Here's what a negative campaign looks like when the opponent is an
all-round good guy who's in nobody's pocket:
Evil Hayes Propaganda:
The upshot? Be scared, seniors, Larry Kissell is going to take your pills away!
FACT:
What Larry Really Said:
The new Medicare is a boondoggle for America's seniors. Fact is that insurance companies and HMO's got billions out of the new Medicare changes. Seniors got a confusing plan and lost their right to negotiate lower drug prices. What's ironic about Hayes' ad is that AARP and I share the same position on negotiating lower drug costs. But Hayes ultimately voted for a bill that banned negotiations. It's a miracle the AARP would allow their name to be associated with Hayes.
How much money Hayes has taken in from the Health Industry in 2005-6: $45,300. He's also getting big handouts from the Insurance sector even though many residents of NC-08 are poorly insured.
Suggested response:
Dear Editor,
Today, my neighbors and I received a mailing from Congressman Robin Hayes, in which he claims that his opponent, Larry Kissell, considers the Medicare Prescription Drug plan a Boondoggle. Oh, no!
But if you look at what Kissell said, he was not arguing that seniors should not receive coverage for prescription drugs. He was saying, rightly, that the Medicare Prescription Drug plan was way more rewarding for big drug companies than for seniors (know anyone who's in the "donut hole" right now?) And Hayes can't deny that, or at least he doesn't bother to in his deceptive mailer.
It's just more of the Republicans' politics of fear and deception.
Now, onto the next piece of trash:
Evil Hayes Propaganda, Part II:
The upshot: even though Larry has a pretty clear position on the WoT, and on all things national-security related, and even though the war is not popular, I'm going to take a stab at going negative on him anyway.
FACT:
Veterans for Shared Sacrifice puts Hayes' rating on Congressional votes they find important for vets at only 25%, while North Carolina's Democratic congressmen including Mel Watt and Brad Miller score 100%.
Suggested response:
Dear editor,
Today, my neighbors and I received a mailing from Congressman Robin Hayes, in which he claims that his opponent, Larry Kissell, doesn't have a clear position on the War on Terror, while he, Robin Hayes "stands with the troops".
But Larry Kissell's position on the War in Iraq is perfectly clear: we staged them in in a year, the objectives are accomplished, and so we can stage them out in a year.
And Robin Hayes may "stand with the troops" for photo ops, but if you look at his votes on measures to take care of our troops, our veterans, our wounded, and their families, those votes tell another story.
Some dictionary definitions
Honorable (adj.) -- worthy of honor and high respect; estimable; creditable.
Execrable (adj.) -- utterly detestable; abominable; abhorrent.
Due to his position in Congress, our man with the mailers is usually labeled the Honorable Robin Hayes. But has his campaign been Honorable? Or Execrable? You be the judge.
And if this negative bullshit pisses you off, slide Larry Kissell some dollars. He's at 1933 ActBlue donors -- push him over the 2000 mark! Or if you can't afford that, kick in some phone banking to help keep him ahead of Hayes in the polls. Or, if you're in the district, send an LTE to the Charlotte Observer at opinion At charlotteobserver DoT com. Feel free to use my talking points, above.
Comments are closed on this story.