The Political Chase

Giuliani’s Ad Is Swift-Boating

I find it hard to comprehend the level of debate over an ad almost rivals the debate over the war in Iraq. I’m not going to argue for or against the Petraeus ad, simply because I think it’s trivial when compared to other issues. (See update below.) On the other hand, based on the available evidence, it appears to me Rudy Giuliani is resorting to low-rent, sleazeball, Swift-Boating.

Here are the ads.

In the “Betray Us” ad, MoveOn accuses Gen. Petraeus of “cooking the books for the White House” and references statements Petraeus made in 2004 saying there was “tangible progress” in Iraq and that “Iraqi leaders are stepping forward.” The ad goes on to cite Petraeus as the “architect of the escalation of the troops in Iraq.” MoveOn cites recent “independent reports” as evidence the “surge strategy has failed,” and accuses Petraeus of not admitting “what everyone knows: Iraq is mired in an unwinnable civil war.”

MoveOn provides a plethora of links at its site that allegedly support their claims.

The MoveOn ad was published in the New York Times on September 10.

The Giuliani ad cites a September 12 excerpt from the New York Sun (no credibility problem there) as its basis for attacking Hillary Clinton.

Using blunter to language than any other Democrat in the last two days, Mrs. Clinton told General Petraeus that his progress report on Iraq required “[the] willing suspension of disbelief.”

The Giuliani ad declares “Hillary Clinton continued the character attack on General Petraeus and refused to denounce MoveOn.org’s ad.”

Whatever one’s position is on the MoveOn ad, Giuliani’s attack on Hillary Clinton provides no basis of fact, but instead, employs innuendo to tie Clinton to the ad.

Giuliani could spend his time and money more wisely by focusing on real issues instead of executing plays from the Karl Rove Mudslinging Policy and Procedures Manual.

Late Update: Here’s Hillary Clinton’s response to Giuliani’s ad.

Rudy Giuliani is dropping in the polls and is unable to defend his own support for George Bush’s failed war. Instead of distorting Senator Clinton’s record in the campaign’s first attack ad, the Mayor should tell voters why he thinks sticking with the Bush Iraq strategy makes sense. The country wants change and while Hillary Clinton is focused ending the war, Mayor Giuliani is playing politics.

Later Update: I believe there is an important issue related to the Petraeus ad that is not being included in the debate to my knowledge. General Petraeus should never have been in the position to be the target of a political ad, but George Bush did precisely that. Bush hid behind Petraeus and made Petraeus his foreign policy water boy. If Petraeus had not been doing George Bush’s job, there would have been no reason for him to enter the political fray.

When Gen. Petraeus answered Sen. Warner’s question, will victory in Iraq make America safer, his prompt answer “I don’t know,” was arguably a strong indication the general did not want to answer the question for obvious reasons. Sen. Warner’s skillful removal of the bark to elicit the answer was indeed appropriate given the circumstances and the circumstances are a direct consequence of the Bush-Cheney administration’s malpractice and misfeasance.

Furthermore, the extent of Mayor Giuliani’s hypocrisy is well demonstrated in this statement from his ad: “These times call for statesmanship, not politicians spewing venom.”