One could have almost forgotten that the Republicans had an election strategy before that whole Foley thing broke. Their strategy: scare people. Granted, the Foley scandal scares some people as well but that kind of scare ain’t helping the Republicans.
To remind you of the actual scare campaign Nevada’s most favourite golfer released an attack ad on Jack Carter yesterday (which also goes to prove that Ensign’s scared of Jack, otherwise he wouldn’t need to do this).
His ad focuses on the illegal NSA warrantless surveillance program. The ad looks like it was made ten years ago and practically accuses Jack Carter of aiding terrorist attacks.
Link, transcript and anylysis below the fold!
You can watch the video here (Quicktime).
Here’s a transcript:
John Ensign: I’m John Ensign and I approve this message.
Male voiceover: 5am. A call is made from a known terrorist in Afghanistan to a sleeper cell in the U.S. Jack Carter believes we should hang up and get a court order, a costly delay. An opportunity to stop a terror plot has been lost. John Ensign believes American agents should be able to listen to the call and stop a possible terror plot. John Ensign will ensure American forces have the tools they need to keep America safe.
If you actually watched you could see that it’s very cheaply done which is surprising for someone who has so much money in his coffers. This like a mid nineties cheap version of the Matrix or something like it.
To the substance of the ad: John Ensign believes the Supreme Court wants to aid terrorists and would like to see the U.S. attacked. In essence that’s the short version since the U.S. Supreme Court declared Bush’s NSA warrantless surveillance program unconstitutional.
Here’s Jack Carter’s position on preserving the constitution:
I believe the security of our nation is paramount. But I don’t understand the argument going on about the legality of the President’s unilateral eavesdropping program. We Americans live under the rule of Law. Before my President eavesdrops on me, I want my representatives in Congress to have an open debate about whether it’s necessary or not. I want the Supreme Court to rule that it doesn’t violate my personal freedoms as set forth in the Constitution, and then I want the President to execute that law under judicial review. That’s the American way.
I DON’T WANT ANY PRESIDENT TO DECIDE ON HIS OWN THAT I NEED TO BE WATCHED. I believe we can come up with a good balance of security interests and personal freedoms. ALL WE NEED IS A RETURN TO OUR AMERICAN VALUES AND NEW LEADERSHIP.
Apparently John Ensign, as a United States Senator, doesn’t believe in the seperation of power, in the United States Constitution or in the importance of the office he’s been elected to. He rather wants to give all the power to the President.
Now to some unbelievable stupidities in the ad. Again, if you watched the ad, you can see that the “known Afghan terrorist” call originates from Kabul. As far as I am aware, and correct me if I’m wrong, the United States Military Forces have been in Kabul for almost five years now. And John Ensign is telling me that there are still “known terrorists” in Kabul? Wow! Whatan admission. So, not only does John Ensign want to appease the Taliban (read my entry here), he also readily admits that the administration has screwed up in the war on terror. And I thought we were in Afghanistan to “hunt down” the terrorists! Incredible!
That reminds me, Senator: where is Osama Bin Laden?
As if all of that weren’t enough, he actually has the audicity to use troops (or are those actors, Senator?) as a prop for his campaign commercial and he lies at the end of the clip when he says that he “will ensure American forces have the tools they need to keep America safe.”
Not only did Senator Allen of Virginia vote against giving the troops the armor they needed, so did Senator Ensign. And this man misuses the troops as a campaign prop? (read my earlier post on this here).
You can help Jack Carter counter this incredulous attack by John Ensign! Contribute now!
cross posted from Turn Tahoe Blue