There's been an awful lot of misinformation (to put it charitably) being tossed around in campaign ads and the blogosphere about Bob Dold's position on abortion, and the Chicago Tribune editorial board has finally had enough:
You can get immune to candidates taking liberties with the truth as they rip each other during campaigns, but sometimes they mislead voters so badly you have to call them on it. Such is the case with Democrat Dan Seals.
Seals is running for the U.S. House in the north suburban 10th District. He and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee are running ads that say Republican Robert Dold is "too extreme" on abortion. But they don't cite Dold's own words or views on abortion. That wouldn't work, because Dold plainly says he supports abortion rights. They cite, instead, the views of the Illinois Federation for Right to Life.
"Bob Dold is hiding who he is. Dold's supported by radical groups that would criminalize abortion in every case," says an ominous voice in a Seals TV ad.
"Dold is backed by the Illinois Federation for Right to Life," says a DCCC-sponsored ad. "They oppose abortion, even in cases of rape and incest, or to protect a mother's health. Dold's supporters want to change the Constitution and criminalize a woman's choice."
Now here are the facts. Illinois Federation for Right to Life has not endorsed Dold. The group said it preferred Dold over his opponents in the Republican primary, but didn't make an endorsement then either. Bonnie Quirke, who represents the 10th District on the federation's board, told us that Dold "basically considers himself a pro-choice candidate, so we can't endorse something like that."
"On the basic common issue of 'does a woman have a right to make a choice,' he would differ with us," she said.
Dold and Seals recently met with the Tribune editorial board. Here's what they said about abortion.
Dold: "Let's be clear. I'm pro-choice. I believe in a woman's right to choose. I don't believe that should be a decision that the government gets in between a doctor and the patient."
Seals: "I differ in that I actually mean what I say when I say the government shouldn't have a role. I believe this is a decision that should be made by a woman, and her family, and her doctor and her God … we want abortions to be safe, legal and rare."
There are differences in their views. Dold supports laws that require a parent be notified before his or her minor child has an abortion, Seals opposes parental notification. Seals supports public funding for abortion; Dold opposes it. Seals supports partial-birth abortion, Dold opposes it.
The Tribune has endorsed Dold (who is not related to editorial page editor Bruce Dold). We have described Seals as "impressive," praise that shows up in his campaign ads. That's fair game. We said that about him in 2008 when we endorsed his opponent, Rep. Mark Kirk.
We're not impressed that Seals would give voters false ideas about his opponent's views on abortion. Not impressed at all. He and the DCCC should drop these very misleading ads.
The Trib could have added Lauren Beth Gash's Tenth Congressional District Democrats to their list of liars on this topic, but that group is, I am sure, bneneath the Trib's notice.
Fact is, Bob Dold is a pro-choice candidate but supports some common-sense restrictions like parental notification. Dan Seals, on the other hand, wants abortions to be as easy to order as a Big Mac (I stole that from some other source today but forgot where I saw it, and couldn't resist), brooking no restrictions at all, including using federal tax dollars to pay for abortions. Dan Seals, not Bob Dold, seems to be the one with the "extreme" views on abortion that don't fit the voters in the 10th District.
But, is this all really what we need to be talking about less than two weeks before the election? While many one-issue voters on both sides obsess about abortion, I think more people in the 10th District are concerned over the economy, their livelihood, their retirement, and their childrens' future. On these issues, Bob Dold has the right message, and that's what's going to carry the day for him come November 2nd.
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24 comments:
Amen.
Seals is lying about Dold because it's the only card he has to play.
He can't be honest about Dold, because Dold is pro-choice.
He can't win on issues, because he supports all of the unpopular policies coming out of Washington.
He can't even vote for himself, because he doesn't live in the district.
He can't run on his own record, because he's never done anything.
So, the only chance he has is to scare women into thinking Dold wants to shoot them in the head for wanting to have an abortion.
This plan of attack, like the candidate himself, will fail.
So, come November 2nd, truth will win out, and - to borrow from the great Winston Churchill - Blue Wind will still be an idiot.
Fielding Melish
Wow, Philippe, it's been forever since you've written a comment.
Perhaps you should check Sunday's NY Times, because that certainly sounds like a pro-choice candidate.
Also let's talk about Bob Dold's flip-flopping, most significantly from "the clear conservative choice" to a "moderate".
Seals, Blue, the 10th Dems all have one mantra and one voice and it's to be untruthful. They all KNOW that Bob Dold was NOT endorsed by the fringe elements that they claim gave the nod. They KNEW this yet they persisted in their attacks on Bob Dold because they have nothing else to talk about. They represent the worst in politics today: those who are knowingly untruthful. No, Blue won't say a word about the Tribune's piece. And you know damn well that Gash, Gill and those nit brained followers will continue to deceive and to distort. Bob Dold is a class act. Period. Voters are disgusted, angry, tuned out and fed up with the likes of Seals and his friends. We all should be.
