Shocking...Not

After reading about the brouhaha over President Bush's campaign ad over at Smash's, I had certain expectations. I thought that, in the ad, a picture was shown of an actual body being pulled from the WTC wreckage; you know, a smoking, charred, dismembered ruin or a mangled mess on the sidewalk.

Imagine my surprise when it was only a fleeting shot of the body of a fire fighter, covered by the American flag, being reverently carried away by his brethren.

When they squeal the loudest, you know you're winning.

Comments

[Marty]

9/11 is the defining issue of Bush's presidency. How can he NOT discuss it?

Did FDR discuss World War II during his reelection campaign? Yes.

Did Lincoln discuss the Civil War during his? I believe so.

To say that discussing the most important issue of the past few years and most likely the next twenty is "exploitation" is just ridiculous.

Keep talking, Mr. President.

Others might want to forget about that 9/11, but I will not. I can't.

[og]

It comes to this, I believe: Liberals cannot STAND that he's done the right thing on so many fronts, and don't want to be reminded of his best hours.

[Jmarsh]

The International Association of Firefighters sent out John (F*#k face) Kerry Election packets with images of 9/11 to at least one firefighter/EMT in New Orleans.

[Justene]

Baldilocks, off topic, but my emails to you keep bouncing. Brunch is next week, not tomorrow.

On topic, I saw the "controversial" ads. Someone had to tell me why it was controversial. The image was so fleeting and so much a part of what has happened during his presidency that it didn't even register.

[double triple]

lemme break it down real qwik. bush says one thing does something else. says he supports first responders does the opposite.

• “We're dealing with first-time responders to make sure they've got what's needed to be able to respond.“-- 3/27/02 (Bush said he was proposing $3.5 billion in “new” money for first responders, but he actually tried to rob more than $1 billion from existing grants to local police/fire departments to fund his proposal. In August 2002, Bush rejected another $150 million for grants to state and local first responders.)

http://www.interventionmag.com/cms/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=600

[DaneBramage]

You rock Ms.B!

[Prince C.]

Firefighters and family members of victims of 9/11 find the ads offensive. Don't they deserve to be heard? Republicans are too much, it's now to the point where you people if they should feel offended or not, jeez.

[John Barrett Jr.]

Actually, it isn't "firefighters" and "9-11 survivors" who find the ad offensive, but a selective some in those groups. The only complaints I've heard so far come from the head of a firefighter's union which has endorsed Kerry and a couple of 9-11 survivors affiliated with The Tides Foundation, a group partially funded by Theresa Heinz Kerry. While it can't be proven that the objections are politically motivated, or that the people's ideology colored the way the viewed the Bush ads, it's certainly a topic that can be discussed.

[aaron]

They've been heard. We're just hearing from lobbyists and a minority of people who happened to have been touched directly by 9/11, who are trying to take ownership of American history now.

It's inapropriate for Bush to look back at a defining moment in his presidency, one that is connected to many, many great things that he has done since, but it's fine for a woman to use her husband's death and left-wing lobbyist to use their honorable duties as political capital to stiffle expression and promote their own unrelated agendas. Bush is acting honorabley, these people are bringing disgrace to those who lost so much. Petty.

[pearl]

Found this on my earthlink headlines page:
Political News - March 6, 2004

Some 9-11 Kin Send Letter Backing Bush Ad

March 6, 2004 03:53 PM EST

NEW YORK - More than a dozen families who lost relatives in the Sept. 11 attacks released a letter Saturday declaring their support for President Bush and his use of images of the destroyed World Trade Center in campaign ads.

"There is no better testament to the leadership of President Bush than Sept. 11," the letter states. "In choosing our next leader we must not forget that day if we are to have a meaningful conversation."

The "Open Letter to America," signed by 22 people who lost loved ones in the trade center, comes as other victims' families asked that the ads be pulled from the airwaves. The spots also show firefighters carrying a flag-draped stretcher.

"In the November election we will have a clear choice laid before the American people," the letter reads. "President Bush is rightly offering us that choice and the images of Sept. 11, although painful, are fundamental to that choice. The images in President Bush's campaign television ads are respectful of the memories of Sept. 11."

When asked about the ads on Saturday, President Bush said he will "continue to speak about the effects of 9-11 on our country and my presidency."

"How this administration handled that day, as well as the war on terror, is worthy of discussion. And I look forward to discussing that with the American people," he said.

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry told Fox News Channel on Saturday that he personally believed that the ads were inappropriate.

Jimmy Boyle, former president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, said he came up with the "Open Letter to America" after hearing that the president was being criticized for the ads.

"I don't think he's taking advantage of Sept. 11 and I feel that he's given us the leadership that we need," said Boyle, who said he will be voting for a Republican president for the first time in November.

I haven't seen it anywhere else yet.

[baldilocks]

pearl: Looks like it's an AP article. Thatnks for the heads-up.

[baldilocks]

PC, you're the only one talking about what some deserve or don't deserve. Do try to stick to the subject at hand. And please tell me what you're trying to say here: it's now to the point where you people if they should feel offended or not

[Geoffrey]

I don't know if you read Insignificant Thoughts, but Vinny has a great break down on the ad and backgrounds of the loudest protestors. Apparently they have an axe to grind regardless.

