In a Sunday editorial notable for its even-handed criticism of both political parties, the (WA) Vancouver Columbian takes Republicans to task for distortions in an attack ad on U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, and lays into Washington Democrats for a hit piece on Washington GOP gubernatorial nominee-to-be Dino Rossi.
As if the dissing and distortion of political candidates on the national level wasn't enough to make the partisan-weary citizen want to hibernate until Nov. 2, the state has entered a season of slime now, too....In one of the worst political pranks of the season, Vancouver residents, among others, got a mailer this week from the Washington State Democratic Party that distorts gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi's record beyond all recognition.Rossi, a former Republican state senator from Issaquah who is now running for the governor's office, has been one of the Senate's brightest lights. In 2003, he courageously dealt with Washington's deficit, recession and high unemployment rate by passing a bipartisan-supported budget that protected the state's most vulnerable people from service cuts and insulated Washington workers from higher taxes they could not afford.
He did a brilliant job. The Democratic mailer, however, makes it sound as if Sen. Rossi was busy beating children in his spare time.
The front page of the four-page ad says, "You shouldn't hurt people who need help the most." Behind the words is a picture of a young girl sporting a large bandage on her arm that covers a bleeding wound. Inside the hit piece are complete misrepresentations about Rossi's voting record on issues such as health care and prescription drugs. It must be noted that many of Rossi's votes and views were shared by leading Democrats and Gov. Gary Locke.
Hang in there, voters. The road to the general election is going to be slippery.
Please, Washington State Demo primary voters, give us the hard-left Ron Sims to go up against Dino. Oh, pretty please? Not that Christine Gregoire couldn't easily lose to Dino, either.
Cross-posted at Rosenblog.
Posted by Matt Rosenberg at September 05, 2004 08:28 PM | Email ThisEvery single one of them isn't worth the time it takes to mark the ballot.
And all of them bow and scrape before the almighty Boeing Company.
We, (along with out bank balances) are in deep trouble with any one of them.
Posted by: Steve ramsey on September 6, 2004 12:47 AMa) The Democratic Party, like the Republican Party, is a broad, diverse, inclusive organization. Sure, I - like Senators Lieberman and Kerry - believe in a strong defense and fiscal responsibility (what U.S. Sen. Kerry has called repetitively "pay as you go"). And I respectfully believe the smear machine at full tilt is coloring your judgment, as it is many others - see http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/189550_joel06.html for part of the reason why I hold that belief. Besides, I believe in reforming the party from within - not just jumping ship and giving the party more Zell.
b) Which somewhat brings me to Steve R. I, at first, for the reason given above - plus my fundamental beliefs in performance audits, standing up to Eymanism, saying N-O to Boeing (& Nascar) and accountable governance - supported Phil Talmadge. But he had to go, so I support & volunteer for Dino Rossi whom shares most of my beliefs. The other two, I agree, are the worst of the state Dems. Sims' class is counterbalanced by his poor managerial track record and Gregoire's priorities are ALL wrong!
Posted by: Josef on September 6, 2004 09:39 AMWhile much of these dollars were targeted at "infrastructure", I think Boeing rightly believes it's deep pockets were milked by local pols in the position to green light these projects.
Posted by: Gary B on September 6, 2004 09:42 AMAnd I respectfully believe the smear machine at full tilt is coloring your judgment, as it is many others - see http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/189550_joel06.html for part of the reason why I hold that belief.
People who want honest analysis shouldn't rely on Connelly. The column that you linked to pretends that the Swift Vets revelations were simply a "smear" campaign that "turn[ed] out to be false". In fact, a number of their allegations were acknowledged by the Kerry campaign to be true -- e.g. that Kerry didn't spend Christmas 1968 in Cambodia after all, and that his first Purple Heart was for a (accidentally) self-inflicted wound. Why else do you suppose that Kerry has been avoiding press conferences since these stories came out?
Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on September 6, 2004 10:35 AMWhen Boeing buys a house down the street from the capital, fills it with lobbyists, and corrupt politicians kow tow to the almighty aerospace giant, their charachter need a serious re-examination.
When home health care aids have to parade the capial for a fifty cent raise, and the elderly cannot get home care assistance till another dies, and Boing gets a state funded training center, state government has gone off the rails.
So much for Rossi's position on caring for them. IMO, it's all smack talk.
I did just that re-examination, and found all of them wanting.
I'm a republican myself, and talmadge would have gotten my vote.
I e-maild the Rossi campaign for an explanation, and a clarification as to his position weeks ago, and never got a response. So screw him.
Posted by: Steve ramsey on September 6, 2004 10:39 AMAlso, in re Kerry, Kerry doesn't do press conferences and I'll let Kerry - who was there - discuss his war record. The man's an honest, thoughtful gentleman. And too smart by half, I daresay.
Regarding Ramsey's latest post, I am nodding in great agreement with you. But I also think he should call Rossi HQ - (425) 646-7202 - and ask them. I also have tipped off a senior official at the Rossi campaign about this blog and this particular post - maybe he'll get back to you.
Also, in re Rossi - check out:
K-12 EDUCATION: SCHOOLS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
http://www.dinorossi.com/meet/educationagenda.php
Josef
Posted by: Josef on September 6, 2004 12:36 PMLike Zell or not, he is still in the Democratic Party and working within it (his chosen method will likely fail) to reform this wandering donkey. I'd guess his only Republician vote this year will be for Bush and he will comfortablly pull the handle for other Democrats. Zell's service this year is the spotlight he shines on Kerry's absence on defense issues. Not only his votes against weapons systems but Kerry's past attempts (which Zell didn't mention) to gut funding for the intelligence services so severly, even his own Democrats in Congress opposed the effort.
Kerry's professed embrace of fiscal responsibility are simply talking points. Nobody seriously believes he means it. Let him articulate an economic theory that can reconcile his spending plans which are greatly in excess of his proposals to increase taxes while balancing the budget.
Haven't we learned yet that higher tax rates on the margin retard economic growth and their attendent tax revenues?
The only way for either party to reduce the Federal defict is a slow down in the growth of Federal spending concurrent with fiscal policies promoting economic growth; lower marginal taxes, fewer burdensome regulations, the introduction of market based competition in our healthcare markets and policies that enhance capital formation.
Posted by: Gary B on September 6, 2004 01:46 PM"The only way for either party to reduce the Federal defict is a slow down in the growth of Federal spending concurrent with fiscal policies promoting economic growth; lower marginal taxes, fewer burdensome regulations, the introduction of market based competition in our healthcare markets and policies that enhance capital formation."
I tend to agree. Why hasn't Bush & Co. done that? Simple - they're pawns of CEOs. Or CEOs themselves. Senator Kerry is an INDEPENDENT voice and a STRONG leader, proven time and again from Vietnam to the floor of the U.S. Senate to being a prosecutor back to the floor of the Senate fighting back against the ethical lapses of the Reagan Administration (http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0902e.html) to standing up against the Saudi royal family and energy dependency to fighting for none other than George Walker Bush's tax cuts FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS, NOT THE TOP TWO PERCENT OF AMERICANS WITH FIFTY PERCENT OF THE NATIONAL WEALTH - MOST OF WHOM, INCLUDING LEO IOACOCCA (sp?) PUBLICLY WANT TO HAVE THE GOV'T CLAW BACK THE TAX CUT. Kerry even fought in the primary against those like Dean who wanted to scrap 'em all. Kerry has maintained that position - no flip-flopper, eh?
I thought so, too. KERRY-EDWARDS 2004 - A STRONGER AMERICA, LESS ZELL AND MORE HELL TO THE TERRORISTS AND HOPE IS THE WAAAAAYYY!
Posted by: Josef on September 6, 2004 04:56 PM