Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Group Led By Iraq War Veteran Will Air Ad Attacking Allen (Will Target Others in Congress too)
Hampton Roads - Pilot Online ^ | 9/13/06

Posted on 09/13/2006 10:26:11 AM PDT by areafiftyone

RICHMOND — An obscure new political group headed by an Iraq War veteran will begin airing television ads today that accuse Republican Sen. George Allen of voting to withhold lifesaving body armor for U.S. troops.

The bluntly worded 30-second ad by VoteVets.org is significant because it's the first attack ad of this year's hotly contested Senate race between Allen and Democrat Jim Webb.

It's also the first of many likely to be aired this fall not by campaigns but by so-called 527 organizations similar to 2004's anti-Kerry Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and the pro-Democrat Americans Coming Together.

The ad's tone is aggressive from the start. It opens with Peter Granato, an Army reservist who served in Iraq in 2003, standing in a desert holding an AK-47 assault rifle. He fires the weapon at two mannequins, one outfitted with a Vietnam-era flak jacket, the other wearing modern body armor.

"The difference is life," Granato says, opening the new bulletproof vest to show an unscathed mannequin, "or death," he says, opening the old vest to reveal four bullet holes.

"Senator George Allen voted against giving our troops this," Granato says, holding one of the new vests up to the camera. "Now it's time for us to vote against him."

The ad's shocking claim — that Allen deliberately denied troops lifesaving equipment — outraged Allen's campaign.

"This ad is deceitful and a lie," Allen campaign manager Dick Wadhams said.

Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said the ad seemed to go "way too far."

VoteVets.org chairman Jon Soltz said it is not endorsing Webb, a Vietnam combat veteran who opposed the 2003 Iraq invasion, just opposing Allen. He said Allen is the first candidate the ad will target, but that it will be run against other House or Senate candidates as the organization's finances allow.

Soltz defended the claim, based on a vote Allen cast in 2003 against an amendment Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., offered to boost National Guard and Reserves equipment funding by $1 billion.

Landrieu's amendment died on a 52-47 vote with Sen. John W. Warner, R-Va., and every other Republican voting to table Landrieu's bill. One Democrat, Zell Miller of Georgia, voted with the GOP majority.

"This was a life-or-death vote, and he voted death," said Soltz, an Army Reserves captain who served with the 1st Armored Division in Baghdad.

He said in a telephone interview that many in his unit were issued the Vietnam-era jackets, while others were given the vests for the modern system, but not the armor plates to insert in the vest to make it bulletproof.

"In fact, we put Iraqi plates in our vests after we got there because we found a bunch of them abandoned at the Baghdad airport," Soltz said.

Wadhams angrily denied the claim, saying the Defense Department issued none of the dark olive flak jackets used in the '60s and '70s in Iraq's desert environment.

The ad's scandalous charge and its adamant tone could boomerang if voters find it too outrageous, Sabato said.

"Say what you will about George Allen, but I don't think you can credibly say that he voted not to protect American troops," he said.

VoteVets.org is among a growing number of tax-exempt, nonprofit political advocacy organizations formed under Section 527 of the IRS code. They can influence federal elections through voter mobilization and issue advertisements. In 2003-04, they raised more than $400 million for their activities.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also will begin airing so-called "independent expenditure" ads benefiting Webb.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: 527; antibush; bushbashing; democratfrontgroup; kerrygroup
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-58 last
To: areafiftyone

FYI, the Virginia blogs are reporting that Rasmussen has:

Allen 50
Webb 43

I can't get to it on Rasmussen because it's for "premium" members.


41 posted on 09/13/2006 11:52:41 AM PDT by Corin Stormhands (HHD: Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

Comment #42 Removed by Moderator

Comment #43 Removed by Moderator

To: Tiggs6
Bottom-line, IMO, is Allen's campaign needs to come out with a more specific rebuttal than they have so far.

See post #40.

This has just come out. Give 'em time.

44 posted on 09/13/2006 12:00:27 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands (HHD: Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

Comment #45 Removed by Moderator

To: Tiggs6; areafiftyone
Yowser! Good stuff...

I just confirmed. There's more on the way.

46 posted on 09/13/2006 12:20:02 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands (HHD: Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: areafiftyone
Good afternoon.
"He said Allen is the first candidate the ad will target, but that it will be run against other House or Senate candidates as the organization's finances allow."

I wonder how many DemocRATs the ads will target. I would guess none, irregardless of their voting record. I would also bet that each ad is run in contests that the DemocRATs believe they have a chance of winning.

Michael Frazier
47 posted on 09/13/2006 12:24:02 PM PDT by brazzaville (no surrender no retreat, well, maybe retreat's ok)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: areafiftyone

This Peter Granato could actually be dangerous. Just try a simple Google search. It looks like he's from FL and one article describes him at a Sheehan event, in another blog posting (which may or may not be him) in a FL he slurs FL GOPer Crist and in another FL article he tried to 'inoccently' get into a Bush event without pre-screening. Here's that article

http://www.bocaratonnews.com/index.php?src=news&category=Local%20News&prid=9389

The Boca Raton News 9/13/06

"One other person from Boca wasn’t as lucky Friday. Samuel Sisisky, a local veteran and supporter of Democrats John Kerry and John Edwards, said he had a ticket to get in. So did a companion, Peter Granato of West Palm Beach.

