White House, Rudy roar back at 9/11 ad foes

New York Daily News ^ | 3/05/04 | MAGGIE HABERMAN in New York and KENNETH R. BAZINET in Washington

[kattracks]

The Bush campaign, stung by the uproar over its 9/11 ads, vigorously defended the controversial spots yesterday and vowed to keep them on the air.

Amid a furious counterattack spearheaded by former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik and presidential confidant Karen Hughes, one top Bush political strategist said the spots might now be shown in even more media markets than the original buy.

The first three ads began airing yesterday on cable networks and in at least 17 states.

"This is part of the President's record," Giuliani told the Daily News. "It's part of history. He did such a good job it would almost be false advertising not to include images of 9/11."

Asked whether the Bush campaign had asked him to step forward to help quell the firestorm from families of the Ground Zero dead and Democratic detractors, Giuliani added: "I volunteered to do it. When we saw the ads, we called them."

The ex-mayor's "part of history" remark was recycled throughout the day by presidential defenders, many of them recruited by Bush political aides stung by the vehemence of the backlash from the families.

"Sept. 11 is not some distant event in the past," Hughes told ABC. "It's also important to recognize the impact it had on our national public policy."

The clamor over the ads will continue today when one group of 9/11 families assembles at Ground Zero to demand that Bush pull the commercials.

The September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows quoted Bush saying on Jan. 23, "I have no ambition whatsoever to use [9/11] as a political issue." The dovish group also has opposed the Iraq war.

Some Bush supporters conceded the Ground Zero footage, particularly a fleeting glimpse of flag-draped remains being removed from the wreckage, may have been a political miscue.

The campaign "could have just used the building," said one Republican, referring to a shot of the scarred facade of one of the twin towers.

Another local Republican official was harsher, saying the Bush camp misjudged the local impact.

"They messed it up," the source said.

A GOP congressional source said, "It's an early warning to Republicans that it's a risk to be using 9/11 images. ... If there's a backlash because of it, it does more to hurt than to help."

Several GOP sources said Team Bush had been warned about the need to tread carefully with Ground Zero images and should have tested the ads with New York focus groups to check for possible trouble.

Meanwhile, a new poll showed Bush tied with Democratic challenger John Kerry, with independent candidate Ralph Nader at 6%.

The survey, conducted by The Associated Press and Ipsos-Public Affairs, reinforced Democrats' fears that Nader could cost Kerry the election.

With Thomas M. DeFrank and Kerry Burke

Originally published on March 5, 2004

[kattracks]

Another local Republican official was harsher, saying the Bush camp misjudged the local impact.

"They messed it up," the source said.

What "local impact"? Maybe in the media, but three or four people (whose motives are questionable, imo) complaining does not constitute an impact.

[Glenn]

There really is a "hate Bush" faction -- and the media is it.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

And of course, the 911 victims' families at the center of this furor, this firestorm, have absolutely no political stake in this whatsoever. They're not Democrats. Oh no.

[Fenris6]

Great idea - lets test *all* our ads in majority-Dem NYC.

Better yet, lets run them through Kerry for approval.

White House comm team is screwing it up yet again. Respond to threats with weakness only invites more threats - or didn't we learn that already? Its like we've gone to a prevent defense in the 1st quarter, but the score is tied.

Maybe Cheney & Co should be running the campaign comms...

[Prime Choice]

I wonder if the Left chided FDR for invoking Pearl Harbor in his re-election campaign.

I doubt it.

[republicangel]

"one top Bush political strategist said the spots might now be shown in even more media markets than the original buy. "

I don't know about you, but this doesn't sound weak to me. Sounds like it was planned all along. The Demos are so predictable.

[bondjamesbond]

White House comm team is screwing it up yet again. Respond to threats with weakness only invites more threats - or didn't we learn that already?

Read the article again. Karen Hughes, Rudy Giuliani, and everyone who matters is coming out swinging. The ones being mealy mouthed are "some Republicans", a "GOP Congressional souce", and "one local Republican". I'm one local Republican. I'm sure if I say something nasty about the President, the New York Daily News will highlight my comments as well.

The Democrats are squealing because they have been stuck.

I'm sure the Wicked Witch of the East was strongly opposed to flying houses and the Wicked Witch of the West was greatly offended by Dorothy's use of that bucket of water.

The 'Rats would do anything to make 9/11 off limits, but not even the Republican Party is stupid enough to let them get away with it. The ads will run, the 'Rats will squeal, and eventually everybody will figure out why.

