CAMPAIGN 2008

Smear or Be Smeared

The DNC plans "unlimited" spending against McCain; some of its claims are misleading.

 

Email To A Friend

Please fill in the following information and we'll email this link.

Separate multiple addresses with commas

SPONSORED BY
 

Summary
The Democratic National Committee proposes to spend unlimited amounts of money to "tell the real story" about John McCain before Republicans can "start smearing" the eventual Democratic nominee. But the line of attack the Democrats outline to their potential donors in an e-mail contains some claims that are false or misleading.

* The DNC paints McCain as favoring "endless war" in Iraq. What McCain actually said is that he wouldn't mind a hundred-year troop presence "as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed."

* It says McCain "looked the other way" rather than investigate Jack Abramoff and a Republican "Culture of Corruption." In fact, McCain's investigation led to a prison term for Abramoff and the downfall of several powerful Republicans. His investigators didn't probe members of Congress directly, but that wasn't the job of his Indian Affairs Committee. And in any case, federal prosecutors opposed a competing congressional investigation which might have interfered with their own efforts.

* The DNC message makes criticisms of McCain that could be directed at its own leading candidates as well. It notes that he lacks training in economics, which is equally true of Clinton and Obama. And it accuses him of "staggering" reliance on lobbyists for campaign help, when Clinton also has substantial aid from lobbyists and Obama has some from former lobbyists.

If recent history is any guide, the preemptive attack that the DNC outlines in this message will be followed by similar attacks by Republicans. Past elections have included spiraling rounds of attacks by both parties, in which each side claims to be responding in kind to the other.

Analysis
According to this fundraising pitch, the DNC plans a massive advertising campaign that will give voters what we judge to be a distorted picture of Arizona Sen. John McCain's positions. The mass e-mail was sent out to the party faithful Feb. 6, the day after McCain emerged from Super Tuesday as the clear front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, and even before former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney suspended his run for the GOP nomination. The subject of the e-mail: "How we'll beat John McCain."

Label

Newsweek Top Stories
NEWSWEEK's 20/10
NEWSWEEK's 20/10

Our decade-in-review project recalls the highs and lows of the last 10 years.

Obama's Promises
Obama's Promises

Is the new president fulfilling his campaign pledges? Or falling short?

The Decade in 7 Minutes
The Decade in 7 Minutes

Video: A fast-paced review of the best and worst moments. Don't blink.

Accidental Celebrities
Accidental Celebrities

From Levi Johnston to Elian Gonzalez, these people never expected to be in the spotlight.

Discuss

Sponsored by

Member Comments

  • Posted By: Bob 101st. Airborne @ 02/23/2008 12:44:09 PM

    I respect John McCain as a fellow Viet Nam Vet. But he should remember all our fallen comrads as i remember we were dying for ''Demacracy'' in Nam also. How many more of our young children must die for a country, and people that dont want ''US'' there.

  • Posted By: 85441396 @ 02/20/2008 2:43:18 PM

    We are all Americans. Most of us would die for our freedoms. Standing together, finding common ground and acting as patriotic, democratic, intelligent people is our only hope for continued improvement. Our differences, excluding illegal acts, can become a great strength. The majority of Americans are excellent individuals. We must, however, work diligently, be patient with each other and stop this "name-calling!" What do we gain by trying to reduce anyone's unlimited value? Thank You

  • Posted By: Marine6975 @ 02/19/2008 10:09:48 AM

    What it boils down to is very simple. Victory in the war on terror or a white flag waved to terrorists.

    Republicans ans all who truly love and believe in the standards of the United States need to pull together and get it right in November.

Reply

Report Abuse

Enter comments if any for reporting abuse