ROVE cranking up Dirty Tricks?....how despicable is this...

[RedEarth]

October 15, 2004
DIRTY TRICKS MONTH: REPUBLICANS HAVE NOT LEARNED THEIR FLYER LESSON

WHAT IS IT WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THE SOUTH and disgusting political flyers and mailers?

A nasty flyer has turned up in Tennesse politics which depicts a handicapped athlete running on a track with George Bush's face pasted on.

The text reads:

Voting for Bush is Like Running in the Special Olympics -- Even if You Win, You're Still Retarded.

The Traditional Values Coalition and other right wing operations in the South jumped on this fast alleging that Tennessee Democrat Craig Fitzhugh's office, which shares space with the Kerry/Edwards Campaign, was distributing this flyer.

I have just spoken to Fitzhugh's office -- and here are the facts so far.

First, the Chairman of the Democratic Party Randy Button and Craig Fitzhugh have denied that these flyers were produced and/or distributed by Fitzhugh's or the campaign office.

Remember when the equally nasty RNC mailer emerged in West Virginia and Arkansas? It took more than a week for Ed Gillespie and the RNC, which originally disavowed knowledge of the mailer, to own up that the "ban the Bible" mailer was an RNC product. In this case, the denial from the Dems is immediate and firm.

Fitzhugh's office reported to me that they have asked the District Attorney's office to investigate and looks at this flyer and the attempt to pin it on Fitzhugh as a disgusting -- but more importantly -- an illegal act.

What has been reported is that these flyers were left in a trash can in Fitzhugh's office. No one on Fitzhugh's staff or among campaign volunteers saw that these flyers had been deposited by anyone in the garbage. Shortly after some unknown individual dropped the flyers in the trash can, another individual came into the office and found the flyers in Fitzhugh's trash -- and then made this public.

Coincidence? I think not. I hope the D.A. goes after these culprits and nails them hard.

This appears to be a classic dirty trick.

But when the dust clears on this one -- despite the efforts of Fox News and the Traditional Values Coalition to try to keep this mailer linked to Democrats -- the RNC has to not only live with its admission of producing and distributing a duplicitous, homophobic mailer but that it has produced a culture in its party where this kind of political prank seems to be becoming a norm.

-- Steve Clemons

Posted by steve at October 15, 2004 10:53 AM

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/000119.html

MORE AT JOSH MARSHALLS SITE....

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_10_10.php#003688

[Catfight]

1. Rove is good. Next Kerry will eat your children if he wins! You have

to give it to Rove, there's no amount of low he won't go for Bush. He's mama should be proud to have raised such a psychopath.

[MatrixEscape]

2. Overused, but maybe useful on the gullible?

Same stuff as Bush's gubernatorial race in Texas, ey? I don't think Bush would have become Governor of Texas without a strong dose of dirty, pre-emptive attacks and slurs.

So, do people, on a National level, see that Bush/Rove reach into the toilet and start flinging their feces as a final resort?

What would you expect from a juvenile, egotistical, failure-prone dimwit who wants to keep his power above all else? What would expect from a man like Rove whose sale of his Soul probably commanded a decent price?

Such an honorable platform to run on. One not befitting the Office of President of these United States. I certainly hope that the Roveian gutter tactics are well-documented and emphasized after the election. People who win office that way are more dangerous and suspect than beneficial. I hope that people will be educated to see that gutter is as gutter does.

The People need to cast doubt and shame on attempts to denigrate the opponant. It should be seen for what it is. It should be noted as a form of poltical terrorism, not aggresive campaigning. I contrast that to pointing out your opposition's mistakes, foibles, or record.

Ethics? Hmmmm?

[grasswire]

3. it's all spelled out right here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1079958

It has begun. Rove intends to win the WH the same way he won in 1994. Yes. 1994.