Saxby Chambliss has been shameless in his denigration of vets against whom he has run for the U.S. Senate. He has accused them, either explicitly or implicitly, of lack of patriotism, cowardice, and lack of concern for our national security.
John McCain's stumping for Chambliss tomorrow provides the perfect opportunity for Jim Martin in his campaign ads to call Chambliss to account for his hypocrisy and slanders.
A few days ago, I responded to a diary from annrose on Georgia's Senate runoff race by posting a comment suggesting that the Jim Martin campaign, and Democratic campaigns in general, should create effective ads calling out Republican scumbags like Saxby Chambliss on their lies and misrepresentations of their Democratic opponents and pointedly asking the electorate if they want to be represented by someone who engages in lies, deceptions, and character assassination.
In Chambliss' case, the hypocrisy and lies go beyond the pale of what even other Republicans typically do.
The level of Chambliss' hypocrisy in claiming to be patriotic and strong on national security is breathtaking. The man received five student deferments during the Vietnam War yet claims today that he couldn't serve because of a "bum knee" from an old football injury. Actually, though, the Selective Service System (the draft board for those of you under 40) classified Chambliss as 1-A (suitable for military service, with no physical disability). Furthermore, he is currently considered the second-best golfer in the Senate and is ranked 33rd in Washington, D.C. (not to mention that he plays every year in the annual Congressional baseball game). The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has an excellent webpage detailing Chambliss' dismal voting record on veterans' matters and his military deferments. Another good roster of Chambliss' voting record is summarized at this Craig's List
blog. The blog also collates the scores and grades that Chambliss has received from various veterans' organizations: his support for veterans, based on his voting record, is at best mediocre and at worst horrendous.
The DSCC is pushing back on Chambliss, airing an Internet ad capitalizing on John McCain's disgust at Chambliss' attack ads on triple-amputee Vietnam vet Max Cleland in the 2002 election cycle. But, they and the Martin campaign could do more.
I suggest an ad -- with a heavy buy across the state from now until the runoff election -- that would:
(1) show the worst accusations against Max Cleland and Jim Martin from Chambliss' 2002 ad against Cleland and his current ad against Martin;
(2) ask rhetorically what Chambliss' qualifications are to question the patriotism and commitment to national security of his opponents, both former and current;
(3) demonstrate Chambliss' "patriotism" by listing his five military deferments, set against photos of Cleland and Martin in uniform in Vietnam;
(4) demonstrate Chambliss' commitment to the military and national security by listing a few of his most egregious Senate votes, set against his worst scores/grades from prominent veterans' organizations; and
(5) ask the voters, "So, who is really the patriotic candidate who supports the troops?"