# NC GOP running Obama=Wright attack ad (over McCain's objection) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 24, 2008, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672 "2008-04-24T13:45:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/1 "2008-04-24T13:45:37Z")
In preparation for the North Carolina primary – which is not even being **contested** on the Pub side – but also for the gubernatorial race, the North Carolina GOP is running an [attack ad](http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=6098806) portraying Obama as “too extreme” based on his association with Rev. Wright; and also trying to tar with the same brush both Dem candidates for governor, [Richard Moore](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_H._Moore) and [Bev Perdue](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bev_Perdue) (both of whom have endorsed Obama, and both of whom are white, BTW). McCain has asked the state GOP chair Linda Daves not to do this, and I’m thinking that’s not just a “plausible deniability” move, it’s based on his perception that this will come back to bite his campaign in the ass; but she brushed him off. > [@](#): > > North Carolina Democratic Party chairman Jerry Meek said the ad is a pitiful attempt to distract attention from real issues. > > “It’s one thing to criticize somebody for associating with somebody else,” Meek said. “But to criticize somebody for associating with somebody who associates with somebody else is ludicrous. Where does it end?” Where indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/2 "2008-04-24T13:53:13Z")
I mentioned this in Liberal’s Pit thread, but I may as well repeat it here. Presuming McCain’s objection was on the level and not intended to provide plausible deniability, him being overriden says a lot on how much other Republicans (okay, the NC Reps at least) respect him. I’ve seen a lot of fear from people about how Obama will be a limp-wristed revisitation of Carter, where he’s too ineffectual to get anything done. But I look at all the endorsements and support across the country for Obama from Democrats and Republicans alike, and then I see Republicans snubbing McCain like this, and I have to wonder just which one would be the weaker president. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/3 "2008-04-24T14:26:59Z")
[QUOTE=Bosstone] I’ve seen a lot of fear from people about how Obama will be a limp-wristed revisitation of Carter, where he’s too ineffectual to get anything done. But I look at all the endorsements and support across the country for Obama from Democrats and Republicans alike, and then I see Republicans snubbing McCain like this, and I have to wonder just which one would be the weaker president. [/QUOTE] Especially since President McCain, unlike President Obama, would be working (at least in the first two years, and I’m sure for longer) with a Congress controlled by the **other** party. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/4 "2008-04-24T16:24:21Z")
I just wanted to come in and add that WRAL – a prominent ‘local’ station which at times appears to have rather conservative leanings – has publicly stated that they have refused to air the ad. [Link,](http://wral.com/news/local/politics/story/2778927/) with a video available in the sidebar if you’re interested. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/5 "2008-04-24T16:57:45Z")
> [@](#): > > (over McCain’s objection) Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink. [QUOTE=Jeep’s Phoenix] [Link,](http://wral.com/news/local/politics/story/2778927/) with a video available in the sidebar if you’re interested. [/QUOTE] I see they run the video for free during that news story. I look forward to seeing McCain backers getting a lot more free airtime using this dodge. I guess when your candidate can’t pull in the money to run a straight up campaign, you have to go with what you can get. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/6 "2008-04-24T18:24:56Z")
[QUOTE=Jeep’s Phoenix] I just wanted to come in and add that WRAL – a prominent ‘local’ station which at times appears to have rather conservative leanings – has publicly stated that they have refused to air the ad. [Link,](http://wral.com/news/local/politics/story/2778927/) with a video available in the sidebar if you’re interested. [/QUOTE] Hmm. Doesn’t say **why** WRAL refused to air it. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/7 "2008-04-24T18:26:26Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] McCain has asked the state GOP chair Linda Daves not to do this, and I’m thinking that’s not just a “plausible deniability” move, it’s based on his perception that this will come back to bite his campaign in the ass. [/QUOTE] Maybe he’s worried that the Dems will begin to pound on [McCain’s close political connections with John Hagee.](http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?bid=1&pid=315372) > [@](#): > > McCain sought Hagee’s endorsement and continued to defend and embrace the pastor – saying he was "glad to have the minister’s endorsement – even after Hagee said that Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans because of the city’s “sinful” acceptance of homosexuality. > > “What happened in New Orleans looked like the curse of God…” Hagee explained after the city experienced a national disaster that cost at least 1,836 lives – making it the deadliest hurricane in American history – and permanently dislocated tens of thousands of Americans from not just their homes but the communities of their birth and upbringing. > > “Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans” Hagee told NPR’s Terry Gross in a 2006 interview. What was God judging? “New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God,” said McCain’s backer, who explained that “there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came.” Just today, [MoveOn.org](http://MoveOn.org) sent out an email calling for its members to put pressure on McCain to dissociate himself from Hagee. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/8 "2008-04-24T18:36:30Z")
He [kinda sorta](http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/04/mccain-admits-h.html) did the other day. Kinda sorta. But I don’t think McCain is counting on many [MoveOn.org](http://MoveOn.org) members to vote for him in November. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/9 "2008-04-24T18:43:42Z")