"But when they got to the barrier outside the Miami Arena, a volunteer who was checking tickets said they couldn’t go in.

"'They didn’t have tickets,' insisted the volunteer, John Ludwig. But the Palm Beach County pair swore they did.

"A cop came over – and backed Ludwig. Granato and Sisisky didn’t get into the arena.

"Ludwig said the event was free, but people needed an advance ticket. And those who got tickets had to be screened. He said neither Granato nor Sisisky had gotten the once-over.

"And it wasn’t the sun that made them hot under the collar. 'I just wanted to see my former commander-in-chief,' said Granato, who said he just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. Sisisky is a veteran of the Korean War."






48 posted on 09/13/2006 12:25:14 PM PDT by Gothmog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: brazzaville
Well according to the vote it can only target 1 Democrat - Miller of Georgia. Here is the vote roll CLICK
49 posted on 09/13/2006 12:29:25 PM PDT by areafiftyone (Politicians Are Like Diapers - Both Need To Be Changed Often And For The Same Reason)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: Corin Stormhands

>“Many women appear to be having problems with their sexuality…What kind of woman would seek out the Academy routine?” (pg. 282, “Women Can’t Fight,” Washingtonian Magazine, November 1979)<

Well, it's becoming more and more clear why Mr Webb left the Republican party, and is running as a Democrat. There is no way on the planet he'd be elected, with quotes like this!

It's no wonder the Rats have beaten the Macaca drum so incessantly!


50 posted on 09/13/2006 12:49:54 PM PDT by Darnright (http://www.irey.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: areafiftyone; All
The Allen A-Team has responded - Dems try their own version of swiftboating

The ad cites “Senate Vote #116, 108th Congress, 1st Session” as proof of this accusation. True, Allen did vote to table this motion to an amendment. He voted that way because it was April of 2003, the amendment was specific ONLY to National Guard and Reserves, and the appropriation for it was ONE BILLION DOLLARS.

Remember what was going on April 2, 2003 when that vote was made? Well, on March 20, 2003 the Iraq war started. On April 9, U.S. ground forces occupied Baghdad. Landrieu’s amendment for ONE BILLION DOLLARS was an honorable intent to support our military, but given the timing it seemed fiscally questionable since our forces were beating the $*@t out of Iraqi forces and racing to Baghdad. McCain, Hagel, and Warner voted with Allen to table. [John] Kerry did not even vote.

Of course we learned later that our forces would need more funding and better equipment because of the insurgency. What the most comical thing about this is that Allen did vote to appropriate funds for body armor and better equipment in an emergency supplemental appropriations later that year (vote #400). That vote #400 is the same vote that got Kerry into so much trouble. He voted “no” on #400, and later told a crowd that “I voted for the $87 billion before I voted against it,”

So. There.

;-)

51 posted on 09/13/2006 12:51:52 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands (HHD: Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: Corin Stormhands; All

Oh, dear!!!! George Allen has a most distinguished endorsement at this link:

http://media.putfile.com/Webb-on-Allen

And I have a new tag line!


52 posted on 09/13/2006 12:56:59 PM PDT by Darnright (http://media.putfile.com/Webb-on-Allen)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: Corin Stormhands

That's good. I figured there was something on this Bill Allen did not like.


53 posted on 09/13/2006 12:59:54 PM PDT by areafiftyone (Politicians Are Like Diapers - Both Need To Be Changed Often And For The Same Reason)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: Corin Stormhands

Oh, my! It gets better:

http://media.putfile.com/Webb-on-Clinton

Yep, ol' Jim's a staunch Democrat, the most democratic Democrat in the nation, that he is (snicker, snort).


54 posted on 09/13/2006 1:01:48 PM PDT by Darnright (http://media.putfile.com/Webb-on-Allen)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: Darnright

The Ward View

55 posted on 09/13/2006 1:01:58 PM PDT by Corin Stormhands (HHD: Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: Corin Stormhands

in the long run, I see this as a PLUS for Allen.

First, it's absurd on its face. PUtting out a false statement by a 527 is not the way to go, especially on its first ad.

Second, Virginians really DO despite that level of negative advertising. It will backfire on Webb.


56 posted on 09/13/2006 6:13:19 PM PDT by EDINVA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Dems_R_Losers
Aren't these ads illegal under McCain-Feingold?

The article makes it seem that these ads are using the same loophole that the Swift Vets did, so I'd guess it's not illegal.

57 posted on 09/13/2006 7:12:15 PM PDT by Eagle Forgotten
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: areafiftyone
Good evening.

Since they don't have to worry about DemocRATS who voted yea, It will be interesting to see what races they do try to influence.

Michael Frazier
58 posted on 09/13/2006 9:19:00 PM PDT by brazzaville (no surrender no retreat, well, maybe retreat's ok)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-58 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson