dark secret unexpectedly revealed,†Klein said. “The fact is, Mark Udall placed a statement in the Congressional Record. “There was tremendous blog traffic over this. It was no big secret.â€
Schaffer has been talking about the drilling bill for months at campaign stops, Klein said. Klein himself brought it up in several meetings, including one at the University of Colorado Law School Nov. 27. But Klein said neither Schaffer nor his staff has had illegal contact with Common Sense Issues, as Udall’s campaign manager, Mike Melanson, charged in an interview with the Rocky Mountain News.
“What I would say to Mike Melanson is this: Put up or shut up,†Klein challenged.
He said the Schaffer campaign will continue to talk about the
Federal election laws make it illegal for Schaffer or his staff to have contact with groups such as Common Sense Issues. At the same time, these groups, which are supposed to educate, not advocate, have become the designated hit men of recent political campaigns. They are not subject to campaign contribution limits and don’t have to disclose their funding sources.
“Where there’s smoke there’s usually fire,†insisted Matt Miller, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Maybe. Maybe not. Miller cited prior close relationships between Davis, Wadhams and Klein. He also cited the use of a web site name by Schaffer that is very close to names used by Common Sense Issues.
Klein said
He called the Democrats’ charge and Melanson’s specifically “guilt by association.â€
The idea that political operatives know each other proves nothing. That’s why this battle is being fought in the press and not with a complaint of illegal behavior to the Federal Election Commission.
What remains without a formal investigation are questions about the truth of attack ads on Udall.
Or in the case of the Castro connection, a lie of omission.
Copyright 2007 by Jim Spencer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
23 users commented in " Attack Ads, Responses Mask Truth "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackHo-hum, here we go again. Swift-boating of political candidates has been with us for a long time and no doubt will be with us for a long time to come. That’s why all the so-called reform efforts, whether they be by McCain and Feingold or Huey, Dewey & Loui are a waste of time and energy. How about trying a nice simple approach. Any and all contributors to any campaign must have their identities made public within 48 hours (don’t like 48, pick a different number). Repeal Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code. Now, the Swift Boat idiots will have to play nicely out in the open and all Americans will know who is giving how much to whom. That will clean up politics in a hurry.
WOW…NEWSFLASH>> a Political attack advertisement embellished the truth… and no Democratic candidates campaigns have been, nor will be, in contact with MoveOn and the like in the future stategizing attack ads for themselves. But that’s o.k. though….
I don’t particularly care for Marilyn Musgrave, I find her to be devisive and over the top in a similar mold to Tom Tancredo. That being said, I don’t recall you writing a similar piece when Coloradans for Plain Talk ran the ad where she was standing over the coffin picking the pocket of a dead soldier. This ad implied that not only did she not support them, she actually stole from them. The point being not the ad or what it stood for, but that you must believe that this was “educational” in nature. Lies of omission? or you only care about one side of the coin?
I imagine a complaint won’t be placed with the FEC. The Pandora’s box that all of their secrets are hidden with respect to these groups is overwhelming I am sure.
You can count on “noidea”, who obviously doesn’t have one, to make every issue an opportunity to pillory Democrats and excuse the most egregious of Republican behavior. Thos of us (me) who are truly rational, know that neither party has a monopoly of either stupidity or cupidity.
I did not excuse the Republican behavior, if you care to read what I wrote. I merely pointed out the lack of outrage when the shoe is on the other foot and that these advertisements and groups aren’t the sole possession of the Republican party as Jim would have us believe. In addition, I can always count on you to attack me personally for any posting that I put on this site. Your opinion of yourself is extremely over inflated, Mr. Enlightened one of squishy thought…
Tell me Mr. LHKMAN, when I question paying more taxes by saying that I already pay enough taxes and fees that I need to have my trash service left on the sidewalk (when I already pay a fee for that)as you did with Dennis. I am not opposed to paying taxes and I pay a lot of them, but I don’t like being beat over the back of the head by guys like you telling me that I don’t pay enough. If the tax makes sense I am for it. I have 2 kids and a wife and am just trying to get by in life through saving and providing a better existence for my children. Your method of dealing with me, and guys like me (who have no idea), is to tell us how enlightened that you are. Then you berate us, and expect that we just need to follow whatever you say. Which I refuse to do.
