North Carolina GOP pulls Wright ad; Update: Maybe not
posted at 4:09 pm on April 24, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Weak, although it ends up hurting Hillary more than McCain since she’s the one who stood to benefit most immediately from it. Like LiveLeak vis-a-vis “Fitna,” though, they accomplished part of their mission simply by getting it out on the Net, where cable news picked it up and gave it a day’s worth of free national airtime. They accomplished something else, too — baiting Obama into saying something as stupid as this:
Obama, in Indiana, said he assumes if McCain “thinks that it’s an inappropriate ad, that he can get them to pull it down since he’s their nominee and standard bearer.”
Oh, the fun we’ll have reminding him of that going forward. Does that precedent apply only to state parties, I wonder, or to any and all outside groups — like, say, MoveOn or that new David Brock outfit — over which the party might conceivably have sway? There’s a lot more Democratic weaponry at stake here than Republican so Barry had better put his head together with this imbecile’s and sketch out for us when, precisely, the nominee should be expected to ride herd over his ideological allies. Exit question: When does he intervene to get this crap yanked?
Update: Reuters and MSNBC say they’re pulling it, but it’s news to the party.
Reports that the N.C. Republican Party is pulling a planned TV advertisement about Barack Obama are false, Republican chairwoman Linda Daves said Thursday.
“I can’t be emphatic enough that we’re running the ad,” Daves told the Observer. “We are not pulling the ad. It has never been a consideration for us to pull the ad.”
Several media outlets, including MSNBC, have reported that the party reversed course Thursday and will not run the ad. The ad has been scheduled to begin running Monday on evening newscasts in North Carolina…
Daves, of Charlotte, said the reports originated with a “miscommunication” among party leaders, including National Committeeman Dave Lewis.
“He made the statement, `We’re going to run the ad once,’ or something,” Daves said. “It’s a work in progress. We could run it once. We could run it five times.”
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According to Howard Dean, then, McCain passed this leadership test with flying colors.
Will the DNC be issuing a new email touting McCain’s leadership qualities?
aunursa on April 24, 2008 at 4:15 PM
Thats too bad.
ctmom on April 24, 2008 at 4:16 PM
The answer is simple. The old liberal double standard rule will apply to political attack ads. Do as I say, not as I do.
swami on April 24, 2008 at 4:17 PM
So, this means Obama is going to tell the whole truth about McCains’ quotes, right? You know, the 100 year war thing and all the other ’so called quotes’? Being the gentleman he is, it’s only the right thing to do, right? McCain stepped up, why not Obama?
oakpack on April 24, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Or he could just settle for getting them to stop calling him an Alzheimer’s patient who wears diapers.
Esthier on April 24, 2008 at 4:20 PM
pathetic, you’d think this ad connected Obama to bin laden or something. Instead of his actual preacher of 20 yrs and mentor who had an official position in his campaign.
jp on April 24, 2008 at 4:22 PM
This is maddening.
Dubn8tr on April 24, 2008 at 4:23 PM
Obama is really kind of childlike in a lot of ways. Not stupid. But I wouldn’t say smart either. More like precocious. A precocious child who is about to get spanked.
D0WNT0WN on April 24, 2008 at 4:23 PM
btw, per charlotte.com a TV outlet from Raleigh is making headlines for rejecting the ad and refusing to run it. Will they do this to the 527’s that will be running alot of similar ads? Is this the liberal playbook on this emerging? Just get your liberal outlets to refuse to run it?
jp on April 24, 2008 at 4:24 PM
I hate John McCain.
Hilts on April 24, 2008 at 4:27 PM
From Linda Daves on WBT at 4:20pm; “We are not pulling the ad — it is a rumor.” She was very adamant, and is accepting funds to run the ad.
ncpatriot on April 24, 2008 at 4:28 PM
http://www.charlotte.com/109/story/594686.html
I’m not sure about the TV version, but WRAL is a CONSERVATIVE radio station in Raleigh. Its were Jesse Helms started his career on radio???? Something is seriously wrong here.
jp on April 24, 2008 at 4:31 PM
According to NC GOP they have not pulled the ad and do not intend to pull the ad.
Mott on April 24, 2008 at 4:32 PM
This is why operation chaos was so necessary to the airing of all this dirty laundry and to bloodying up Obama. Because of race and McCain too many in the GOP and on the right will be afraid to do it themselves. Thank heavens for Hillary.