November 2 can't come fast enough.
I wish I had the abilities of Fielding Melish. I do agree with FM wholeheartedly on this issue. Shame on Dan Seals for running a campaign based on misinformation. The people of the 10th are too smart to be manipulated by the likes of Dan Seals, me thinks.
-Philippe
"After being somewhat cagey on the issue during the GOP primary, Dold has said he supports abortion rights, but doesn’t want tax dollars spent on it and wants minors to get the consent of a parent or judge before getting one."
Where from you ask?, The Chicago Tribune LAST NIGHT.
Congrats Tribune! You can't seem to control your own corporate suite and endorse "cagey" candidates.
The New York Times article yesterday had all the facts. Again, here is the link:
http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/campaign-ad-uses-a-sleight-of-lines/
From that link:
---The key abortion question on its candidate questionnaire relates to proposed federal legislation to require that providers speak vividly to mothers. The proposed script for doctors includes the line, “There is substantial evidence that the process of being killed in an abortion will cause the unborn child pain, even though you receive a pain-reducing drug or drugs.”
Mr. Kirk said that he’s against the proposal. Mr. Dold, the self-proclaimed Kirk Redux moderate, said that he’s for it."---
So, Dold is for that bizarre legislation supported by radical groups that want to force gynecologists to say essentially false things to women. Kirk was NOT for it. Apparently, Dold wants to get in between a woman and her doctor. That is totally unacceptable and radical. And that is exactly what Dold supports. If the NYT article is wrong and that is not Dold's position, one would expect that Dold's campaign would correct it. They did not, because that is the position of Dold on the issue. And it is certainly a radical one. Facts are facts.
And lies, misrepresentations, are all you have in your disgusting bag of tricks, Blue. Expect a statement from the Dold campaign. At the point let's hope you have the moral decency to apologize. I won't hold my breath.
Talk about "extremism" as the knuckleheads amongst us try to steal away legitimate debate in favor of making things up:
From the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute poll taken September 30 - October 10:
2. Do you think abortions should be legal under all circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances?
Abortions legal under any circumstances: 31.5%
Abortions legal under certain situations: 45%
Abortions illegal under all circumstances: 19.1%
Other/Don't know: 4.4%
Survey indicated a +/- of 3% and was conducted statewide.
Even the liberal Simon Institute smartly divided the prochoice issue, something Seals and the radical far left in the 10th refuses to do during this campaign. By dividing the question in such a fashion, it promotes a great deal of thought and debate vs. the current Seals sloganeering which the Tribune properly ripped apart.
Even Senator Ricky "Shoot Them In The Head" Hendon on radio claimed to be for parental notification for underaged abortions!
This is a "statewide" poll and the issue should trend more conservatively than the 10th Congressional District.
The real question is who has the more "extreme" position on this issue in the 10th? Dan Seals or Robert Dold?
These numbers tend to indicate that Seals is the extremist over Dold. When Seals is more "extremist" than Senator "Shoot Them In The Head" Hendon, WOW!
Louis G. Atsaves
Wow, Philippe it's almost like you're in two places at once....
Oh wait, you're just sock-puppeting.
And it's not like the Dold campaign was called out for that by the Daily Herald Editorial board.... oh wait they did.
@ Blue
Love it! Everything you disagree with is from a RADICAL group. Next I am guessing you will say that the NRA is a RADICAL group.
Blue, step away from the talking points and realize that you are not going to change any minds on this blog... we all have a vested interest in a candidate or party and you trying to make Dold a radical right wing nut isn't going to happen in this forum.
Blue Wind,
When will you realize everyone is laughing you and your opinions off? No matter what you try to do to redirect the conversation, see post #1 here as that says it all.
Trying to re-make Seals is like trying to re-heat a souffle; it just work work.
Go out and get your voters excited and try to help your tanking candidate.
The conspiracy theorist in foklaeaps tells foklaeaps that most of the tribune editorial board writers live on the north shore, that their top political writer now-ryan or patterson came there from the daily herald where he spent 4 years copying and pasting team america blog postings and turning them into stories and that dold isn't smart enough to have his press operation call the tribune to complain about this.
Therefore I suspect this editorial came in response to the blog discussion here over the weekend. I have no proof, just a suspicion.
Seals is talking about abortion because he can't talk about the real issue-the economy because his policies have failed. I've been waiting for 9 months for dold to campaign like a trevian-big and tough and go right at him for the failed economic record of the pelosi agenda using dold's family business against him as a dagger to knife up his campaign.
Alas for not.
FOKLAEAPS
This election is supposed to be about jobs, jobs, jobs. If Seals wins, he will reduce unemployment by one while Dold will merely trade one good job for another.
Should we support Seals to reduce local unemployment?
I think not. Seals has been fired from his last three jobs none of which he held for long. If he serves one term in Congress it will be the longest tenure of any job he has ever held.
Let’s forget about these divisive issues and concentrate on the simple fact Dan Seals is totally unqualified to sit in Congress. That’s why the Tenth District will elect Dold. The voters have good sense.
Anon 2:04, I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't think I've ever seen any proof that Seals was fired from his previous jobs. Wouldn't shock me, but unless you have verifiable proof, you shouldn't say that.
Philippe (or should I say 'Freedom') Mellish--
I know you come from the land of Napoleon and Robespierre, but in America, tools like Dold never win. Let's face some facts:
1. Robert Dold has willingly accepted the support of right wing groups such as IL Fed for Right to Life, the Eagle Forum, and Illinois Family Action--groups that Kirk would have rejected or never even came close to winning the support of. NARAL, the true authority on abortion rights, called Dold a 'pretender' and vocally endorsed Seals.
2. Dold has openly denied paying payroll tax on campaign workers such as yourself by paying you as consultants. Based on your Frenchie...I mean Fielding...I mean whateveryournameis, there's no way you qualify as a consultant.
3. Dold endorsed the Ryan plan, which wants to private social security and cut Medicare. Dold obviously doesn't care seeing as he dodged payroll taxes. Further, he got Eric Cantor, a supporter of the Ryan plan, to come stump for him last weekend.
Philippe, though you should be campaigning instead of allowing me to hang you out to dry on here, simply put: you're wrong. I hope you have little trouble finding new employment. I hear Congressman Seals will be hiring.
Until Next Time,
A Concerned Colonial
Wow CC, I never thought about it that waty. You're right.
Louis G. Atsaves
Oh, oh! Democratic dirty tricks afoot TA! Infantile no less!
8:48 p.m. Louis G. Atsaves is not me! You have my phone number if you want to verify.
Regards,
Louis G. Atsaves
Wow, that is pretty low, Lou. And I know you know how to spell.
Juvenile is right. I hope I don't have to start policing the blog for imposters. You probably ought to set up a google account so no one else can steal your identity, Lou, and then you also won't have to worry about signing your name.
I don't know how to respond to my feux-complimenter, so I'll just keep making fun of Dold and Freedom Melish (kinda like freedom fries or freedom toast). I don't know why frenchie is still reading this blog? Maybe it's that he doesn't get it...who knows. All I can say is that the campaign is a reflection of the candidate. Between comment-gate, financial inquiries and a host of other issues that I'll bring to light in the future, the Dold campaign makes Mike Gravel for President look organized and effective.
Again, Frenchie Melish, I hope you apply to be an LC in the office of Congressman Seals. If not, Conservative Magazine needs someone to rate the candidates--after all, you asked them to artificially rate Dolt low.
Until Next Time,
A Concerned Colonial
Alas! I have been found out...You guys are so smart. Knew I couldn't pull one over on you smarty-pants Seals drones...What gave me away, Blue Wind? Was it the fact that I was right and that you're still floundering for lame arguments and hacky talking points?
As for Concerned Colonial, I would have addressed him/her in my comments, but I haven't quite yet figured out how to comprise a post solely out of monosyllabic words, so I figured I wouldn't waste my time...However, since he/she called me out, I'll give it a try.
CUE CC TRANSLATOR:
"Dear C.C.,
Dold is good. Seal lie with words. Dold good man. Seal no have job. Seal raise tax. Seal no live in place where he run and will vote for Jan. You make good seal lap dog. You bulb not so bright. Keep up work that make me laugh."
-END TRANSLATION-
...To the rest of you, I can't believe you figured out my identity. I will have to live with the shame and cry myself to sleep tonight. I shall cry myself to sleep with the tears of the exposed.
CUE CC TRANSLATOR:
"Dear C.C.,
Me sad you know who I am. Much sad. Much shame. Cry a lot now. Cry till eyes close and I sleep."
-END TRANSLATION-
Best!
Fielding Melish
Honestly, I do not post as Fielding Melish. Even in the rough and tumble world of blogging, there has to be some rules. While I generally agree with FM's posts, I would appreciate it if posters here cease incorrectly attributing to me posts that I have not written.
Tnx,
-Philippe
Phillipe!
Just when we had them all believing it was you...Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.
I can attest that I am not you.
Regards,
Fielding Melish
I am not me either. In case anyone was interested.
I'm not Phillipe, Fielding or TA. Just looked in the mirror. Didn't even need to put in my contacts.
I'm far better looking than all of them! :-)
Louis G. Atsaves
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