Video: Scott Murphy opposes death penalty for terrorists?
posted at 8:10 pm on March 27, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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It’s been a big day for the NY-20 special Congressional election. The Libertarian Party candidate was forced off the ballot due to technical issues with his petitions, a problem Barack Obama’s 1996 state Senate opponents might sympathize with. Democrat Scott Murphy has caught Republican Jim Tedisco in the polls. Barack Obama has lent his considerable star power to Murphy in an attempt to hold the seat for Democrats.
This new ad by the NRCC might make Obama regret that decision, though:
This is apparently Murphy speaking, and that makes it fair game — if definitely hardball. One would think that Murphy would have learned that much after the revelation of his anti-ROTC rhetoric from years ago, but apparently not. If he opposes the death penalty to the extent that he believes foreign terrorists who attack the US should not be eligible for it, that’s a political issue, and one that will put him on the fringe of NY-20.
I oppose the death penalty too, but for domestic criminal cases, not acts of war by foreign nationals against the US. There’s a very large difference between the two, and if Murphy doesn’t understand that, then voters in that district should know about it.
Murphy will complain about unfair attacks — Greg Sargent at the Plum Line has already begun that pushback — but Murphy’s the one who said it, on March 20th on the Fred Dicker show. His public statements during the campaign are open for criticism in an election. It certainly was when George Allen said “macaca”, wasn’t it? And this, at least, has something to do with policy.
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Boy, I’m not too sure about this. It could be seen as mean-spirited.
We need those moderate swing voters to broaden our party!
jjshaka on March 27, 2009 at 8:14 PM
Watch out, the MSM will suddenly have to jump in with stories of the “nastiness” of the campaign since R’s dare to attack a Dumbocrap.
gsherin on March 27, 2009 at 8:14 PM
Kill them all and let God sort it out.
Actually I can think of a number of domestic murders that required more evil, depravity and sadism than many “acts of war by foreign nationals against the US”.
MB4 on March 27, 2009 at 8:15 PM
This is a DUMB ad. The GOP is out of ideas and keep recycling Mohammed Atta’s pictures. ENOUGH! This ad will rally the Dem base and backfire like the Rev. Wright last minute ads did in PA. How about running against Pelosi? Against the reckless Democrat Congress?
Chekote on March 27, 2009 at 8:19 PM
I agree with Murphy on this, but it’s clear that this issue is like not supporting the War on Terror or the War on Drugs in that you’ll get lambasted for not towing the company line.
The Dean on March 27, 2009 at 8:21 PM
Starts slowly, but finishes with gusto. About time we started hitting back!
SouthernGent on March 27, 2009 at 8:22 PM
The Catholic Church doesn’t support the death penalty. This ad is pure nonsense. Tedisco is losing so they are desperate.
Chekote on March 27, 2009 at 8:22 PM
Dead is dead.
Johan Klaus on March 27, 2009 at 8:23 PM
If Murphy wins, I will be thoroughly embarrassed for my district.
Red Cloud on March 27, 2009 at 8:24 PM
P.S. I could have a lot more respect for a foreign national who tried to kill me on the battlefield or even in my neighborhood, than for say, one of these sub-animals who does a domestic “honor” killing or say Ted Bundy.
MB4 on March 27, 2009 at 8:25 PM
Red Cloud
Murphy will win. Tedisco is running against Wall Street instead of running againt Pelosi. What an idiot!
Chekote on March 27, 2009 at 8:25 PM
If this is the best we can do considering all that’s been going on in the two short months since Obama got to power, we’re in big trouble…
blue13326 on March 27, 2009 at 8:25 PM
What an amazingly stupid and dorkishly amateur ad that uses selective editing to make someone look bad. Anybody who buys the message of this piece of sh!t is too braindead to vote.
Make the GOP look like morons.
Dave Rywall on March 27, 2009 at 8:31 PM
Jesus endorsed capital punishment for youth that could not be controlled by their parents in the New Testament.
If they are executed, they will not do it again.
Right_of_Attila on March 27, 2009 at 8:33 PM
You bunch of lily-livered useless ungrateful idiot pansy-@$$ED POLITICIANS!!
Give me an weapon and a post and stand ‘em up. I’d send these blooodthirsty scum to the next life my frakking self. Preferably with a GE minigun or something similar.
