Great opinion piece on the Republican branding of Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in today’s Palm Beach Post:
How dare Sen. Bill Nelson accept support from MoveOnPAC.org?
…there it was in the black-and-white electrons of an e-mailed news release from the National Republican Senatorial Committee. “Left Coast Liberals’ Lackey: Bill Nelson,” the e-mail screeches…
How could Sen. Nelson, Democrat and one-time shuttle astronaut, let those left-leaning, Hollywood liberal peacenik wackos offer him support? MoveOn.org, famous for its ads against President Bush during the 2004 campaign, had the temerity to condone something less than all-out warfare after the 9/11 attacks, as the National Republican Senatorial Committee news release points out…
Is reelection really so important to Florida’s senior senator that he is willing to take help from people who suggested that the president rely on “international judicial institutions and international human rights law to bring to justice those responsible for the attacks.” Sen. Nelson must know that this group condoned same-sex marriage and that its real financial power is derived from left-wing billionaires, as so clearly spelled out by the National Republican Senatorial Committee in its release — 17 months before Election Day.
…The National Republican Senatorial Committee pumped $5.6 million into last year’s Florida Senate race, $3.6 million to defeat Democrat Betty Castor and $2 million to support the eventual winner, Republican Mel Martinez. By contrast, the Democratic Senatorial Committee put up $3.6 million on behalf of Ms. Castor. The race was decided by 1 percentage point…
The question isn’t even which viewpoint Americans will believe; it is which they will hear.
That’s the problem with politics today. Broad brushes obliterate subtle frescoes. It’s not the most sensible point of view that captures elections. It’s the loudest. The National Republican Senatorial Committee is counting on it.