First, noidea, I do not recall ever having berated you for not paying enough taxes. I do plead guilty to berating you for a Brucian “don’t pay any more taxes for anything” approach.
Second, while I have berated Dennis Hammond on numerous occasions, I never commented on location of trash. Like you and Dennis, I have to haul it to the end of my driveway. More important, where I haul my trash, and how much I pay for the service just isn’t an issue to me.
Third, you appear to be more rational than Dennis, who opposes any and all taxes and who has stated he considers Bruce to be a genius, or saint, or whatever term he used. I don’t like paying any more than is necessary when it comes to taxes, but suspect that I have a different opinion than you as to what is necessary. Viva la difference.
Fourth, you certainly do excuse Republican mishehavior - sometimes simply by ignoring it - while blaming Democrats for all of the ills that they can commit. The fact is, many of the issues commented on here are not partisan at all, but you guys who make them partisan give me a pain in the posterior. I may not be to your liking, noidea, but I have had the opportunity to work in government at the appointed level and as a journalist for nearly half a century. As I said earlier, neither party has a monopoly on stupidity or cupidity, and equally, neither is entirely on the side of the angels. Understanding that makes it a lot easier to think about and have ideas about the issues of our times. Sorry you don’t care for my elocutions on this site. You are free to ignore them. My feelings won’t be hurt.
LHKMAN,
This morning I had apologized for those posts (attributing it to my lack of attendance at my anger management sessions) and for some reason Jim did not post my remarks.
My original purpose, that you claimed that I had “no idea” was not to provide cover for the Republicans. It was to expose Jim’s interest in advocating for Udall, as evidenced in his comments this morning on The Jay Marvin Show, rather than a deep care about the issue of these groups. My point was that he really doesn’t seem to care about these groups and their calloborations, or their lack of educational nature. That is unless it affects a candidate that is on the same side of his agenda. At which point we should feel extreme outrage and SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. I used the Marilyn Musgrave advertisement as an extreme example of a similar incident where we didn’t hear a peep from Jim (although he was still at the Post at the time).
I will try to keep my opinions strictly to the issue at hand. Also, I do really appreciate Jim’s words and I give them much thought.
as far as the trash being left on my front door step comment, perhaps I am drifting in AND out of reality…sorry LHKMAN.
OK, noidea, we can agree to disagree without being disagreeable. Thanks for your replies above. As for Jim Spencer’s political slant or slant on politics, he is an unmitigated liberal and always has been since he began writing in the Denver market. You and I and everyone else who reads his work knows that, so no one should be surprised. Disagreeing with his views is fair game, otherwise he would not be posting his thoughts on his very own website. It is obvious from my postings in reply that I tend to the liberal end of the spectrum. I consider having a liberal blog as only fair considering the heavy preponderance of so-called conservative blather that is on the air waves every day - and which I choose not to listen to. There are readers/responders on the left who are satisfied with nothing less than a call for impeachment of Bush and Cheney, and those on the right who still seem to be trying to convict Clinton (he was impeached once) even though he has left office. The latter group also advocates virtual evisceration of government. Personally, after some 40-plus years as a Republican, I changed my registration several years ago because I came to the conclusion that the current Republican party does not represent my beliefs. I support Republicans who are for fiscal conservatism but who believe that true conservatives avoid making political issues out of so-called social issues that do not even belong in the public domain. I didn’t leave the Republican party, it left me. I tell you this, noidea, just to provide some perspective on my postings at this site.
Jim Spencer, who needs no defense from me, is an opinion columnist. He writes with a point of view. He leaves “fair and balanced” to Fox News, which actually tried to copyright the term once. Better if it had worked at being so.
Well Lhkman and noidea, allow me to get off the subject. I have FREE weekly trash removal, FREE every 2 wk. recycling, FREE large item pickup every 6 wk., and once per year FREE hazardous waste pickup (such as motor oil, paint, etc. anything that shouldn’t leech into the ground). And if there’s anything I don’t want in the way of furniture,appliances or junque I set it by the drive with a FREE sign on it and it’s gone in 15 minutes.I live in Denver, one tax fits all.It’s great.