[QUOTE=Bosstone] I’ve seen a lot of fear from people about how Obama will be a limp-wristed revisitation of Carter, where he’s too ineffectual to get anything done. But I look at all the endorsements and support across the country for Obama from Democrats and Republicans alike, and then I see Republicans snubbing McCain like this, and I have to wonder just which one would be the weaker president. [/QUOTE] Is there any doubt that the NC GOP is running this now–instead of closer to the general-- and despite McCain’s (IMHO, sincere) objections because they want Hillary to win the Democratic nomination and will do whatever they need to to make a dent in Obama’s current lead in that state’s pre-primary polling? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/10 "2008-04-24T18:59:55Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] Is there any doubt that the NC GOP is running this now–instead of closer to the general-- and despite McCain’s (IMHO, sincere) objections because they want Hillary to win the Democratic nomination and will do whatever they need to to make a dent in Obama’s current lead in that state’s pre-primary polling? [/QUOTE] No. NO doubt in my mind. Sneaky little bastards, aren’t they!! ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/11 "2008-04-24T19:10:25Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] He [kinda sorta](http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/04/mccain-admits-h.html) did the other day. Kinda sorta. [/quote] That’s a pretty generous “kinda sorta,” given that McCain said that he’s still glad to have the guy’s endorsement. Not exactly a ringing dissociation. [QUOTE=John Mace] But I don’t think McCain is counting on many [MoveOn.org](http://MoveOn.org) members to vote for him in November. [/QUOTE] Absolutely, but these sort of smear campaigns (on both sides) aren’t really designed to change the minds of the party faithful, but to have an effect on the moderates and the undecided. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/12 "2008-04-24T19:13:33Z")
Its going to work on the older crowd, the younger crowd will dismiss it. The key is, which group will vote in the larger numbers? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/13 "2008-04-24T19:13:55Z")
Hagee is sort of right about Hurricane Katrina. It is the curse of God, but not because of Gays. It’s the curse of God for building a city in a swamp below the level of the Mississippi in a Hurricane corridor. God definitely disapproves of that sort of thing and will punish accordingly. 😉 Also, in all fairness Hagee was never McCain’s pastor and spiritual mentor. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/14 "2008-04-24T19:31:42Z")
[Not anymore](http://thepage.time.com/2008/04/24/north-carolina-gop-chair-defends-ad/). It’s been pulled. And this is precisely one of the reasons I said he was a decent guy in one of the GD threads. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/15 "2008-04-24T19:34:25Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] Its going to work on the older crowd, the younger crowd will dismiss it. The key is, which group will vote in the larger numbers? [/QUOTE] If history is any guide, the older crowd. Figures [here](http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/voting/tabA-1.pdf) (pdf). Graphical representation [here](http://www.newrules.org/voice2004/factoids/graphvotingage.html). ---
**Author:** ![grayhairedmomma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/47e85d/32.png) [@grayhairedmomma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grayhairedmomma)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/16 "2008-04-24T19:57:15Z")
I don’t think McCain is into personal attacks, but if this were a different campaign he would use them. In this case, I think he didn’t want the ad run because he sees how damaging it has been to Hillary to attack Obama that way. He might be old as dirt but he’s still adaptable. I think McCain’s strongest defense against Obama is that he can easily portray the “nice guy”. He’s older, he does a good “aww shucks” and he’s a former POW. It will be very hard for Obama to attack him personally without looking like a bully UNLESS McCain goes really negative first. McCain’s not dumb. ETA: Maybe I’m wrong and the entire tenor of the campaign will change in the general. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/17 "2008-04-24T20:03:59Z")
[QUOTE=grayhairedmomma] I think McCain’s strongest defense against Obama is that he can easily portray the “nice guy”. He’s older, he does a good “aww shucks” and he’s a former POW. It will be very hard for Obama to attack him personally without looking like a bully UNLESS McCain goes really negative first. McCain’s not dumb. ETA: Maybe I’m wrong and the entire tenor of the campaign will change in the general. [/QUOTE] Maybe Obama and McCain will actually approach each other as respected opponents, rather than enemies. With neither side opting to go negative, they’d be forced to debate the issues and not go for character assassination. That _would_ be a change in tenor for the general election, and I can’t say I’d mind it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/18 "2008-04-24T20:06:30Z")
[QUOTE=Bosstone] Maybe Obama and McCain will actually approach each other as respected opponents, rather than enemies. [/QUOTE] Nah, that’s crazy talk. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/19 "2008-04-24T20:11:31Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Nah, that’s crazy talk. [/QUOTE] I know! But it might actually happen, if McCain is indeed being cagey about attacking Obama. Obama’s been very firm about avoiding mudslinging, and I sincerely doubt he’ll attack first, except on issues. Now, the supporters going after the opposing candidate…oh, that’ll be bloody. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672/20 "2008-04-24T20:53:31Z")
Both Obama and Hillary had over zealous supporters who said things that semi-embarassed their candidates. (Obama supporter called HRC “a Monster”, and Mrs. Ferraro…) This shows, I think, that the candidates (or even the national level organisations) don’t have rigid control over thier various affiliated groups. With that in mind, why does McCain get labled as trying for plausible deniability in regards to the North Carolina sub group? (I realise that is more of a trial baloon of an idea than a consensus… so far.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nc-gop-running-obama-wright-attack-ad-over-mccains-objection/446672.md?page=2)