[Heatseeker]

Exactly. Advertising people have always known that you could multiply the effect of the original ads by getting the media to cover them as news stories.

Hard to believe the Dems fell for this, but we don't call them "Dims" for nothing. :)

[Fenris6]

"I don't know about you, but this doesn't sound weak to me"

I would take Kerry's comments re this ad and turn them around in an attack add: "Why John Kerry doesn't want to talk about 9-11."

[LibLieSlayer]

You are so right. Even some Repubs here can't see that "our team" knew exactly what the dims response would be. The dims play right into Rove's hands...Every time... In less than 24 hours, the nation is focused once again on the events of 9/11.

Rush is right also. Some Republicans do not understand what it means to be the "MAJORITY PARTY".

This is just the opening volley in what will be the biggest arse-whuppin' that ole "Lurch" has ever had!!! His career is all but over!!

[cardinal4]

This is just a taste of the Dem/Kerry attack machine. Look for attacks on the color suit Bush wears and for being in Florida when 9-11 occured. There is hope, though; one of the lefties I spar with at work commented the other day that she had never seen the Dems so divisive or every single issue and felt it could be "very detrimental..."

[G.Mason]

"The campaign "could have just used the building," said one Republican, referring to a shot of the scarred facade of one of the twin towers."

Typical spinless Rhino psychobabble.

This battle is all about 9-11 and those three thousand souls lost because of a dastardly and cowardly attack on America civilians.

The Democrats want this swept under the rug.

The Democrats are our enemies enablers.

The Democrats are our enemy.

And so are some Republicans

[fsorbello]

I loved those ads...I say keep using the 9/11 stuff because it defined Bush's presidency and is also the reason we've taken the course we have.

Like the song says "Have you forgotten?" I think so many have, I still cry every time I see images from that day and it makes me proud to know we finaly did SOMETHING about it instead of calling it a political action that requires a law-enforcement response.

These people are out to kill us...America has forgotten...we neeed to remind them!

F Joghn Kerry and the Dims...they would have us all bowing at the global alter and take our cues from High Lord Annan. Well, farg that!

[abclily]

The ads contradict the Democrats' lies about W's abilities. The ads show that our President is an intelligent man who is a great leader for the dangerous times we now live in. This visual demonstration of W's superior abilities angers the Democrats. The Democrats want the standards of leadership lowered so Kerry can play on a leveled playing field.

[barker]

Better yet, lets run them through Kerry for approval.

Brit Hume last night showed the firefighter who was so outraged about the ads. He's the head of some firefighters union. Brit showed him onstage giving Kerry a "Firefighters for Kerry" shirt and endorsing Kerry for Prez.

[G.Mason]

"And of course, the 911 victims' families at the center of this furor, this firestorm, have absolutely no political stake in this whatsoever. They're not Democrats. Oh no."

And remember their names .......

Monica Gabrielle

Tom Roger

Mindy Kleinberg

Firefighter Tommy Feein Rescue Squad 270

Kristen Breitweiser

They will be heard from again.

[bondjamesbond]

This micro-flap reminds me of when the 'Rats got all upset because the word "RATS" was left on the screen of the 2000 campaign commercial for a microsecond after the "DEMOC" had scrolled off to the left. They were in high dungeon about how Bush was disrespectful and lowering the tone of the debate, etc, etc.

Objective people looked at the advertisement and saw that the offending word was, in fact, undetectable to the naked eye. That in order to display the "RATS", a digital copy had to be advanced frame-by-frame.

The upshot was that most folks realized that the Republicans were being accused falsely and were left with a vague impression that the 'Rats are a bunch of rats.

[Fledermaus]

The Bush campaign, stung by the uproar over its 9/11 ads, vigorously defended the controversial spots yesterday and vowed to keep them on the air.

TOTAL BS! You can't tell me Rove and the rest of the team didn't anticipate these attacks. They are playing into the fervor for maximum effect!!!!!

[bullseye1911]

The clamor over the ads will continue today when one group of 9/11 families assembles at Ground Zero to demand that Bush pull the commercials.

Think these are the same families who clamor that the compensation is inadequate? Or that the victims are heros? In their attacks on the President, they reveal much. While the whole nation shares their grief at those events, the transparancy of these partisan attacks cause many to realize who are really exploiting the deaths at the WTC.

[gakrak]

Right on! All of the complainers are members of anti-war groups. The dims are trying to re-write history. Give em hell GWB.