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Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Anti-Petraeus Ad Meets Criticism
Copyright © 2007 Albuquerque Journal
By Michael Coleman
Journal Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON— A political ad that questions the integrity of the top U.S. general in Iraq triggered reactions ranging from outrage to mild disapproval among New Mexico congressional members this week.
The ad, sponsored by MoveOn.org and splashed across a full page of Monday's New York Times, showed a large photo of Gen. David Petraeus with the words: GENERAL PETRAEUS OR GENERAL BETRAY US? Cooking the Books for the White House."
The supporting text of the advertisement accused Petraeus of using omission and selective facts about the war during testimony to Congress.
Congressional Republicans denounced the MoveOn.org ad, with Rep. Steve Pearce of New Mexico among the first to attack it. Pearce issued a statement Monday calling on Democrats to denounce what he called a "despicable attack on one of America's most decorated military commanders and greatest patriots."
Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., called the ad "reprehensible." Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., described it as "vicious."
MoveOn.org is a political action committee founded during former President Clinton's impeachment trial. It generally champions left-leaning causes with provocative, paid messages in television and other media. The group says on its Web site that it has more than 3.3 million members.
Dem opinions
Sen. Jeff Bingaman and Rep. Tom Udall— two Democratic members of New Mexico's delegation who voted against the war and have been highly critical of its execution— stopped short of denouncing the MoveOn.org ad. But they said it went too far.
"I think it did," Bingaman said in an interview. "I have great respect for Gen. Petraeus and his service to the country. If people want to disagree with what he says, that's fine. That's their right. But I don't question his belief in what he's saying.
"I don't think he's trying to mislead people," Bingaman added. "He's saying what he thinks."
Udall said the ad did not contribute to a civil debate on the war.
"While I strongly disagree with the direction that (Petraeus) and the president hope to take in continuing the war in Iraq, I also believe a certain level of respect is necessary to bring civility to the discussion," Udall said.
"It may well be that some of the rhetoric (in the ad) is unfortunate," Udall said. "Gen. Petraeus is caught in a crossfire. He's been put forward by President Bush, who has no credibility on the progress we've made in Iraq."
But Udall also said that people are free to say what they want and that he is "not in the business of endorsing or opposing political ads."
Another prominent New Mexico Democrat, governor and presidential candidate Bill Richardson, also stopped short of denouncing the ad.
"I do not question the integrity or competence of Gen. Petraeus, who has served our country with distinction, but the strategy the Bush administration has asked him to execute is unacceptable, irresponsible and dangerous," said Richardson, who has called for a complete U.S. troop withdrawal.
Could backfire
F. Chris Garcia, professor emeritus at the University of New Mexico and an expert on politics, said the ads could backfire.
"I think it doesn't help their cause because they stirred up people who might be sympathetic to their cause on the war but don't like the top general in Iraq being called a traitor," Garcia said.
But he also said the ad's controversial language got noticed. "It did draw a great deal of publicity," he said.
Nita Chaudhary, a spokeswoman for MoveOn.org, defended the ad.
"We stand behind every fact, and we'll challenge any politician to dispute the facts in the ad," she said in an interview. "The escalation in Iraq has failed, and no amount of White House spin can change that."
She also said MoveOn.org is not a front group for the national Democratic Party, as some Republicans— including Pearce of New Mexico— alleged this week.
"MoveOn is an organization that represents its members," Chaudhary said. "Our members, like most Americans people, want the American troops to come home."
Shift of focus?
Larry Sabato, a political science professor at the University of Virginia, said the ad makes Democrats nervous.
"They're worried that Democrats are going to start turning on each other and cannibalizing each other instead of focusing on Republicans," Sabato said.
"It pushes back against moderates and makes it harder for them to back Bush," he said.
Bingaman said he doesn't worry that the ad— if perceived by most Americans as distasteful or over the top— will hurt Democrats politically.
MoveOn.org "clearly is not an arm of the Democratic Party, and it does not speak for the Democratic Party," Bingaman said. "The party cannot be held responsible for what a third party does."
E-MAIL writer Copyright © 2007 Albuquerque Journal By Michael Coleman