Dark-Star on March 27, 2009 at 8:35 PM
No Drywall, your post makes you looks bad. Because it is obviously just a partisan hack spewing invective. There is a premise, but no evidence or conclusion to back it. So please go back to school and learn how to make a point in a debate.
Hawthorne on March 27, 2009 at 8:39 PM
Mark Frost, a Democrat, and owner of The Chronicle in Glens Falls, endorsed Tedisco. It will be interesting to see if The Post-Star comes out with an endorsement for Murphy just to further their feud with Mark Frost.
Here is uber-liberal Will Doolittle’s column today, which really begs the question “how old are you really, Will?”
Get your guns while it’s safe
Connie on March 27, 2009 at 8:42 PM
By the way, the NRCC has put out the worst of the ads for Tedisco. The best have been from Tedisco for Congress and the Chamber of Commerce. That said, Murphy’s ads sound like they were written by children – nasty children, at that.
Connie on March 27, 2009 at 8:45 PM
Hey ED, don’t know if any one has said this yet to you but, Timothy McVeigh was sighted for the bombing which took many lives of United States citizens in Oklahoma. That was an act of “domestic” terrorism.
Do you oppose the death penalty upon “domestic” terrorists too?
AlreadyKnownAs on March 27, 2009 at 8:46 PM
its a toss up race, so be prepared.
rob verdi on March 27, 2009 at 8:48 PM
What’s the difference? Just because a torturing, murdering POS was born here shouldn’t exempt them from the death penalty.
4shoes on March 27, 2009 at 8:51 PM
So,this particular Liberal,Scott,might think the AQ
are Freedom Fighters,
and with the likes of Ayers Anti-Americanism ideas,maybe
thats how they view this!
canopfor on March 27, 2009 at 8:57 PM
And Murphy doesn’t mind if Illegal Aliens kill Americans on American soil, thus seperating American families forever either…
RealDemocrat on March 27, 2009 at 9:00 PM
I expect Murphy to win.
People have tasted Socialism and they like it.
artist on March 27, 2009 at 9:04 PM
getalife on March 27, 2009 at 9:07 PM
Yes probably. Even our so-called “conservatives” cannot possibly fathom executing domestic terrorists or child murderers. Much less an inadequate employee of the people who is bent on dismantling our way of life here.
AlreadyKnownAs on March 27, 2009 at 9:11 PM
This pisses me off like you wouldn’t believe.
nickj116 on March 27, 2009 at 9:11 PM
getalife, you really need to get a life. While you are entertaining, in an “Oh my God, can she really be that dense?” sort of way, it’s apparent you don’t learn. Really, try thinking just a bit before hitting “Submit Comment”.
Buford Gooch on March 27, 2009 at 9:11 PM
It`s a tough issue!
In Liberal-speak,translation,he doesn`t want to piss off
the muslim moderate vote,or the hard line muslim terrorist
vote,or the lefty Moonbat truther(controlled demolition)vote!
Or,the Anti-War Moonbat vote,Against the Death Penalty vote,
or piss off any other Lefty America who view everything thro
ugh the lenses of any law!
canopfor on March 27, 2009 at 9:11 PM
People who have tasted Socialism and they like it.
artist on Mar 27,2009 at 9:04PM.
artist:
And those that were murdered under socialism,never got the
chance to regret it!
canopfor on March 27, 2009 at 9:15 PM
Chekote…. read the Catechism before you make comments about the Catholic Church and the death penalty. It provides rationale for such an act.
MNDavenotPC on March 27, 2009 at 9:22 PM
Only Roastbeefers love the socialism…
RealDemocrat on March 27, 2009 at 9:30 PM
Personally, I’m all for the death penalty for capital crimes – but not for captured terrorists. Keep them alive as long as possible – in isolation. That way, they are denied their final victory.
OldEnglish on March 27, 2009 at 9:42 PM
I can respect your view on the death penalty, but I don’t understand your logic. It doesn’t depend on the action, but where the perpetrator is from?
With all due respect, that sounds more like a “feel good” reason than a well thought out one.
cozmo on March 27, 2009 at 10:09 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Er7y2Pvpss&feature=PlayList&p=F842D1F79F17E0A5&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=3
How about waterboarding them and then executing them?
RealDemocrat on March 27, 2009 at 10:27 PM
Hmm, isn’t that rather backward? After all the Geneva Convention protects PoWs from execution. I would make a distinction between actual soldiers and terrorists though. Anyway, this entire debate is polluted by the ridiculousness that we have seen over the last eight years. It is hard to tell what is a enemy that is protected by the Geneva convention vs one that is not any more.
