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North Carolina TV Station Rejects Obama/Wright Ad
The North Carolina Republican Party is hitting a wall in their efforts to run that attack ad against Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright: Finding a TV station that will run it.
WRAL-TV, the CBS affiliate in the "Triangle" region of Raleigh, Durham and Fayetteville, has officially rejected the ad. WTVD, the ABC outlet in that same media market, is also saying they haven't been asked to run the ad but would have reservations about doing so.
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LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
And they are hitting walls in finding and holding on to candidates.
LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's a good day to be a Democrat.
April 24, 2008 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
According to this:
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2429689820080424
The ad has been pulled.
Busy day for me, am I missing something?
April 24, 2008 5:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wish I knew how to answer that - my advice is to look at the posts and figure it out for yourself.
Basically, I guess, my answer is no, you haven't missed much more than a heavier infestation of threadlice than usual.
April 24, 2008 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
What did I do to deserve that?
April 24, 2008 7:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Will the media's case of conscience be as equally applied when others offer their party or 527 advertisements? While the ad might be objectionable, I think there is a dangerous slippery slope here of media taking on the role of censor. Unless these media outlets have a balanced, well-defined policy and track record on enforcement on what they will and will not run, they should back off and run the ads. They can always offer equal time for alternative viewpoints if they have concern over the message or impact.
Matthew
http://www.TheIndependentView.com
April 24, 2008 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm no expert, but I think the objection was to airing a spot that said, "God Damn."
Can that get them in trouble? just asking.
April 24, 2008 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
What do you know, I agree with Matthew Weaver. I do not like the ad, but I am troubled to think that the sensitivities of people like myself should stand as an obstacle to free speech. This does seem rather too much like political censorship.
April 24, 2008 6:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
But at least they are protecting us from Janet Jackson's nipple.
;-P
April 24, 2008 6:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
You forget we live in a nation of sex craved puritans. Seriously.
April 24, 2008 8:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here, here. I gotta agree with Greg and... alas, Matt Weaver.
Maybe Matt could post the ad at his website? In the interest of free speech, of course.
April 24, 2008 8:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Local stations make decisions not to show commercials, including political ads and politically oriented PSAs, that might be offensive to their viewers all the time. Come down here and try to get a frank pro-gay or sex education message on TV sometime.
They're private businesses and Ronald Reagan effectively abolished the idea that they have a duty to serve the public interest. (Which, arguably, not showing this would be.) This ad would be incredibly offensive to almost everyone in their viewing area, blacks, white Democrats and white Republicans who take their Southern Baptism seriously.
Btw, for those with a taste for irony, WRAL is where Jesse Helms got his start. He used to be a raving loony virulently anti-communist race- baiting commentator before he became a raving loony virulently anti-communist race-baiting senator.
April 24, 2008 9:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh please. So this means the ad won't be seen? It's probably been running all day on Fox, MSNBC, and CNN.
Whatever.
April 24, 2008 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Likely it will run there for awhile, too.
Now that you mention it.
Well, I still think Obama's campaign knows how to handle things.
April 24, 2008 6:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think the Obama campaign has effectively dealt with neither the Rev. Wright issue nor the William Ayers stuff. If they didn't know what Rev. Wright said when he said it and saw it impacted the campaign, why weren't they more prepared for the Ayers assault?
Frankly, I am very disappointed with them for the lack of proper debate preparation.
April 24, 2008 8:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly what did you find "inadequate" about Obama's response that they were asking him to be responsible for something someone else did when he was 8 years old?
Seriously, these questions could all be rephrased as "Senator Obama, this black person who scares us says/did XYZ; do you apologize for it, since, you know, you're black too?"
April 24, 2008 9:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hell, they've got it right here on TPM. Right next to this column under "Latest Videos."
April 24, 2008 6:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yup, same as the SwiftBoaters. They had almost no budget, but the salacious echo chamber carried it far and wide as "news."
April 24, 2008 7:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's been running on the front page of TPM all day.
April 24, 2008 8:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
This NC Republic Party thing another illustration of why Barack should not agree to public financing. He's going to need every weapon.
April 24, 2008 6:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
All they have to do is ask ABC and Fox, they'll run with it.
But kudos to CBS and NBC for having some decency.
April 24, 2008 6:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have seen the ad several times and just replayed it. To be honest, I do not see what is so objectionable to the ad. Yes, I've read some of the complaints--using Wright against Obama and having Obama's half-Black arm around a White candidate. Grow up!
I'll have to re-read some of the earlier complaints and knee-jerk reactions, but please, what is so objectionable about his ad? And as well, like my earlier post above on this whole matter, if you object to this, how many potentially legit anti-McCain or anti-Clinton ads are you going to preclude from broadcasting out of fair application of your censorship here?
Matthew
http://www.TheIndependentView.com
April 24, 2008 6:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dude, you have seventy websites of your own. And I'm sure there are a ton of pro McCain sites that you would fit right in at.
It's killing me I gotta wade through thirty thousand comments from you every post and that burning cross you carry around stinks like hell.
Aaaargh. I can't take it! I'm so tired of seeing your damn spam, why do we have to deal with this here. No one else beats us with their crappy hobby sites.
April 24, 2008 6:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Weaver's serial verbosity IS EXCELLENT NEWS!! FOR HILLARY!!!
April 24, 2008 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL touché
At least his avatar no longer exposes us to the dead wombat on his pointy head.
April 24, 2008 6:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
there there. I feel ya.
just scroll past. it's gonna be alright.
;)
April 24, 2008 6:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
"half-Black arm around a White candidate"?!?
So it's official. You're a hate-filled racist. Congratulations.
April 24, 2008 8:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Well, reporters did ask John McCain today during his trip to New Orleans about Rev. John Hagee’s remarks that Hurricane Katrina was punishment for the sins of New Orleans:
“It’s nonsense, it’s nonsense, it’s nonsense, it’s nonsense, it’s nonsense. I dont have anything additional to say. It’s nonsense, it’s nonsense, it’s nonsense, I don’t have anything more to say….it’s nonsense. I reject it categorically.”
Ah, that is rich. Wright to speak at the National Press Club to blame them for hating America and mcwar’s kook is exposed too.
The only sane choice is Clinton.
April 24, 2008 6:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Duly noted.
April 24, 2008 6:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL!
It's true - you are funny.
Yes, let us fall in line an vote for the sane, strong Heroine of Tuzla, who dodged that sniper fire, saved those people and went where no First Lady has ever gone before!
Indeed, ladies and gentleman, let us vote for Hillary "I will obliterate Iran. What do you mean I'm not sane?" Clinton.
Yes indeed. I surrender, Dorothy. Just lead me gently to Bedlam.
April 24, 2008 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Um, Iran wants to talk now.
Don't mess with her, she will bomb you.
Anyhoo, I agree with Governor Strickland of the great State of Ohio:
"This is for me a no-brainer," Gov. Strickland said. "If we're going to plan to win in November, we need to choose the candidate that has the greatest strength in the states that are necessary to get us the electoral votes we need." He added: "I hope the superdelegates are paying attention."
Indeed sir,
Indeed.
April 24, 2008 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's just a constant shifting of the goal posts for Clinton and Clinton supporters.
April 24, 2008 6:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
That must be what scrambles their brains. They live life on rollerskates, trying to keep up with the goalposts moving at hyperspeed.
April 24, 2008 6:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
As I noted last night, they had to take the goalposts off the flatbed truck they were formerly mounted on and put them on NASCAR cars, so far and fast do they need to move them now.
April 24, 2008 9:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Surprised that Reverend Wright would share his speech with you in advance. You too must be pretty tight... Which means you hate America!
It all makes sense now....
April 24, 2008 6:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bravo.
April 24, 2008 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
yes, well, look at his answer.
I need new drugs.
April 24, 2008 6:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Drugs are not the answer.
Why do you think they call it dope?
April 24, 2008 6:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
On the contrary, my friend. This is turning into a world where people are just naturally going to want to get high.
April 24, 2008 9:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, but they didn't denounce the ad. (Is that joke getting old?)
April 24, 2008 6:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let's face it. The TV stations stand to make more money from Obama ads than from the anemic local Republicans, thanks to our contributions.
April 24, 2008 6:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I live in NC and so far the only time I've seen this commercial is on news shows which has sort of killed the buzz. I guess it will out by the time I turn on a TV tonight.
I think NC GOP want voters to support Clinton so that it will be that much easier for NC to go for McCain in the fall. The NC GOP is really scared that Obama could pull an upset and carry NC during the general election if he is the nominee.
And they also want to make the two Dem front runners for governor look bad so that the GOP can win the governor's race here. It's been a while since the GOP had any power here in NC and they're thirst for it. It's lowball politics at it's finest!
April 24, 2008 6:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's nice to hear from someone actually there.
April 24, 2008 6:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
excuse my grammar, but I'm trying to work and blog at the same time!
April 24, 2008 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Triangle has nothing to do with Fayetteville -- it's Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.
April 24, 2008 6:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you!
And the NC Republican party is a joke, but the way it became a joke tells a cautionary tale. Once it was powerful and competitive. It often controlled the General Assembly and sometimes got a governor or two elected. It was quite the thing in the federal offices.
Now it is weak and powerless because it tore itself apart. During a time when our House was split 50-50, several Republicans split off from the leadership and cut a powersharing deal with the Dems and proceeded to get the people's business done. The rest of the Republicans went into feces-flinging mouth-foaming convulsions (don't be alarmed, folks, its their usual state down here) and targeted the "traitors" in their ranks for defeat over the next four years.
It was the kind of vicious purge mentality one normally associates with one party totalitarian dictatorships. They were willing to throw elections to the Democrats rather than see the dispicable traitors reelected. Eventually, after two or three election cycles they'd purged the last thought criminals out of the legislature. Then they looked up and found that where they had once been strong and powerful, they were now weak and silly and inconsequential.
It was great fun to watch while it happened, but, like I said, its a cautionary tale. (But that doesn't mean I don't want Joe Lieberman's sorry ass kicked out of the Democratic caucus at the first opportunity.)
April 24, 2008 9:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
The stations refused to run the ads? Is this even confirmed? What reason did they give? I can't imagine "it's controversial" as a reason to reject a political ad ...
April 24, 2008 6:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well that would be more of a reason that the networks refusing to run MoveOn.Org's ad during the Super Bowl a couple of years back.
April 24, 2008 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Or when CBS decided to refuse to run the UCC's ad two years ago.
April 24, 2008 9:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
dont worry. im sure fox news will volunteer their air time
April 24, 2008 6:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe they can have Terry Mac introduce it and then ad in the closing "I'm Terry McAuliffe and I approve of this ad."
(smirk)
April 24, 2008 6:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
They don't need to run it. Folks just need to watch MSNBC, Faux News, and CNN to see the ad.
April 24, 2008 6:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
No kidding. Mission accomplished!
Next!
April 24, 2008 6:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
For everyone who is worrying about the Republicans.
You just have to see this.
I'm so not kidding and it's so not a joke.
http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/
April 24, 2008 6:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL! This is a classic...Thanks for the post!
April 24, 2008 7:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just have to say that I f*cking LOVE the Rude Pundit - he's on my toolbar (I use Firefox). He is unbelievably funny, rude, nasty, and profane, but boy is he on target all the time. I saw that post and I almost wet my pants I laughed so hard! ;)
April 24, 2008 7:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you.
I worship the Rude Pundit.
I can get all the polite and deeply reasoned political prose I want in dead tree versions - hundreds of them.
The internet is the only place where someone like The Rude Pundit could exist. Frankly that's always been why I love it.
I'm rude.
I guess it shows. ;)
April 24, 2008 7:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I can't decide whether to shake my head or keep laughing at that - it's just so fucking sad. That's a man running for office in America, for all love - and he's consorting with people who pretend to emulate our enemies - our deadly enemies in WWII.
What have we come to? It's horribly funny.
but I have to wonder sometimes.
April 24, 2008 7:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Check out the Current Gallup poll on the decision to Invade Iraq, which Hillary and McCain supported, and try to stop laughing the next time Hillary claims that she would be the stronger candidate in November.
A new USA Today/Gallup poll found that 63 percent of Americans say “the United States made a mistake in sending troops to Iraq, a new high mark by one percentage point.” Gallup notes that “majority opposition to the Iraq war is basically cemented.”
Gallup adds, “The new high in Iraq war opposition is also notable because it is the highest ‘mistake’ percentage Gallup has ever measured for an active war involving the United States — surpassing by two points the 61% who said the Vietnam War was a mistake in May 1971.”
April 24, 2008 7:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Obama can come close to 60% in the general election. Throw in downtickets wins, and damn, you got the makings of a new morning in America.
Not that it will become magical happy land, but it will be an abrupt departure from the gloom of the last 8 years and the doublespeak of the 8 before that, and Reagan/Bush before that, and... well, you get the idea.
Serious issues will have to be dealt with, and who knows events might unfold, but it will be the biggest change this country has chosen in a long, long time.
April 24, 2008 7:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
from your fingers to the screens of computers of the gods and the goddesses.
April 24, 2008 8:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow, liam.
He just needs to run on the war and keep tying the bad economy to the war and damn, he wins.
April 24, 2008 7:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tena,
That is correct. He needs to get back to his core reason for running for President, and compare and contrast more his position with Hillary's. The fact that she has really not learned any lesson from her Iraq stupidity, and is now channeling Bush with her threats to "Obliterate" seventy million men, women, and CHILDREN, in a nation that does not currently have a single nuclear warhead to use against anyone, but the other nations has hundreds of them, shows what a Bush like War Mongering Lunatic Dr. Hillary Strangelove Clinton has become.
April 24, 2008 7:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
We should also always remember that that nation, Iran, has never attacked anybody. Which is a good deal more than can be said for "our side."
Why the presumption of guilt against them?
April 24, 2008 8:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who needs McCain's ad when Hillary has gone full-blown George Bush.
http://www.twango.com/media/thepolitico.public/thepolitico.10040
Despicable.
She's not a Democrat. She's a NeoCon.
April 24, 2008 7:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's a push poll.
April 24, 2008 8:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah...the same sort Bush used to say McCain had an illegitimate black baby, the same kind that McCain used out here in CA to smear Romney and now the same type that Clinton is using to smear Obama.
I understand that Republicans are without morals.
Why is it acceptable for ANY Democrat to use these methods against one another?
Rumor going around is that she's tearing him down to run again in 2012.
She's nuts. The people that didn't vote for her this time are going to make damn sure that her Senate opponent (D or R or I) is better funded than she is when it's time to get reelected.
Hillary Clinton isn't going to be President. Not this year, not 2012 and not 2016. She's won nothing but ill-will this cycle.
April 25, 2008 1:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
A new book deal for Senator Clinton:
Title: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB.
By: DR HILLARY STRANGELOVE CLINTON.
April 24, 2008 7:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
What Barack needs to do is go after the older voters. He does that by pushing social security and a fix that does not raise taxes on those below $220K income. In the Fall, the older voters come back because all the Dem's have to do is point out that McCain supports private investment accounts and ask people how that would have worked for them in the current market.
April 24, 2008 7:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why the heck did you put Triangle in quotes? Somehow a name of a region is invalid if it's not in the NYC metro area (oh, pardon me, the "Tri-State" area)?!?
Get a box of clues. Research Triangle Park is kinda well known.
April 24, 2008 8:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
;)
April 24, 2008 8:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just in...a Charlotte tv station won't play the Obama ad neither.
This TV station is a prime example of the "it bleeds it leads" syndrome. For them to be offended enough not to run an add, it's really saying something!
http://www.charlotte.com/109/story/594910.html
April 24, 2008 8:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I meant NC GOP ad...
April 24, 2008 8:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
How much longer before Weaver and Goatlife morph into full blown McCain supporters? Weaver is obviously ahead of the curve here, but goatlife is showing his true neocon colors(kill them all let god sort them out). Maybe Weaver is paid by the RNC to shill for Clinton and goatlife is a HRC employee?
I see some heads popping here in a few more weeks when it becomes utterly clear that Obama will be the nominee. At that point the Neocon/Rethug Jolly Rogers are going to run up the masts quicker than shit out of a goose. It's a gonna be ugly.
April 24, 2008 8:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
What Obama supporters can do if a television station plays that ad is flood the station's public file with letters of complaint. They have to keep those letters for FCC review when their license comes up for renewal. A well organized effort can put thousands of letters in their public files. You just write in, say what you want about the ad and add a line telling them that you want the letter placed in the public file. We did that after the Swiftboat doc on Kerry. I doubt any station lost their license over it, but it's not good to have a lot of critical letters in your public file. And, if a station does a lot of things the public thinks is not in the public interest, people who want the license can use the letters in a license challenge. It's the kind of thing that can easily be organized on the web.
April 24, 2008 8:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're right.
There was more than one of those campaigns for different reasons in '04 and some really caused some discomfort.
April 24, 2008 9:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
TPM reader blogs will be great place to put projects like that together during the general election.
April 24, 2008 9:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Not in the public interest"? Must be typo. I'm sure you meant to say "not in Obama's interest", right? Or have we already reached the point where criticism of Obama will be outlawed?
April 25, 2008 8:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
RE: the ad...
...I don't know of anyone who doesn't already know about the Rev. Wright "controversy" or Obama's speech responding to it...and I work with a bunch of good ol' boy carpenters and subcontractors. They all know about it already and have already made up their minds about it. I think at this point, even if they can get someone to run the ad, it's beating a dead horse. There's probably more potential for people to get disgusted with the constant harping about it than there is that a bunch more people are going to get het up about it. The ones who are going to get het are already het.
April 24, 2008 9:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why bother with TV? Clinton knows just release an add the the PTB on blogs like this or First Read fall over themselves to front page it and put up a pointless "blog" post about it. That's "free" advertising right there and more people will see it than in the specific location.
April 24, 2008 9:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wright video:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/24300543#24300543
April 24, 2008 10:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sure there will be plenty of stations across the country that will find Jeremiah Wright's words too disgusting to run. But not all.
April 25, 2008 3:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
That's too bad. There are few things more entertaining than watching a fruitcake in a dashiki spouting crazy, ignorant shit. Kind of like Borat, but without the intentionality of appearing deranged.
And sorry, but having a fruitcake nutter as his advisor is a black mark against Obama.
My dream? Obama appoints Wright as Fed Reserve chairman. Oh God I would love that : )
April 25, 2008 8:21 AM | Reply | Permalink