Carter’s ‘Victory Mosque’ Ad
2010-09-23 - by
Birds fly, fish swim and Carter Wrenn pushes the envelope to the edge. That’s what they do.
Like him or not, Carter will boldly go where others fear to tread.
He did it for Jesse Helms. He did it when he and Helms had a falling-out and Carter challenged the senator to disclose his personal finances. Now he’s done it for Renee Ellmers with the “victory mosque” ad.
Three things here:
1. Spin it how you want, the ad is an appeal to anti-Muslim prejudice. Would Ellmers run the ad if Muslims were popular? Or have Muslims become to Republicans today what African-Americans and gays were to Jesse Helms in his day?
2. The ad’s truthfulness is questionable, as the N&O’s Claims Department demonstrated.
3. And it ignores the warnings of American military commanders, like General David Petraeus. In an Internet world, Muslims in
Oh well, Renee, why let truth, freedom of religion and the safety of American troops stand in the way of political ambition?
Yes, blame Renee. Carter does what he does. She doesn’t have to. But she did.
And it might work. Given how hot the “mosque” and the political climate are, she might get what she wants: a seat in Congress. She might leap into the ranks of Tea Party heroines like Sarah Palin, Christine O’Donnell and Michelle Bachman.
But, with one stroke, she’s gone from nurse-healer to divider, from fresh outsider to pandering politician.
I suspect the day will come when she regrets it.
And Bob Etheridge should stand up and call the ad what it is: an appeal to the worst in us.
Carter’s ‘Victory Mosque’ Ad
2010-09-23/
Birds fly, fish swim and Carter Wrenn pushes the envelope to the edge. That’s what they do.
Like him or not, Carter will boldly go where others fear to tread.
He did it for Jesse Helms. He did it when he and Helms had a falling-out and Carter challenged the senator to disclose his personal finances. Now he’s done it for Renee Ellmers with the “victory mosque” ad.
Three things here:
1. Spin it how you want, the ad is an appeal to anti-Muslim prejudice. Would Ellmers run the ad if Muslims were popular? Or have Muslims become to Republicans today what African-Americans and gays were to Jesse Helms in his day?
2. The ad’s truthfulness is questionable, as the N&O’s Claims Department demonstrated.
3. And it ignores the warnings of American military commanders, like General David Petraeus. In an Internet world, Muslims in
Oh well, Renee, why let truth, freedom of religion and the safety of American troops stand in the way of political ambition?
Yes, blame Renee. Carter does what he does. She doesn’t have to. But she did.
And it might work. Given how hot the “mosque” and the political climate are, she might get what she wants: a seat in Congress. She might leap into the ranks of Tea Party heroines like Sarah Palin, Christine O’Donnell and Michelle Bachman.
But, with one stroke, she’s gone from nurse-healer to divider, from fresh outsider to pandering politician.
I suspect the day will come when she regrets it.
And Bob Etheridge should stand up and call the ad what it is: an appeal to the worst in us.