Republic Congresswoman Nancy Johnson (CT-05) Coming Unhinged?

[NewJeffCT]

Every time I turn on the radio here in the Hartford area, I hear a negative attack ad from Nancy Johnson. I am not exaggerating! The first was the lie-filled one about how her opponent, Chris Murphy, is against wiretapping terrorists. Of course, she neglected to mention the part about how FISA already allows that, and since she mentioned Pakistan in her ad, she pissed off Connecticut residents of Pakistani descent. Then, she had another ad about how her opponent voted to raise taxes 27 times – and 27 times is repeated over and over throughout the commercial. (she seemed to forget that any tax increases had to be signed by our Republic governor.)

But, now that Murphy has broadcast has own truthful negative ad about Johnson, she has a big hissy fit and holds a press conference to demand Murphy stop running the commercial. The commercial features a woman who called Johnson for help regarding her daughter's medical condition. Johnson's office ignored the woman, who then went to state legislator Chris Murphy, who quickly got the law changed so state health insurers were required to cover her daughter's medical condition.

I love how the Courant, who endorsed Bush in 2000 and 2004 even noted how negative Johnson's campaign has been so far. You would think after 24 years in Washington, she could run on her own record instead of having to attack her opponent?

MURPHY AD GETS TO JOHNSON

After months of relentlessly broadcasting negative ads, U.S. Rep. Nancy L. Johnson, R-5th District, has had it with negativity - her opponent's, that is.

At a Capitol news conference Wednesday, an irate Johnson, who is running for a 13th term, demanded that Democratic state Sen. Chris Murphy pull a recent TV ad that features a mother whose son was born with a cleft palate and lip. The mother, Erin McCall-Goldie of Burlington, had sought both Johnson's and Murphy's help in passing legislation that would require insurance coverage for reconstructive surgery.

The Murphy ad states that McCall-Goldie contacted Johnson's office repeatedly and received no response. But when McCall-Goldie contacted Chris Murphy, who was chairman of the General Assembly's public health committee, Murphy within six months had won passage of a bill in 2003 requiring insurance coverage for surgery to correct her son's condition.

Among other complaints, Johnson claims that the Murphy ad says that she never called McCall-Goldie back. But Johnson insists that she called McCall-Goldie twice "months before Murphy began running the ad."

http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-campaignnotes10...

[bigscott]

1. i have heard this ad too

it's good - and nancy can go F*&% off. that bitch has been running the most negative lies i have ever heard. she was my Rep for years and she is a washed out GOP hag. I love Chris Murphy!

[Buttercup McToots]

2. I cannot stand Nancy Johnson

A feelow I work with tried to get her to help him with a problem his son had, as far as service credits. He wrote and wrote and called and emailed...This was about 1 1/2 years ago and he NEVER got an answer from her. Not even one of those stock calls...
Blah!

[NewJeffCT]

3. That happened to me with Lieberman

My wife's green card application had fallen into what is called a "black hole" - we had filed just about every appeal we could with INS and would get stock letters back from them saying, "your request has been referred to the appropriate department." (And, the lines are so long at INS that if you want to go down there in person, you basically have to plan on taking the whole day off from work!)

Finally, in frustration, somebody suggested writing my Congressional reps. So, on a Friday, I composed a letter to John Larson (my House rep at the time) and to Senators Dodd & Lieberman. This was a snail nail letter that I sent out on Friday. On that Monday, I got a call from Larson's office, and they put somebody on the case. A week letter, we got a letter from Dodd saying he had assigned So-and-So to work on the case, and that we could call her directly if we wanted at xxx-xxxx.

I never heard from Lieberman. I even followed up with an email to his office & still got no response.

The woman in Larson's office was consistenly very helpful. Even when we moved to Rob Simmons' district, she stayed in touch. (Simmons' office did respond when we contacted them later - but not as quick as Larson or Dodd)

The odd thing is that since that time (I had posted my frustration on DU a few times), I have at least gotten stock emails back from Lieberman's office when I've emailed him on various issues: Downing St Memo, Alito, etc.

[woodsprite]

4. The repubs are doing the same thing all over the place.

I figure the repubs paid for the entire local ABC Channel 6 news slot for Philadelphia this morning. All the repub ads only tell half the story, if that. There was Swann, Santorum, and whoever the repub jerk is running against Sestak.

The Dems need to put it out front that many of them served in the military and they know what it's about where the repubs don't. I have been really impressed by the Dem advertisements, very little mud slinging and alot of mentioning voting records with Bushco. I'm just worried about the saturation of the repub adverts. People who don't know whats truly going on with these bills, that the reason the Dems voted against certain things was because of hidden parts that were not really talked about in public or in MSM. I saw one this morning (Santorum) and I thought "but the reason Casey said he's against it was yadda, yadda, yadda." And "the reason you voted for it was because yadda yadda yadda."

