Politico rightly calls it a "below the belt shot". After all, the p&$$# is below the belt, isn't it?
Michael Steele's Republican National Committee has launched a ridiculous ad regarding Nancy Pelosi, featuring her with side-by-side shots with the "James Bond" villain "Pussy Galore". What Pelosi has in common with this woman, besides for the fact that they are both women, is not something that the RNC is very clear on.
Several years ago, Moveon.org undermined itself by publishing an ad referring to General David Petraeus as "General Betray Us". This is an example of the RNC making the same mistake.
Politico often takes heat around here, but they seem to be calling this one fairly-enough. Below are some examples from the piece written by Andie Coller;
But when you see Nancy Pelosi, the Republican National Committee wants you to think "Pussy Galore."
The RNC video, which begins with the speaker’s head in the iconic spy-series gun sight, implies that Pelosi has used her feminine wiles to dodge the truth about whether or not she was briefed by the CIA on the use of waterboarding in 2002.
Politico also details the more-personal attacks that conservatives and Republicans have been launching on the Speaker of the House during the past week or so. "Bitch", "hag", and overt-suggestions that she's had facial work done. Coller clearly seems to think it's gotten ugly, and I think Pelosi should take the RNC on at full-charge over this ad.
Ex-Clinton spox Phil Singer puts it well;
"As the degree of viciousness escalates and increases, I think women – and most people living in the modern era, including men – are more likely to rally to Pelosi’s cause," he says.
Sarah Palin, John McCain, and none of the House or Senate Republicans contacted by Politico have agreed to comment yet on the RNC video. Democrats shouldn't hold back. The RNC just (bleeped) itself. Might I also add a thought; how many younger-voters know who the hell Pussy Galore even is? It's from '64!\
E-mail the Huffington Post and demand that they front-page the story.
Scoop@huffingtonpost.com
UPDATE: The ad w/hat-tip to Buckeye Battlecry;