Election Shenanigans From Campaign Watchdog
Nov. 3 -- Woof, woof.
ABCNEWS.com’s Campaign Watchdog has gotten scores of reports from readers about questionable e-mail, phone calls, advertisements, fliers and activities on the streets and at the polling places.
Read some of the examples and contact us if you have something to report.
Jiggle the Handle
Some people would say that campaign advertising is in the toilet.
Now a radio spot paid for by the Democratic-Farm-Labor Party in Minnesota attacks Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush’s record offers some real proof. The ad implies that Bush has led Texas down the toilet — literally, by punctuating its voice-over with a flushing commode.
The narrator says:
“Governor George Bush says he’s a leader in education. But where’s he led the state of Texas? [cue toilet flushing] Texas students rank 45th lowest nationwide in SAT scores. Texas ranks at the bottom of the country in awarding financial aid. Bush would rather give tax breaks to the wealthy than invest in education. The San Antonio Express-News reported that Bush said “higher education is not my priority.”
“Think his plan for America will be any different? Call Governor Bush, tell him what you think about his priorities. Paid for by the Minnesota DFL Party.”
How accurate is the ad? The SAT score number (Texas ranked 45th in 1998, but in 1999 they actually got worse, dropping to 47th) is correct for 1998 although the next year the state dropped to 47th. The Express-News quote is from March of 1998, before he announced his run for the presidency.
And the ad’s exhortation for listeners to call Bush doesn’t tell them where to call, so its credibility as an advocacy ad is weak. But the sound effect creates a tacky — though memorable — underline to a political point.
Read the Fine Print
A “voting guide” mailed to conservative constituents in California offers a listing of candidates and propositions along with suggested voting choices. It doesn’t list every candidate, only the ones it purports to support in each race.
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