The Problem:
The Washington Times by Ralph Z. Hallow
GOP moderation hobbles Portman's Ohio Run
Conservatives and "tea party" activists say Mr. Portman's record as a moderate Republican has failed to fire up not only core GOP voters but also what may prove just as important to victory - the "tea party" movement.
The Solution:
The Columbus Dispatch
Joe Hallett commentary: If you thought politics wallowed in the gutter before ...
Politics is the new porn. And Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is a purveyor of it.
Rob Portman, Ohio Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate, tacitly embraces political porn.
Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, Portman's Democratic opponent, plays the innocent victim - and then cynically tries to profit from political porn.
There is no gutter deep enough for where this column is headed. If you're already sick of the 2010 campaign in Ohio, read no further. This might make you barf.
Last week, the National Republican Senatorial Committee created an attack ad against Fisher and ensured that it went viral. The ad was stunningly crass, its sexual explicitness alarmingly vile.
My questions about this attempt to attract the tea party vote
1. Are tea partiers dumb enough to fall for this?
2. Mr. Portman ought to feel icky about a fake masturbation scene garnering votes for him. Why would he want to be associated with this kind of thing?
3. Why doesn't Mr. Fisher say to Mr. Portman 'hey do you think this ad is right? This video is downright shameful, it is not true and should be removed. I ask Mr. Portman to demand the GOP take it down and apologize to me and my family. '....
Finally, tea party people, I'm worried about your racist, hate mongering, gun toting, porn loving image. Better hire a better publicist and get it together.
P.S. the answer to question #2 is the headline for this post.
