Senate Hopeful Sues Dole Over Atheist Ad
North Carolina Candidate Kay Hagan Says Dole's Ad Concerning Ties To Atheist Group Constitutes Defamation And Libel
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Play CBS Video Video State Sen. vs. Elizabeth Dole "Only On The Web:" Katie Couric speaks with North Carolina State Sen. Kay Hagan (D) about her decision to run for a U.S. Senate position against incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.).
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Video Can Elizabeth Dole Win Again? Wife of a former presidential hopeful, Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) is in danger of losing her seat to an up and coming local politician. Katie Couric examines the stakes in the Tar Heel State.
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Hagan filed a lawsuit in Wake County Superior Court after Dole declined to remove the ad from the air by a noon deadline.
"Each airing of the advertisement further injures (Hagan's) good name and reputation in the community," Hagan's attorneys wrote in the complaint.
Dole campaign spokesman Dan McLagan dismissed the lawsuit as a "silly political gimmick."
Dole's campaign had called Hagan's earlier warning of a lawsuit an empty threat, and her attorneys said in a letter the ad simply states facts.
"Your client may not like that the ad publicly disseminates information she would prefer to keep quiet in these days before the elections, but the ad is 100% factually accurate and truthful," the attorneys wrote.
Released this week, Dole's ad questions why Hagan went to a fundraiser at the home of a man who serves as an adviser to the Godless Americans Political Action Committee. The ad ends by showing a picture of Hagan while another woman declares in the background, "There is no God!"
Watch the ad here.
Hagan is a Presbyterian church elder who teaches Sunday school. She responded with an ad Thursday in which she forcefully declares her belief in God and cites the Bible's 9th Commandment in decrying Dole for "bearing false witness against fellow Christians."
Thursday's court filing does not detail Hagan's full case against Dole, but initiates the case and allows Hagan 20 days to file the full complaint.
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Michelle Obama tells how her role as the First Lady has changed her perspective.






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See all 41 CommentsShe has not been the greatest Senator representing North Carolina. When orginally elected she took over the seat of retired Senator Jesse Helms, a bigot in his own right. Now it appears Sen. Dole has used the Helms bag of dirty tricks in order to defeat Kay Hagan.
If any reason Dole should loose the Election, her Godless ad about Hagan should be high on the list. I''ve sure lost any respect I had for Elizabeth Dole.
Fear is just p.i.s.s.i.n.g. off the swing voter.
In response to one of the posts: If you supported Hillary, how can you support someone who stands against everything she stood for? If you were just a gender voter than how sad for you and the country.
To attack someone on the grounds that they are an atheist and therefore have a different religious view point than oneself is a very vile and cowardly thing to do. It attacks a fundamental American freedom. We are free in this country to worship god, or not worship god, in any manner we chose, our wise founding fathers gave us this rite. By attacking someone for their religious belief, Elizabeth Dole is trying to revoke the right of religious freedom.
I really hope Kay Hagan wins her lawsuit and the election!!!
So don''t forget to vote one time only now we know obama wants you to vote more but legally you can only vote once. I will cast my vote for McCain but where I am from it really doesn''t matter if I vote or not since McCain will carry by well over 60%.
Sleep well you may only have a couple of months of freedom.
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See all 41 Comments