D0WNT0WN on April 24, 2008 at 4:33 PM
I believe that my posts here at HotAir show that I give candidates the benefit of the doubt in the little concocted scandals. I read these scandals and I roll my eyes. On the issue of Obama’s minister, I come down very differently. Rev. Wright is part of the big picture of how Obama sees America. It fits in with Obama’s association with American hating terrorists and with Obama’s support from America haters like MoveOn.org and the Gitmo defence lawyers. Obama’s association with Rev. Wright needs to be aired in the context of American hating, though I suppose the campaign ads can’t use the accurate term.
I hope McCain’s campaign doesn’t get too “respectful” towards Obama. The world can’t afford Obama as Jimmy Carter 2. Let’s remember the results from the last time: murder, torture, and terrorism from the mullahs of Iran; the starvation and ruin of the Zimbabwe economy, and so forth. American hating just doesn’t work as a foreign policy.
(Perhaps, I’m just following up on Ann Coulter, but Hilary doesn’t hate America like Obama and would have a far more sensible foreign policy.)
thuja on April 24, 2008 at 4:33 PM
I was amazed when I heard about the ad in question, but not amazed when it was pulled. I thought for a minute there that some Republicans somewhere must have grown a spine, but alas.
Hannity’s been playing the pope saying, “God bless America,” followed by Wright (the ridiculous apostate racist) shreiking “No no no, God damn America!!!” No greater contrast between Christendom and its heretical immitators can be imagined.
Akzed on April 24, 2008 at 4:33 PM
McCain is a hamster-faced punk who’s not worthy of my vote, if this is how he treats his friends.
Spanglemaker on April 24, 2008 at 4:34 PM
McCain stepped up, why not Obama?
Mccain took the only road he could, he will keep doing this till the end.
Obama will slit his own wrists before this is all over, just sit back and watch the show.
TroubledMonkey on April 24, 2008 at 4:34 PM
http://www.ncgop.org to donate.
ncpatriot on April 24, 2008 at 4:34 PM
basically, if this ad is off limits then ANY ad or attack on Obama over his SEPERATIST CHURCH is off limits!!!!!
the ad was MILD for crying out loud.
McCain you frickin’ idiot.
jp on April 24, 2008 at 4:35 PM
This worked out nicely for McCain as well as the NCGOP. The ad is on everywhere, and they didn’t even have to pay for airtime. I’ve heard it at least 10 times today, HA! McCain gets to keep claiming the high road and even took a few jabs from some in his own party, which can only help McCain with moderates that really do care more about issues than gotcha politics. Life is good!
myamphibian on April 24, 2008 at 4:37 PM
We can’t do this, we can’t do that, we can’t do squat, we can’t bring up this, we can’t bring up that. Does ONE single person have an ounce of gonads in the rep. party to stop this crud?
L
letget on April 24, 2008 at 4:37 PM
WIMPS!! The ad told the truth about this snob’s background.
Mooseman on April 24, 2008 at 4:38 PM
Forget how Jenna Bush may vote, I’m pretty convinced Juan McShame is going to vote for Obama!
All hail the Messiah!
dmann on April 24, 2008 at 4:40 PM
perhaps we should’ve nominated Paul and just had it out. Newslettergate vs. Wrightgate, tit for tat…..hey, they’d find common ground on blaming America for the world’s problems atleast.
jp on April 24, 2008 at 4:40 PM
perhaps in this instance, however he set precedence for the real Wright and Ayers related ads to come from 527’s. The Dems will immediately point to this case and call on McCain to condemn it.
Of course we mainly need the moderates and blue collar Dems to here this stuff in totality and think about it on their own a little before the election, that should do the trick
jp on April 24, 2008 at 4:45 PM
McCain will be booed at his next NC appearance. He is so out of touch with conservatives we may yet have a chance to boot him at the convention. This is just the beginning of the end of McVain. He won’t get 70% of the vote in next week’s primary.
Valiant on April 24, 2008 at 4:48 PM
Relevance = 0.
I don’t love him, but I don’t “hate” him either, as Hilts said, above.
Entelechy on April 24, 2008 at 4:52 PM
There are less than eight months until the election, an election that will decide the next President of the United States . The person elected will be the president of all Americans, not just the Democrats or the Republicans. To show our solidarity as Americans, let’s all get together and show each other our support for the candidate of our choice. It’s time that we all came together, Democrats and Republicans alike.
If you support the policies and character of John McCain, please drive with your headlights on during the day.
If you support Obama or Hillary, please drive with your headlights off at night.
myamphibian on April 24, 2008 at 4:58 PM
Looks like the surrender reflex isn’t exclusive to the Democrats.
thirteen28 on April 24, 2008 at 5:00 PM
I was suprised when I read that it was pulled today, right after Rush said that Linda Daves was one of the few Republicans in the country right now with a spine.
So, I’m not surprised if it’s not going to be pulled
eeyore on April 24, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Heh! Nice.
Weight of Glory on April 24, 2008 at 5:02 PM
This is just great politics all around. I just love it. Poor Obama’s had a very bad 3 weeks. Let’s help him have another and another and another….
funky chicken on April 24, 2008 at 5:09 PM
I would not have pull the ad. If he can’t take the heat he should get out of the kitchen.
jdun on April 24, 2008 at 5:12 PM
ACTION ALERT FOR FELLOW NC VOTERS:
Send a message to McCain and the RINOs. Do not vote for him in the GOP primary. If we could keep him under 70%, he might realize he had better stop screwing conservatives.
Valiant on April 24, 2008 at 5:12 PM
Go to ncgop.org to donate to KEEP THE AD on the air — it was ONLY A RUMOR that it was pulled. Chairman Daves has stated she WILL NOT PULL THE AD!
ncpatriot on April 24, 2008 at 5:25 PM
to Valiant, Unfortunately, McCain has come to the conclusion that he doesn’t need Conservatives, so he will never ask for our votes; he wants to be the President of everyone, er, everyone who agrees with him. Our big decision will be who to write in…
McCain is anything BUT a Leader…, he wants everyone on “his side” before he’ll do anything.
ncpatriot on April 24, 2008 at 5:28 PM
looking at your posting history you don’t have the GOP’s best interest at heart.
Chakra Hammer on April 24, 2008 at 5:29 PM
Conservatives like ads with misspelled words..
Chakra Hammer on April 24, 2008 at 5:29 PM
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/04/22/video-new-lame-willie-horton-attack-ad-against-obama-debuts/
Chakra Hammer on April 24, 2008 at 5:37 PM
I hope McCain realizes that when you show weakness, people who mean to do you ill decide to up the ante.
You have to land punches if you want to win- if this ad is too much he may blow this election yet.
jjshaka on April 24, 2008 at 6:00 PM
I emailed the GM of WRAL TV yesterday to find out why they aren’t going to air the ad. I still haven’t heard anything. I’ll give him another day, then it’ll be a phone call.
SouthernGent on April 24, 2008 at 6:02 PM
Calm down guys.
McCain is trying to neuter moveon.org by showing he is against negative attack ads, Obama will have no choice but to follow suit.
When the ads come out, they will fall flat, because a lot of indies will remember McCain wanting to take the high road.
Something I learned a long time ago…..get a reputation for getting to work early and you can sleep in every day.
Meanwhile, everyone is talking about and showing this ad, FOR FREE AND NOT JUST IN NC!! Get it?
By McCain causing a little hullabaloo about it, the whole damn nation is seeing it for free!!
If you think this is being done by accident, well, I got a bridge to sell you!
Rove you magnificent bastard!
ArmyAunt on April 24, 2008 at 6:17 PM
I’m beginning to put McCain in the idiot box with Newt.
Onager on April 24, 2008 at 6:48 PM
ArmyAunt on April 24, 2008 at 6:17 PM
If you are doing Huckster type behavior to get free publicity, instead of doing the right thing every time, then you are not fit to be a leader.
Its really sad, anyone with an R could win against any of the Democrats running, and we ended up with McCain.
Conservative Voice on April 24, 2008 at 7:48 PM
I say, LET THE AD RUN.
Let America see the culture of moral corruption in the DNC and its supporters.
madmonkphotog on April 24, 2008 at 8:13 PM
Well said. Projecting Rovian logic to McCain is like putting Mary Kay on the pet pig. McCain’s magnanimity only wafts leftward. Don’t be a republican rival of McCain. He reserves special hostility and attack adds for them.
Cold Steel on April 24, 2008 at 8:22 PM
I fight liberalism no matter what party it is in. It is more dangerously effective in our party so we must fight it here harder.
Valiant on April 24, 2008 at 8:47 PM
Valiant on April 24, 2008 at 8:47 PM
That’s why Chakra testy with you. The squish moderate Rudy-ites want us to abandon principles for expediency. Holding hard and fast to ethics, morals, and logic is too frightening. It’s hilarious to see Chakra chirp about the GOP’s best interests.
Cold Steel on April 24, 2008 at 8:54 PM
The McCainites are all putting party before principle. Most of them are open-border fanatics anyway.
Valiant on April 24, 2008 at 9:41 PM
Memo to McCain and the RNC: You’re morons.
Log on April 24, 2008 at 9:55 PM
The amazing thing to me. . . not only the GALL that McCain would have to have to make this comment. . . but it is the ONLY clip of this speech that I’ve actually seen the curse words bleeped out!
Why is this censored version of this speech any more offensive than the hours and hours of unedited versions of this speech. I mean if he had said ‘Fuc*’ America that would have been bleeped. But GD America gets shot across the airwaves for ratings.
There is nothing wrong about this ad. It shows an anti-American association and poor judgment. He stands in front of a sign that says ‘judgment to lead’ and he’s going to lead us into the gates of hell. The people who endorse Obama show similarly poor judgment.
There is nothing wrong with this ad. But the GOP in NC is effectively done – primarily because of McCain. This sealed it for me. . . and I’m certain McCain won’t win here. . . mark it down. It might not matter to anyone, but this state is going to vote for the D this year. Good job McCain. I will look forward to your wasting another 84 million taxpayer dollars for your loss.
ThackerAgency on April 24, 2008 at 9:59 PM
Excuuuuse me, but my main principle here is what’s best for the nation. The party that loses the White House this year may fly apart completely. Oh, and if conservatives are supposed to benefit so much from the GOP flying apart, why couldn’t they get the numbers together to prevent McCain?
Sekhmet on April 24, 2008 at 10:02 PM
Right now, the last thing McCain needs is to refocus the Democrats on defeating him. The whole point of Chaos here is to make them burn up the money on each other, then give them no time to refocus on the general.
Sekhmet on April 24, 2008 at 10:05 PM
Because conservatives are the minority in the party. As minorities with no place to go, it is time to riot.
Valiant on April 24, 2008 at 10:17 PM
I have no idea if this was intentional or not, and I won’t venture a guess, but:
This ad is getting national play now, instead of just NC play. It’s gotten almost 100,000 youtube hits, and it’s been all over tv and the internet. I even heard NPR do a lengthy story on it this afternoon, complete with audio of the ad, and a very good interview with the NC lady who refuses to kill the ad. This is a state ad that ordinarily would have never been seen nationally if not for this kerfuffle.
Master Rove is pleased.
juliesa on April 24, 2008 at 10:22 PM
Here’s a great ad for the Washington state gubernatorial race that I just saw on Hannity and Colmes.
FloatingRock on April 25, 2008 at 1:00 AM
McCain throws more Republicans under the bus-he just keeps reaffirming my decision to vote third party come November.
Goodale on April 25, 2008 at 2:29 AM
McCain should keep being Mr. Clean.
The new media will take care of the rest.
mylegsareswollen on April 25, 2008 at 4:53 AM
The ad was a bit weak on its merits. It purported to attack not Obama but the Democratic gubernatorial candidates, Beverly Perdue and Richard Moore, for having endorsed him. Yet the only bad thing they can say about Obama (and therefore, Moore and Perdue for endorsing him) is that he had a long standing friendship with Wright? C’mon, guilt by association is dicey enough; guilt by association with an association is really pushing it.
That said, I think most of the national debate misses the point of the ad. The ad had no chance of influencing either primary (gubernatorial or Presidential) and given Obama’s stature in the NC Democrat polls, I doubt it was ever intended to. What it was intended to do, I think, was to closely link the gubernatorial and Presidential elections in voters’ minds. They’re not singling out Obama because he’s the worse candidate, but because they’re betting he is the one that will ultimately become the nominee. Come November, if NC voters think of the Democratic gubernatorial candidate and the Democratic Presidential candidate as two peas in a pod, the Republican gubernatorial candidate will win. If they don’t, he probably won’t.
Xrlq on April 25, 2008 at 7:02 AM
McCain is playing his cards right (even though I will hold my nose when vote for him). He was in N’Orleans in the poorest, hardest hit section of that city yesterday promising the moon. McCain is taking the high road on Hussein O’Bigot attack ads.
Take the high road and allow the henchmen to do the dirty work.
saved on April 25, 2008 at 7:08 AM
I hope the NCGOP accepts Paypal. They’ll be getting more than I’d ever give McCain.
Spanglemaker on April 25, 2008 at 9:58 AM
We conservatives can only hope to keep enough house and senate seats to keep our head above water until the which ever of these three liberals term is up. If your a conservative, this election could not have worked out worse.
I don’t know who will win the general election but I just don’t think its gonna matter very much.
Big Orange on April 25, 2008 at 12:50 PM
saved on April 25, 2008 at 7:08 AM
I hate the notion that it is considered taking the high road to ignore the truth. The ads aren’t racist, they expose racists. They aren’t dirty, they expose a dirty relationship. This is an issue that Obama needs to address. McCain had more vile dirty tricks against Romney than this ad…and he has the gale to past judgment?
And if you pass judgment, make sure you aren’t just saying things that the media wants to hear, but that you are standing on principles.
Every time I think I could hold my nose and vote for McCain, he reminds me why he is unfit to be President.
Conservative Voice on April 25, 2008 at 3:03 PM
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