Sorry Wildflower, but you have no “free” trash pickup, haz-mat disposal, or anything else free. Or, do you still believe that there is such a thing as a free lunch? You cite “one tax fits all. It’s great” in your post. There seems to be a disconnect between your recognition that you do pay taxes and the people to whom you pay taxes arrange for your trash pickup. Now, do a little bit of thinking, and you may come to the realization that you do NOT have “free” trash pickups. If you wish to have a discussion on the merits of living in a jurisdiction with one all-encompassing tax for all government functions vs. living in jurisdictions where the various elements are separately stated, feel free to suggest such to Jim Spencer. Somehow, I doubt he will think it worth opining on it.
Lhkman: In Denver homeowners do not have to contract privately for their trash removal. It is included without extra charge in the city’s services. Most burbs I am familiar with seem to have higher taxes than Denver, PLUS many homeowners have to contract privately for trash removal.
Why do you think some Auroraites like to dump their trash in our alleys?
No, I don’t care to have any more discussion on the tax/trash subject.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Wildflower,
Douglas County has signifigantly higher property taxes than Denver County. In addition, we pay for extra services like trash removal. Douglas County is one of the reddest counties in the country, Denver County a very blue place. Is there some sort of disconnect here?
Sorry, Wildflower, you may not want any further discussion, but that is not your decision to make. You are, of course, free to not read any further, but others decide whether to comment or not, as I do. Actually, I find the trash discussion quite boring, but if people (you) insist on trying to read societal significance into it, then comment is appropriate. I live in a HOA community that arranges trash pick-up and includes the cost in our quarterly/annual HOA fee — which also includes round-the-clock security patrol by deputy sheriffs working overtime and plowing of snow on the non-county roads within our community. To this simplistic taxpayer, the HOA provides me with all the usual municipal services I obtained when I lived elsewhere, and my HOA fees are the same as real estate taxes. I wouldn’t know whether Aurorans pay more or less than Denverites, or whether they do or do not dump their trash in your (Denver) allys. I do know that when I drove into downtown Denver today there was no evidence that any plows had been out. Is that what you pay for? Non-services? With respect, I suggest that you try to be a bit less provincial in your posts and use of analogies.
Yes indeed no idea, you live in a very red county. And you have confirmed what I said, much higher taxes and you still have to pay extra for trash removal. The schools are good though and if I had kids in this day and age I would move there. And now you have two hospitals nearby! But I love this blue town.
And you, Lhk, you drive into our city and complain we didn’t maintain the streets with snowplows you don’t pay for? I’ll have you know that as soon as we get a foot of snow our snowplows will be out in droves!Our mayor just promised us!
We don’t have alleys right here but most parts
of Denver do. I despise them because of the safety & trash factor.
With your HOAs, Lhk you’re probably paying twice the fees I do. HOAs are great for safety, but I personally do not care for them, the beauty of Denver is that 90% of homeowners in my area maintain their properties without being told what color they have to paint their house, whether they can leave their garage door open while they use the lawnmower,where they can park their car,where they can plant a tree, they have independence, which to a Colo. native is what it’s all about, a man’s house is his castle, if you will.And we have such a potpourri of people and age groups that not all neighbors leave for work and come home at the same time, so in essence we have our own neighborhood watch program, without really having one.
I hope you’re not a drinking person, because it must be very difficult if someone comes home stoned trying to figure out which house is theirs.
I was all set to see this message thread end until you got around to the “services I don’t pay for” stupidity. I transacted business in Denver. I paid sales tax in Denver. I pay fuel taxes in Colorado, some of which go to Denver. For crying out loud, would you think before you post?
As for HOA’s you demonstrate an almost complete lack of knowledge and understanding. You don’t know whether I pay more in HOA fees than you pay in taxes. You don’t know that my community has no two houses alike. One of its attractions when I moved to the Denver area some 13 years ago was the uniquely attractive community with its lack of fences, large open spaces and wild life wandering through it quite peacefully and being left alone by us interlopers. We have no lawns that need cutting, but if we did, so what? You come across as a pompous know-it-all, but demonstrate that you know little or nothing. The biggest point that needs to be made is that we all have freedom of choice. I don’t begrudge or belittle where you choose to live; it’s your choice. I’ll thank you not to begrudge or belittle where and how I choose to live. I pay for my choices. Oh, and by the way, based on the HOA requirements here, I’m quite sure my carbon footprint is less than yours. You now know what you can do with your pomposity.
