Sen. Byrd's family denounces campaign attack ad

[Tx4obama]

Source: AP (via HuffPo)

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The family of the late Robert C. Byrd is angry after the GOP nominee for his U.S. Senate seat included an image from Byrd's West Virginia memorial service in a TV attack ad.

But the campaign of Republican John Raese is defending its use of the image. The image shows President Barack Obama sitting with Gov. Joe Manchin at the state Capitol service.

The ad seeks to tie Obama to Manchin, the Democrat running to fill the remainder of Byrd's term. The ad claims Manchin would support Obama's policies – namely the health care overhaul – while Raese would not.

A statement e-mailed to The Associated Press from Byrd's family calls the ad tasteless and insensitive.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20100905/us-west-virginia-senate/

[Gman]

1. Email back to the Byrd family: They couldn't care less

[Arkana]

2. How is it "tasteless and inoffensive"?

Did Manchin not want to be seen photographed with the President?

[elleng]

3. or support health care reform for WEST VIRGINIANS???

(concerned about 'coal,' I guess; a very difficult issue for Dems, ya know.)

[digitaln3rd]

4. Aside from the fact that it makes no sense

"An elected Democrat would continue the policies of a Democratic president.. alert the presses!"

There are far better ways to tie two people together then using footage of an event like a memorial service that, more than likely, is not a political event.

It'd be like showing a picture of John Raese and another republican sitting together at his daughter's school play and saying "SEE? Look - they're friends, they'll continue doing the same old Republican policies if elected!"

[Arkana]

23. Well, it's a shitty ad, but that doesn't make it "tasteless and inoffensive".

Just means Raese's people suck at making ads.

[Tx4obama]

5. Because...

using a photo of people at a memorial service (where people are paying their respects to a person that has DIED and condolences to the family and friends) in an ATTACK ad is tasteless and insensitive.

I guess for those that can't see that there is no way to explain.

p.s. There was a big REPUBLICAN delegation that traveled to West Virginia from D.C. for Sen. Byrd's memorial service.
I can't seem to find the list of 'em right now --- but there were lots of them.

[BrklynLiberal]

13. It is Sen Byrd's family that is objecting...not Manchin.....

Perhaps they did not really like the idea of a personal, family solemn event being used in a political campaign ad? Is that hard to fathom?

[Arkana]

24. Oh, wait...I missed the part about the picture being from Byrd's funeral.

My bad.

Yeah, then I guess it is tasteless.

[NYC Liberal]

6. Manchin should run an ad with the same image, saying

"Yes I do support President Obama and happily so!"

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tx4obama]

15. Well....

If President Obama had not gone to Senator Byrd's memorial service the whole country would have been pissed off at him for not going to express his condolences.
And the West Virginia Governor Manchin had to be there too.
It is customary to seat all the dignitaries together.
The memorial service was not a political event.
Besides Senator Obama was friends with Senator Byrd.
----------

What the hell is the matter with America these days - seems like too many people have forgotten the concept of respect and civility.

[doc03]

21. Oh I agree, Manchin pretty much had to be there sorta

damned if did and damned if didn't.

[MadMaddie]

29. You have identified what is wrong in this country.

The Republicans know as long as their is angry rhetoric and disrepect they come out on top. If Diplomacy with other countries and respect among Americans occurs the Dems come out on top.

It really is very basic...

[davidinalameda]

27. we're racist here?

wow

better go bring my cross in off the front lawn

[Tx4obama]

7. Anytime there is a funeral for a sitting senator

the governor of the state will be there especially when presidentS show up.



From left, West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., bows their heads at a memorial service for the late Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., Friday at the Capitol in Charleston, W.Va.

the whole idea that the republicans are using a photo from a memorial service in an attack ad is DISGRACEFUL!

[TK421]

12. yes it is fucking disgraceful, but these people don't care about that now, do they?

I just consider the source...they're a bunch of scumbags

[Tx4obama]

8. Here's a link to the Video Ad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbiuKUXE0NI (be sure to remember to click on the UNlike button at YouTube on the Raese ad)

it looks like Obama and Manchin are looking towards where Bill Clinton is sitting.

------

Also, BELOW* this is what Raese's campaign manager Jim Dornan is saying now:

** Dornan also noted that the image shows Obama and Manchin smiling. "I think I would be more offended that Obama and Manchin were smiling and laughing at Byrd's memorial service,'' he said. **

on page 2 --> http://dailymail.com/election10/201009050320?page=1&build=cache

[polmaven]

26. OMG!!!!

"I think I would be more offended that Obama and Manchin were smiling and laughing at Byrd's memorial service,'' he said. **

Well sure, because there is never a moment during a memorial service that people don't smile or laugh while remembering a particular light moment spent with the deceased. What a disgusting campaign this one is.

[xultar]

9. They have no fucking morals. None. Zilch. May they burn in hell.

[doc03]

10. Raese is a nut. He blames all the job loss and jobless recovery

on GWB putting tariffs on imported steel. He claims GWB putting tariffs on imported steel raised the price of steel and manufacturers quit making things. The first thing that happened after GWB put the tariffs on steel the steel consuming companies sent their lobbyists to DC and had nearly every steel product exempted from the tariffs. What raised the price of steel was China was buying all the raw materials and scrap they could and it drove steel prices up worldwide. What he is really thinking, is destroy the steel industry and other unionized industries and eliminate unions. Once you eliminate what is left of the unions people in this country will work for nothing. Mansion isn't much better the coal and insurance industry owns him.

[BrklynLiberal]

11. repukes being tasteless and insensitive? So what else is new???

Kudos to Sen Byrd's family for voicing their objections...

[backwoodsbob]

16. for real

repukes being tasteless? I could predict that as easily as the sun rising in the east.

I'm from the area.Trust me.The repukes won't win.

[BrklynLiberal]

19. I hope that you are prescient.....lol

[backwoodsbob]

30. nothing to do with presciense

as much as people like to dog on WV here...they have sent straight dem representation for over EIGHTY YEARS!Eighty years of dem governors and senators.That's right...my buddy state 5 minutes away from me...the state everyone dogs...has been very likely THE MOST LOYAL dem state in the country.

This seat will go dem.

[BrklynLiberal]

31. ....

:thumbsup:

[David Zephyr]

17. Remember Liddy Dole's attack on her Kay Hagen's faith. It cost her the Senate.

I think that this could be a deal-breaker with the good people of West Virginia.

Elizabeth Dole went one step too far, jumped the shark by attacking her opponent's faith in an ad essentially calling her godless.

Well, Liddy Dole is no longer a U.S. Senator from North Carolina.

I think that this ad by GOP candidate John Raese could be along the same lines. Manchin should play the card just as Hagen did.

Use it.

[John Kerry VonErich]

18. Manchin is very blue dog

that's what scares me. We're damned either way in the senate.

[BrklynLiberal]

20. The Dems have really lodged themselves tightly between a rock and ahrd place...

that is because they tried to be repukes "lite" to get elected instead of going with the progressives and liberals who would have actually made a difference. We can thank the DLC and the Rahm Emanuel types for that.

George Lakoff is name that should be on the lips of every Democrat, Liberal and Progressive

[doc03]

22. +1

[foxfeet]

25. WV politics can get really low, even worse than this.

But in a state where people routinely pull to the side of the road as a sign of respect to allow a funeral procession to pass (even that of a complete stranger), you don't mess with a family's private grief. This will piss off even some among the Repukes.

[liberal N proud]

28. Tasteless sick assholes.

And this is what the country wants running our government?