[Keith Berry]

MY, HOW TIME FLYS

It’s up to us to let scum like Kucinich know that he cannot use the bodies of our friends, loved ones and comrades-in-arms to fuel his meager aspirations.
Baldilocks---12/9/03

Imagine my surprise when it was only a fleeting shot of the body of a fire fighter, covered by the American flag, being reverently carried away by his brethren.
Baldilocks---3-5-04

I guess some bodies are OK, and some aren't.

Keith

[baldilocks]

Keith: So, to you, there's no difference with the two second blip and the flashing of names over and over again (without the next-of-kin permission)? Okay. However, I do see a difference. It's this: Kucinich attempted to use the dead bodies of those who voluntarily gave all to turn the president into some sort of criminal. (You'll recall that Kucinich explicitly called GWB culpable for those deaths.) President Bush is not wielding a split second blip as a weapon against something John Kerry did or did not do.

I realize that that this may be a bit complicated for you. Try sitting down when you think it through. The blood doesn't have to travel so far.

[baldilocks]

BTW, Keith, the key word in the post you quoted from was this: dignity. Ever heard of it?

[cthulhu]

So, for double triple above, it's all about the hypocrisy of lowering federal involvement in the lives of firemen in the US while projecting US military force overseas. I guess that would be so that the firemen could concentrate on fighting fires and rescuing cats instead of airplane bombs and chem/bio terrorist attacks.

And here I always thought the reason that we had both local and federal governments was that one was responsible for things like fire departments and the other for things like national security...

[Keith Berry]

Baldilocks,

You can certainly feel free to insult me because we disagree, but I won't stoop to that level. I tend to stick to facts.

In referring to the ad for Rep. Kucinich, you wrote 'You'll recall that Kucinich explicitly called GWB culpable for those deaths.'

No, he didn't. I'm not saying you're lying, (more than likely you're simply mistaken) but having just watched the ad again I can assure you no such statement was made. (Those pesky facts, again.)

In your original comment (where you referred to Rep. Kucinich as 'scum') you wanted Rep. Kucinich to know that he 'cannot use the bodies of our friends, loved ones and comrades-in-arms to fuel his meager aspirations.' OK, fair enough. I have no problem with that way of thinking. However, your hypocrisy comes into play when you see no problem with President Bush using 'a fleeting shot of the body of a fire fighter' in his political ad. Despite your political preferences, a body is a body is a body.

As for dignity, the bodies in Rep. Kucinich's ad were in flag-draped coffins being carried by soldiers in their full military uniforms. Are you saying the military doesn't treat our fallen soldiers with dignity?

Keith

[Ricky Vandal]

I agree. All the attention the ad gets will again remind the people 9-11 did actually happen. A lot of people seem to have forgotten that. It will also show why Bush acts as he has done.

[baldilocks]

Big bold, capital letters saying MY, HOW TIME FLYS aren't exactly an endearment, Keith. Try being less insulting (and hypocritical in the aftermath) the next time you call me a hypocrite and you won't receive the same in return.

Fair enough, however, I will re-examine my thoughts on this manner.

[Keith Berry]

Baldilocks,

Obviously, I treated the comment you mentioned as if it were a post on my blog. If you were insulted, then I do apologize as that was not my intent. I merely meant to show how your opinion about the use of a body in a political ad had changed over a few months.

Keith

[Noble Eagle]

I'm with you Baldilocks. The commotion over this ad is nothing but a combination of hyper-sensitivity and political gamesmanship. No one person or group of people "owns" 9/11. It is an event that belongs to all of us. Shortly after the attack many of us pledged never to forget 9/11. Sadly, I think many of us have forgotten.

[Noble Eagle]

BTW, check out this column for an interesting perspective on the subject:

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=12476

[Keith Berry]

Noble,

If you believe that 9-11 belongs to all of us, and have no problem with President Bush using the image of a body being taken from the ruble in a political commercial, then I presume that you believe the Iraq war belongs to all of us, and you have no problem with Rep. Kucinich using the image of coffins of fallen soldiers being used in a political commercial.

Am I correct?

[baldilocks]

Keith,

Do you have a link to the old Kucinich ad? I checked my post "Soylent Green Candidate" and the ad linked is a different one. I cannot re-evaluate my position on this matter until I see again. Thanks in advance.

[Keith Berry]

Baldilocks,

No problem. Here you go.

Keith

[aaron]

I couldn't hear it, but the only things I saw wrong with it (Kucinich ad) were the miss information, false premise, and grieving families that went on for what felt like 2 minutes. I hope he got their permision.

[Keith Berry]

Aaron,

I tend to agree with you, and I wrote when the ad came out that it was disingenuous, at best.

As for the families, I don't know for sure, but right off the top of my head I would guess that those images were in the public domain, or the Kucinich camp didn't have to get permission since their likeness was not being used for monetary purposes.

Or maybe, like a pair of the firemen in President Bush's ads, they were merely actors.

Keith

[Noble Eagle]

Keith,

I haven't seen the ad you referenced, so I'm not in a position to render an opinion on it's appropriateness. Provided that it was tastefully done (didn't reveal the soldier's identity, not gory etc.) I guess it would be fair game. Since Kucinich's campaign was barely a blip on the radar screen, I guess that the ad didn't achieve its desired effect. Of course, there is always a potential for a backlash when usning that sort of subject matter in an ad. I just think that the controversy around the Bush ad is mostly manufactured.

[baldilocks]

ZOOOOOMMMMM