On Negative Campaigning
As we head into the home stretch towards the primary, my opponent's attacks have become more direct, more personal, and more frequent. Clearly, negative campaigning is an useful tactic among those who lack a clear vision for the future or foundation for leadership. The ultimate question, however, is simple: How will the voters respond?
For me, that's the question that matters. If voters buy into distortions and ignorant personal attacks, then they are not ready for the critical thinking and individual responsibility that is required for a limited, Constitutional federal government. I can't help those voters, other than to continue educating about the problems staring us in the face.
I won't pretend that turning the other cheek is pleasant and easy. It's not. It's tempting to hit back, and amplify the tough questions that others have been asking about my opponent's transparency and truthfulness. But this race is not about him, or about me. It's about what happens to a country when we fail to realize that the very foundation of our economy, our United States dollar, is being driven off a cliff by a government that does not know when to stop growing.
Folks, gas will not stop at $3.50. It will not stop at $4.00. Your grocery bill is not done going up. It's not that the gas and food are that much more valuable, it's that your dollars buy a lot less gas and food. Our government is borrowing and printing so much money that the green stuff in your pocket doesn't buy as much on global markets. Maybe your standard of living isn't affected yet -- great, that's fantastic for you. But get your concealed carry permit, and prepare to absorb the cost of increased police protection when increasingly desperate members of society turn to crime to satisfy basic needs.
That's a tough message, and one most candidates are not ready to address. But we must begin discussing the consequences of big government -- because once we understand that a big federal government is causing the problem, we'll realize that even bigger federal government is not the solution. We cannot create wealth by printing more paper or electronic money. Such a path leads only to dependency, depravity and tyranny.
So back to negative campaigning. Here I am, a lifelong Republican, trying to unseat a 22-year Democratic incumbent who personifies big government and the status quo. I'm being hit by negative attacks from my primary opponent and leaders within the Republican party who apparently don't appreciate federalism and the unique value of our United States Constitution. I'm fine absorbing those attacks, because this contest is about a vision for leadership and philosophy of government within the party. May the best ideas win, right?
But then attention turns to the North Carolina GOP itself. Someone decided it would be a good idea to produce an advertisement, ostensibly to help the Republican gubernatorial candidates, that attempts to link the Democratic gubernatorial candidates to the controversial Reverend Wright via their endorsements of Barack Obama. The advertisement takes a soundbite from Rev. Wright, overlays pictures of the parties involved, and paints the Democratic gubernatorial candidates as extremists by association:
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/JXxkctYRAZQ" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
When you're trying to build a coalition of voters across parties who know we need change, does this advertisement help?
I finally saw the ad this evening after receiving a number of comments and complaints from people I respect, both inside and outside the Republican party. When I watched it, I just had to groan. This is how the NC GOP spends its money? Does the party really think a shallow "guilt by association" attack ad rehashing (very) old news will help its candidates?
Folks, we have tough issues in this state. Our roads are bad, our schools are worse, and the corruption and corporate welfare in Raleigh are draining our wallets and filling our prisons (yes, with our elected officials). If the party wants to help its gubernatorial candidates, who truly are the agents of change in North Carolina, why doesn't the GOP show how we can solve the problems resulting from decades of single-party rule?
From a practical perspective, we have zero chance of electing a Republican governor without building a broad coalition of voters who want real change. Tonight, the State Board of Elections shows that North Carolina has 2,617,610 Democrat, 1,934,131 Republican, and 1,240,599 Unaffiliated voters. So what is to be gained with a negative attack ad that causes people to roll their eyes, shrug their shoulders, and dismiss Republicans for engaging in "politics as usual"?
Here's to elevating the dialog this year, and engaging on the issues.
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The ad is solely to aid McCain. He's above the fray. The NC GOP should be ashamed of themselves - they've been used. I'm glad to see you aren't falling for it, and also glad to see that Bob Orr isn't falling for it ( http://www.blogorr08.com/ ).
This is amazing stuff BJ. Thank you for staying above the fray in all of this, for staying above reproach. It will pay off in the end.
They think they're helping but they're really just making people lose trust in the NC GOP and making it harder for Republicans to be elected in NC.
The ad focuses on the issue of the beliefs of persons that the leading Democrat candidate surrounds himself with. That leading candidate would very likely appoint these persons as well as persons with similar opinions to high positions were he to win because the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Those Democrats who support him will legitimately share the successes or defeats of their lead candidate, and will be encouraged to share the outlooks of their leaders. For that reason, it is very, very important that North Carolinians understand the positions that are accepted by the Democrat Party, and consider those issues when voting. Sorry, BJ, but I am in complete support of running this ad.
Sorry, BJ, but I'm with Laura on this one. This shows that the NC GOP has guts, is not afraid of being politically incorrect, and is actually trying to win. This may reflect poorly on the uninspiring quality of the GOP candidates, but politics is not about playing nice. It's about advancing our ideas and our agenda and, without a spectacularly inspiring candidate, we are right to publicize the flaws of the other side.
As Bill Buckley once said, let us engage in "honest intellectual combat." This healthy dose of mud-slinging might be provocative, but it's not dishonest. We are unequivocally right on the issues and that should be enough to sway voters, but sometimes it helps to point out how wrong the other side is.
"..and is actually trying to win."
Well, this is the problem and I think it's what BJ is speaking to. The GOP needs moderates (of both parties) and independents if it's going to win. These ads fire up an already loyal and partisan base, but they turn off everyone else. The point isn't how YOU, an committed Republican voter, reacts to the ad, it's how independents react to it.
This kind of politics is cheap and ugly and it turns people off to the whole process. The GOP should be focusing on ways to bring people IN to the party, not drive people away from it. We can't win without building coalitions, and this style of politics only acts as a barrier to that goal.
BJ, you are right! This ad does nothing to show that the NC GOP is anything more than an group of people who brand people guilty by association. It furthers the opinion that the Republican Party cannot get elected (especially in southern states) without sullied race filled politics. This ad is despicable! Thank you BJ for your leadership and fortitude. You are incredible and as you persevere and remain positive the end will prove worth it all. Bless you, my friend!
BJ, you are right! This ad does nothing than show that the NC GOP is anything more than an group of people who brand people guilty by association. It furthers the opinion that the Republican Party cannot get elected (especially in southern states) without sullied race filled politics. This ad is despicable! Thank you BJ for your leadership and fortitude. You are incredible and as you persevere and remain positive the end will prove worth it all. Bless you, my friend!
Pastor McKinnon, the ad in question is not "sullied with race filled politics," unless you consider the politics of Jeremiah Wright. Linda Daves, the soft-spoken NC-GOP chairwoman, has said if the situation had been reversed, and Hillary had long been associating with a paranoid racist hate monger and the Dems had endorsed her, she would have done the same thing. The ad may not be very effective (it's a double bank shot), but it has helped the GOP raise money for the Fall.
It may have helped the GOP raise money, but how many people did it cause to say, "The NC GOP is a nice party that I'd like to be a part of?" Money doesn't count if you lose voters.
I didn't like McCain condemning the ad, but I didn't really like the ad, either. I support the right of the NC GOP to say what they want to say, but the ad just didn't seem to make sense. Democrats and independents who like either of these candidates are probably deciding right now whether to vote for Obama or Hillary. We need those people to come to our side in November. Is this going to help that?
I have long heard Democrats say that this conservative or that conservative is a radical because he spoke at a certain university or appeared at an event with a radical evangelical pastor with ideas most Americans wouldn't agree with. I always disagreed with those criticisms, and I still agree with those as we are trying to use it against the "enemy." Perdue and Moore didn't know that pastor or associate with him, it just seems silly to try to connect him to their campaigns.
Does every Republican who supports McCain now also support amnesty for illegal immigrants as he has for so many years? Certainly not. In the same way, Perdue and Moore don't necessarily support Obama's choice of church or pastor if they endorse him for the presidency.
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