Unions that endorsed Gephardt donated to group airing anti-Dean ads

[dajabr]

(12-16) 15:42 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --

Several labor unions that endorsed Dick Gephardt donated $50,000 apiece to a group broadcasting commercials that question Democratic presidential rival Howard Dean's credentials, including one spot that features Osama bin Laden and two others that align the former Vermont governor with President Bush.

One of the unions, the International Association of Machinists, called Tuesday for the group, Americans for Jobs, Healthcare and Progressive Values, to pull the ad and release the names of its financial backers. Other labor unions that gave money to the group include the Laborers International Union of North America and the Ironworkers Union, both of which have endorsed Gephardt for president.

"The ads are despicable and we ought to ask for the refund," said Rick Sloan, a spokesman for the International Association of Machinists. "They've done more to damage Dick Gephardt than anything any of his opponents could have done or dreamed of doing."

Gephardt said Tuesday he had no idea who was financing the group.

More: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/12/16/politics1842EST0673.DTL

Sounds like Dean is winning this round.

[joeybee12]

1. Doesn't whoever is running these ad realize how bad it makes ALL

Dems look?

And if it is Gephardt, he's certainly showing his evil side--one only wonders why he didn't use that when he was minority leader. We might not be a floundering minority party if he had.

[jeter]

3. If I were Dean...

...I would publicly say how shocked I was by this ad and use it as an excuse to blast Gephardt out of the water in Iowa.

I know two wrongs don't make a right. But this is too low, even for Gephardt.

[Le Taz Hot]

5. Dean won't have to do a thing.

If this abomination is truly traceable back to Gebhardt, (I'm REALLY hoping its not but its looking more and more like it is), it will bury him politically.

[Ripley]

6. Dean said:

"Whoever ran this ad will not win the Democratic nomination."

Kerry and Gephardt deny, deny, deny. :eyes:

[eyesroll]

2. Good for the machinist union n/t

[dajabr]

7. Here, Here! (nt)

[tnlefty]

4. I'd like to know the agency or freelancers or just WHO came up with the

ad and produced it. Is there any way to find out?

[wryter2000]

8. Good for those people

It's their right and duty to back the candidate they think is best. But I'm glad they're standing up against that kind of filth.

[eblack101]

9. Ad available for viewing at Dean for America

Friends,

There are some saying on some of these threads that this ad is only being used to "promote Dean" and/or tear down Gephardt; that it actually doesn't exist and has never been shown.

Please, refer such people to the Dean for America site to see the ad.

Thanks,
eric

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

10. Gephardt can kiss his support goodbye. Unions want to get rid of Bush

but not by destroying the party. They KNOW if the party and the base is destroyed and divided their very livelihoods are on the line. The DLC just took their money and undermined them. Stupid stupid stupid.

Any respect I had for Gephardt is gone...he should have called for their removal even if he couldn't control it.

[Lefty48197]

11. I know the laborers and iron workers

I work with their members on an on-going basis. I know that they are pure dedicated DEMOCRATS who tirelessly fight for the rights, wages, and living-conditions of working Americans and their families. I wish the supporters of all the candidates were so reliably DEMOCRATIC.

[dajabr]

12. kick

:kick:

[MercutioATC]

13. Interesting, but absolutely NO direct link...

Hell, want anti-Dean comments from Gep? Check out Gephardt's website. One of these people may have tossed a couple of bucks into a red pot around Christmas, but that doesn't mean the Salvation Army is in league with the "anti'Dean" forces.

I'm a Dean supporter and I think that these issues must be responded to but they're really not a concern.