Hawthorne on March 27, 2009 at 11:08 PM
It is pretty sad when Americans can’t tell the difference between right and wrong. Wrappping yourselves in legal matters just poisons the stew. This is why Gitmo should never be closed. These are enemies and changing what you call them doesn’t fix the problem. Democrats are so squishy on most everything. They have no moral authority and are willing to let every huge crime slide because they never recognize evil nor are they willing to punish it. They deserve Scott Murphy. Too bad the rest of us don’t.
BetseyRoss on March 27, 2009 at 11:43 PM
I don’t either. I hope the POS who issued this ad loses the election.
radiofreevillage on March 28, 2009 at 12:32 AM
So one killer is more equal than another killer? Animal house.
Johan Klaus on March 28, 2009 at 12:43 AM
Who are you going to vote for?
Johan Klaus on March 28, 2009 at 12:47 AM
No, just typical partisan hackery.
radiofreevillage on March 28, 2009 at 1:08 AM
The “tough issue” for Murphy was whether he should call out the question for what it was, a deliberately inflammatory and ultimately irrelevant hypothetical that entrapped Murphy no matter his response. If he said “yes I support the death penalty for those acts” he is a flip flopper who can’t stand by his convictions. If he stays true to his beliefs and says, I oppose it in all instances he’s painted as soft on terrorism. I really don’t think this will work against Scott Murphy. The reason the polls are tighetning, apparently, is people are over the negative campaign Tedisco is running. Way to up that ante NRCC.
DeathToMediaHacks on March 28, 2009 at 7:09 AM
Anyone who opposes the death penalty for terrorists, repeat after me…TIMOTHY MCVEIGH…
Mr. Grump on March 28, 2009 at 7:56 AM
With all due respect, Ed — and you are indeed due the highest respect from all HA participants for your many thoughtful contributions — I believe that in this instance you are sadly wrong.
A murderer is a murderer is a murderer, irrespective of nationality. That said, I can readily understand those who might oppose the death penalty based on strict pro-life considerations, but it seems to me that such a belief should apply across the board, again irrespective of the nationality (or motivation) of the perpetrator.
Likewise, for those of us who are constrained to the other view — that all who murder with intent or commit other heinous acts on the innocent — should themselves be put to an early death, we should apply that view without regard to birthplace or national origin of the villain.
Hence, I am puzzled by your distinction. Then again, I’m from Texas, where 911 is a number you call only when your gun is jammed or you’re out of bullets.
TXUS on March 28, 2009 at 8:08 AM
Chenoke – Just FYI: The Catholic Church does not rule out capital punishment entirely. The Catechism, approved by JPII, does allow for the death penalty if there is no other way to prevent the criminal from performing future acts (CCC 2267), although this is admittedly rare in today’s justice system. So, no absolute prohibition, like against abortion, but close.
This is a great ad. The part that stood out to me was Murphy’s qualification of being uncertain about the guilt of the perpetrators. Only the nutty 9/11 truthers have any doubt that those fanatics on those planes were guilty as hell.
inmypajamas on March 28, 2009 at 9:59 AM
Oops – Chekote.
inmypajamas on March 28, 2009 at 10:02 AM
No one. he is not old enough.
Wade on March 28, 2009 at 10:33 AM
Who are you going to vote for?
Johan Klaus on March 28, 2009 at 12:47 AM
No one. he is not old enough.
Wade on March 28, 2009
Isn’t drywall a Canadian? I thought they didn’t allow the mentally infirm to vote up there.
SKYFOX on March 28, 2009 at 10:40 AM
There is no difference, Ed, once they have been caught and are under the power of our Government. The same possibilities of innocence are there, and the same “shooting fish in a barrel” argument still holds:
So, interestingly, Murphy’s position is very Catholic — something unexpected among the baby-slayers.
unclesmrgol on March 28, 2009 at 12:49 PM
I am all for the death penalty for terrorist , this should be their fate
Mojack420 on March 28, 2009 at 12:52 PM
if we never killed are enemies we would still be british or nazi from world war 2 or under japan the only way to ensure peace is to kill your enemies i wish that was not true but it is.now are goverment wants to turn the terrorist from club gitmo loose in america. i don’t think america is asleep i think there in a coma .wakeup america before its too late.
wade underhile on March 29, 2009 at 9:37 AM
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