Ditto.
Wildflower,
Ditto? I assume LHKMAN was talking to you. So Diito would be a strange reply. Because he certainly wasn’t talking to me in this instance. I happen to pay a heafty HOA fee myself, which is the truest form of a tax to better a community lifestyle. Local taxation. Taxation that you can touch and feel and wrap your arms around and see first hand. This is what I am talking about. This is what our forefathers were talking about. The taxation that you cannot see is what I am concerned about and it mostly lies with the federal government. Although I do believe in moneterism and a federal banking system that protects assets. I also believe in social security and taking care of the elderly. Although I think that the baby boomer generation, of which I am not a part of (too young) is an extremely selfish group that only cares about themselves (and always have) leaving nothing left for my generation or the next one where my children reside. I also believe that our way of way of life is based on a strong military that protects us from bad people, the federal government pays for this. I am also an isolationist. I know this will arouse a certain amount of contradiction from the mice on this site looking for their cheese…I am not opposed to federal taxation, as mentioned above. But find it funny that BLUE Counties like Denver with extremely low taxation on their property owners want to suck off taxation from the populous of other counties and the federal government for their funds to operate. Sychophants? Baby boomers? The whole lot?
no idea I was referring to Lhkman’s last sentence. Im sure he knows what I meant.
I really intended satire and did not intend to dis anyone’s lifestyle and I’m sorry about that. But since I live so close to essential services, I’d wager my carbon footprint is much smaller than Lhk’s.Certainly my headprint is much smaller.
Noidea,you make some good points re federal taxation and baby boomers, some, but not all, are selfish.I do feel that certain other counties should, and sometimes do, ante up to Denver for some cultural facilities which they use as much as Denverites do.
well said, noidea. I don’t agree with you on every point in your posting above, but why quibble over the minutia when the totality is pretty much right on target. I’m older than the boomer generation, by the way, reared by parents who were harshly treated by the Great Depression.
Wildflower, you insist on perpetuating any number of statements that simply are untrue. As for people from other counties ponying up for their use of Denver cultural features, you must not be aware that the Scientific and Cultuaral District is supported specifically by sales taxes paid by residents of six counties. Going back to my earlier comment about Denver not having cleared its streets, you tried to make an issue out of the fact that I don’t live in Denver, so I shouldn’t complain. Well, I don’t ask for services from Denver either, but I sure do get to pay taxes when I do business in Denver. Further, you don’t know much of anything about HOAs, but you are quick to “assume” that I probably pay twice as much in HOA fees as you do in taxes. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I’m sure you know the old saw about the word “assume”; that it makes an ass of u and me. The point is, you don’t know what my HOA fees are. Let it suffice that I pay them and I pay them willingly. Choosing to live where I do is one of the benefits of living in a free society. I choose where I wish to reside and I pay the communal costs of doing so. I get to vote on the budget annually, as well as for the members of the HOA board of directors. Do you get to vote on Denver’s taxes annually? Do you get to vote on Denver City Councilmembers annually? No? I’m not surprised. You now may get off your high horse of superiority or whatever it is, and acknowledge that we all pay for whatever we get from the government (or HOA) that serves our communities. No free trash pick-up, no need to contract individually for most of us. I very well may pay more than you do in taxes. If so, it’s because I chose my lifestyle, my neighborhood, and my neighbors. Can we end this silliness right here and now?
It seems that we are now spying on everywhere. When the world does not feel safe, schools and businesses to return to the use of electronic means. Usually, this consists of hidden cameras. Sometimes there is even a bathroom hidden cameras.
Schools are using more and more surveillance. That should help keep students safe. It also helps solve crimes that have already occurred. Knowing the cameras have reason to think students before they came to misbehavior.
hidden camera
[url=”http://geocities.com/hentaioza”]hidden camera[/url]
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