Group Launches Ads Pressuring Dems on Surveillance Bill

[babylonsister]

Group Launches Ads Pressuring Dems on Surveillance Bill
By Paul Kiel - February 25, 2008, 1:03PM


Stepping up the pressure on House Democrats, the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies has launched a national ad campaign criticizing Democrats for not passing the Senate's surveillance bill.

According to the group's press release, the ad "will be seen on cable and satellite stations throughout the country and is also seen locally in 17 media markets across the United States." The ads target 15 House Democrats, such as Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN). Brian Wise, the spokesman for the group, told me that the group had chosen the 15 because they were Dems "who we believe understand the issue and who would be the most effective to pushing the House leadership to vote on this." He added: "politics really has nothing to do with it."

You can see the ad here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x97541

It's similar in tone to an ad the House Republicans put together last week -- and similarly misleading. It claims that the lapse of the Protect America Act has meant that "new surveillance against terrorists is crippled."

Dems, including Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), the force behind the Senate bill, vehemently disagree. And as even The Washington Times concluded, the lapse of the law would have "little effect" on surveillance collection.

more...

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/group_launches_ads_pressuring.php

[Parche]

1. I am really tired of hearing about so called terrorists

When we have more pressing issues, like healthcare, debt, infrastructure etc...

:grr::grr: :grr: :hi:

[ixion]

2. don't you just love the irony in those names?

The "Foundation for the Defense of Democracies" want a bill that enables tyranny.

What a beautiful place we live. :(

[hootinholler]

3. "Foundation for the Defense of Democracies"

:rofl:

Sorry, can't type right now.

:rofl:

-Hoot

[Rex]

4. Foundation for the Defense of Democracies

Is that like the School of the Americas? Series?

[Xithras]

5. The voiceovers and text apparently changes depending on where you are.

I saw one of these running this morning on a local channel, and the verbiage was a little different, though the video was identical. It attacked Rep. Jerry McNerney directly, implying that he was responsible for it not passing. It was a very low and deceptive ad.

[Disturbed]

6. Promoting Fascism & a Police State is quite patriotic.

:grr:

[gratuitous]

7. Gee, a dishonest and misleading ad

But nobody worries if this backfire against the corporations sponsoring it. The corporations don't have to get anyone out there to endorse the ad. It just materialized out of thin air, attacks a bunch of Democrats by name, and disappears into the ether. Isn't that nice? No messy explanations, no inconvenient questions to answer, and the bulldogs of the Fourth Estate spend their entire time watching the ad, maybe commenting on its inaccuracy, then they run the ad one more time. You know, so you can see the noses growing longer.

Boy, just wait for that groundswell of support to immunize telecoms against breaking the law at the Bush administration's behest. Feel the Mittmentum! Or the Joementum! Or some other mentum. Colomentum?

:hurts:

[Tesha]

8. The group claims to be "bi-partisan" and our local Hearst-Argyle TV station just ate it up.

They rand the ad and wrapped it in a blatant hit-piece
against Carol Shea-Porter.

We wrote to them calling them on it; we'll see if they
write back.

We also called Shea-Porter's office (as the commercial
suggested we do) and gave her a hearty "You go girl!"

Tesha

[Tesha]

9. Information about the "bi-partisan" Foundation for the Defense of Democracies"

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Foundation_for_the_Defense_of_Democracies#Board_of_Directors

http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1475

In late 2007, FDD listed its three-member Board of Directors as Steve Forbes, Jack Kemp, and Jeane Kirkpatrick, who passed away in 2006. FDD's four "distinguished advisers" were Newt Gingrich, Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), Louis J. Freeh (former FBI director), and James Woolsey. Members of FDD's Board of Advisers Gary Bauer, Donna Brazile (an Al Gore presidential campaign adviser), Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL), Frank Gaffney (head of the Center for Security Policy), Marc Ginsberg (a former ambassador to Morocco), Charles Jacobs (head of American Anti-Slavery Group), Weekly Standard editor William Kristol, Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer, former Colorado Gov. Richard D. Lamm, Rep. Jim Marshall (D-GA), former Sen. Zell Miller (D-GA), Richard Perle, Steven Pomerantz and Oliver Revell (both former FBI officials), and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY).