GOP Senator's Ad Makes Dubious Claim That He Was One Of The First To Oppose War
Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith's campaign makes an interesting claim in its latest ad: That the Republican incumbent who came out publicly against the Iraq War just after the 2006 elections was in fact "one of the first to stand up to George Bush and other Republicans to end this war," a questionable claim clearly meant to boost his image in this liberal anti-war state:
Obviously, a whole lot of other people were against the war well before November 2006 -- and Smith himself voted for the war in 2002 and remained a supporter for four years. As senior Oregon political columnist Jeff Mapes points out, the ad "might have been accurate if she called Smith one of the first Republicans to oppose the war."
"Sen. Smith is proud to have been one of the first Republicans to advocate an end to the war in Iraq," Smith campaign spokesperson Lindsay Gilbride told Election Central via e-mail. "Regardless of the political season, he will continue working with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance our national security, strengthen our economy and promote energy independence."
The Smith campaign has been plastering the broadcast airwaves with this spot for the better part of a week now. That false claim. that he was one of the first to oppose Bush on the Iraq war, was the one that popped out immediately as being wholly ludicrous. Am surprised that it took this long for the blogs and the mainstream media to pick up on this and am disappointed that the Merkeley campaign and the DSCC have given Smith a free pass on this when such a claim is so obviously laughable. And to think the woman stating this claim actually served in Congress, and that she is either so obviously ill-informed or is just plain lying on something so easily verifiable---scary.
June 22, 2008 11:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is the same Gordon Smith that paid $1.25 million for some golf clubs.
Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eax5UNBxbP0
Then donate to Jeff Merkley:
http://www.jeffmerkley.com/contribute
June 23, 2008 12:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
GT -- I'm not sure what blogs you mean when you say that it took a long time for the blogs to pick up on this story... Over at BlueOregon, I covered it right away -- and we've been talking about Gordon Smith's record for a long, long time...
And thank you to TB for the mention of Smith's opponent. Jeff Merkley is the most progressive candidate for the U.S. Senate in the country in 2008. And this is going to be the most competitive and expensive race in the country on a per-voter basis.
Full disclosure: My firm hosts JeffMerkley.com, but I speak only for myself.
June 23, 2008 12:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Your link is broken.
Eric, I don't know what exact question you asked, but it seems likely that the answer from Smith campaign spokesperson Lindsay Gilbride was not responsive to your actual question about the ad's accuracy.
June 23, 2008 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
This guy is a complete a**. I hope that oregon sees it. The guy is a pathetic troll. I will never forget his fake crying on the senate floor after the 2006 smack down the republicans took. Pathetic. I hope the scum rots in hell.
June 23, 2008 12:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
so gordon smith is an out-right liar
and Oregonians are supposed to put up with this shit ???
the repuglitards really are incompetent
they can't even think of plausible lies
June 23, 2008 2:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmm ...
Does that explain Sen. Smith's 2005 , which sought benchmarks in Iraq?
June 23, 2008 8:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Excuse me. Here's what I meant to write:
Does that explain Sen. Smith's 2005 vote against the Levin/Reed/Reid/Biden amendment, which sought benchmarks in Iraq?
June 23, 2008 8:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
heck even republicans are confused on mccain's war position. he was the first besides the prisedent to support the war and was the first to flip flop on the war. too much changing of the position and its confusing
http://sensico.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/dwc-checklist-4-change-part-5/
June 23, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Would someone tell me what two Oregon Democrats are doing making a campaign ad for Smith?
Elizabeth Furse is no longer in Congress. But Avel Gordly ought to get some grief from her constituents over this.
June 23, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
karichisolm---Can't access the link to your blog provided in your post---seems to be bad. In any event, meant blogs that I frequent that are more national in scope...no slight intended.
As I stated in my original post, it is troubling given the sheer amount of airplay that this spot is getting, that the Merkeley campaign and/or the DSCC has not immediately answered it, while Smith hammers home his faux long-time opposition to the war and reinforces his "bipartisan/moderate" image. This isn't an occasional airing---it seems as if this spot has blanketed the newscasts on all networks from 4-7 pm each day and on their evening newscasts as well.
The only anti-Smith ad that I have seen,and I think it is a DSCC spot though not entirely sure, is the one that calls him on his past support of and heavy funding by the oil and auto companies. Effective spot, but again, not countering the Furse-Avely spot that is the subject of this post.
June 23, 2008 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Meant to type Furse-Gordly at the end of the last post...sorry.
June 23, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
No democrat in Oregon gets this ad - what the heck were Elizabeth and Avel thinking?
June 23, 2008 3:54 PM | Reply | Permalink