SYRACUSE, N.Y., Oct. 21, 2006
Steamy Attack Ad Meets Chilly Reception
Republican Committee-Sponsored Ad Accuses Dem. Candidate Of Billing Phone Sex Charges To Taxpayers
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Did the makers of this political attack ad know that the New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services shared the same 7-digit phone number as a sex line? (NRCC/WTVH-TV)
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Democratic congressional candidate Michael Arcuri is accused in the ad of billing taxpayers for a call to a phone sex line placed while he was in a hotel. The ad shows Arcuri leering at the silhouette of a dancing woman who says, "Hi, sexy. You've reached the live, one-on-one fantasy line."
But Arcuri's campaign released records showing the call made two years ago from his New York City hotel room to 800-457-8462 — a sex line — was followed the next minute by a call to 518-457-8462, the state Department of Criminal Justice Services.
Arcuri, the district attorney in Oneida County, said the ad was "clearly libelous" and threatened to file a lawsuit. Even his GOP opponent, state Sen. Ray Meier, described it as "way over the line."
At least seven television stations in Syracuse, Utica and Binghamton refused to run the ad, Arcuri said.
The NRCC stood by the 30-second message. Spokesman Ed Patru insisted it was "totally true" and said candidate Meier was not consulted.
"I think they have a low regard for the American electorate," Robert McClure, professor of political science and public affairs at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, told CBS's Syracuse affiliate WTVH-TV. "But I also think they have the evidence that these kinds of negative smear campaigns work."
The two candidates — who say they are friends — are running to fill the seat left open by the retirement of Republican Rep. Sherwood Boehlert. Political analysts have said the race is among the nation's most competitive.
Arcuri said he had "never seen such an unfair commercial. I have a 12-year-old daughter. She's going to have to go to school and hear other kids talk about this."
Earlier in the week, both candidates said they were disappointed by the attack ads produced and funded by their national party committees. They said campaign-finance laws prevent them from screening the commercials.
"I think the voters in this congressional district – and in congressional districts across the state and across the country – are quite frankly sick of this kind of advertising and smear campaigns, Democratic Party chair William Morris told WTVBH-TV.
"We don’t agree with any of it," Republican Party chair Mark Scheidelman told WTVH-TV. "And we would hope that both parties would stop it and we'd start talking about the issues."
One voter, Rosemarie Paladino of Utica, said she found such negative advertising so distasteful that she was tempted to avoid voting.
"But then I said, 'Wait a minute. I've got to exercise my right."'
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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No wonder more and more thoughtful members of the religous community and true Christians are preparing to reject them at the polls. This current crop of Republicans only values raw political power and its use for self-benefit.
Let us pray for their souls for they are truly lost.
We expect our politicians (yeah, right), to hopefully not be the type of people that would cater to devious and mud slinging campaigns. If they do, they are exactly the people we do not want in office, Dems or Repubs. Perhaps it may be impossible, but let's try and vote for the most honorable people that we can. Naive, sure, but we can try.
TO ALL ABOVE....
I AM PASSING OUT THE KLEENEX, NOW WIPE YOUR SNOTTY NOSES, AND BE SURE YOU SHOW UP AT THE VOTING PLACE ON THE APPROPRIATE DAY AND HOUR...
THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN DO THE RIGHT THING, AND YOU HAD BETTER DO IT RIGHT.
I AM STILL FOR TWO TERM LIMITS, WHAT GOOD ARE THEY AFTER THAT? ONLY FILL THEIR POCKETS MORE, AND TAKE AWAY FROM THE REALLY POOR....
Just alter the spelling a little.
g.ay and a few others with *** like they were dirty words? laughable right wing mentality!
Unlike REPUBICON Foley who likes his underage boy pages... bent over so he can see their "package" eh?
Unlike REPUBICON "scooter" Libbye Lewid er Lewis who wrote a steamy *** book titled "The Apprentice" which goes into fantasies about incest, pedophilia and bestiality.
The Republican party is becoming desparate. Any cornered animal will fight, including a rabbit. This is just another case.
Frankly, as a republican, this sort of stuff is not in my taste. The current batch of representitives for the party need to go. It's time for a change, even if it is to democrat.
Look how successful the Swift Boat ads were: a bunch of decorated veterans lying, fabricating stories, and whoring themselves out to the GOP- and the voting public believed it.
A strong response to any of this typical GOP PROPOGANDA is REQUIRED.