I just wish I could shake all the sheeple being swayed by these adverts and say "but you don't know what was really in that bill".

[sharp_stick]

5. Johnsons can't stand the taste of her own medicine

After those moronic wiretapping ads that Johnson was putting out I'm happy to see Murphy slapping her back. What the hell were she and the old guys saluting in the end anyway? They were each looking at a different part of the sky.

I didn't think Murphy had much of a chance earlier in the campaign but if he can keep his ad spending up he may be able to do it. I'd like to see another seat on the correct side of the house.

[sharp_stick]

6. Johnsons can't stand the taste of her own medicine

On edit: Sorry for the dupe, I must have clicked twice.

After those moronic wiretapping ads that Johnson was putting out I'm happy to see Murphy slapping her back. What the hell were she and the old guys saluting in the end anyway? They were each looking at a different part of the sky.

I didn't think Murphy had much of a chance earlier in the campaign but if he can keep his ad spending up he may be able to do it. I'd like to see another seat on the correct side of the house.

[gratuitous]

7. Hey Nancy! Complete this phrase

"Turnabout is _______ play."

A. Dirty
B. Fair
C. Fuck you

[calico1]

8. I think it's outrageous how she has

exploited a 9/11 widow and a WWII veteran to try and boost her image. What a scumbag.

[KansDem]

9. Insurance doesn't cover this?!?!?

At a Capitol news conference Wednesday, an irate Johnson, who is running for a 13th term, demanded that Democratic state Sen. Chris Murphy pull a recent TV ad that features a mother whose son was born with a cleft palate and lip. The mother, Erin McCall-Goldie of Burlington, had sought both Johnson's and Murphy's help in passing legislation that would require insurance coverage for reconstructive surgery.

Insurance MUST pay for this...and orthodontia, too!!!

What the **** is wrong with this country?

[drbtg1]

10. IIRC, there was something wrong with Murphy's ad

Perhaps you can explain it to me. It involves the timeline. The Murphy bill has a date that significantly predates nearly, if not all, of the dates of phonecalls to Johnson. It made it appear that the issue was settled with Murphy's bill but the mother was still calling Johnson for a couple of years after. Maybe the ad didn't give enough detail, but as is, something seemed to be missing.

[NewJeffCT]

11. Did they backdate the bill so it would cover the child in question?

I'm not sure, but I have no idea.

[drbtg1]

17. I don't know. It's that factor that's troubling.

It comes off as though they're hiding details in the "fine print" and it shouldn't. I get afraid some worthless Courant hack will pick up on that without all the details.

[speedoo]

12. Any recent polls on this race?

I'd love to see Johnson get the boot. What a useless hag.

Shit, if Shays is in trouble, Johnson should be dead and buried.

[NewJeffCT]

13. It's still considered "Lean Republican"

The polls I've seen have Nancy up anywhere from 3-10 points.

She's really had only 1 close race in her entire 24 years in Congress - the time she beat Charlotte Koskoff 50-49% in (I think) 1996. Even when they consolidated her district with Jim Maloney's, she won prettily handily, like 54-43.

So, this is the first time in a decade she's been challenged - and, judging by how many commercials I hear in morning & afternoon drive time on WTIC in Hartford, Nancy & the RNC are sparing no expense for her...

[speedoo]

14. Not what I wanted to hear, but thanks. nt

[NewJeffCT]

16. Interesting article in the Courant this past Sunday

Posh Farmington Valley (Farmington, Avon, Simsbury & Canton where nearly 30% of households have income over $150K/year) used to be a bright red area in a blue state, but has been trending blue in recent years. I think Kerry actually won Farmington in 2004 - and, they voted slightly better than 2-1 for Lamont in the August primary.

So, long term prospects for this district are good.

I get the feeling this will be a nailbiter - with the winning margin less than 2%, unless Murphy has a major gaffe in the next 3 1/2 weeks.

[NewJeffCT]

15. Interesting article in the Courant this past Sunday

[JerseygirlCT]

22. And that close race was run by Chris Murphy -- he was

Koskoff's campaign manager.

[NewJeffCT]

18. This poll was released today - Johnson 52-46

So, definitely do-able.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/10/12/15234/081

[mcg]

19. another poll shows it a dead heat at 42-42

http://murphyforcongress.org/index.php?id=256

also 31% of Johnson's base indicated they might change their mind
compared to 21% of Murphy's base.

margin of error +- 4%

[JerseygirlCT]

20. Ok, let's say she even did call her back

what the heck did she do to help?

So far all we've got is her commercial about how she was wonderful enough to attend the memorial service of a constituent who died on 9-11. Wow. Big of her.

[JerseygirlCT]

21. You know, Lieberman's busy with the same thing

he continually whines about Lamont and his "negative campaigning" while running negative, nasty, untruthful ad after negative ad. But he's learned from Rove et al that all you have to do is repeat something over and over again for it to seem true.