New Web site takes aim at Chafee's run for governor
May 10, 2010
Projo.comBy, Katherine Gregg, steve peoples and John Mulligan
The Democratic Governors Association has taken aim at former U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee's independent campaign for governor with the launch of a new Web site that ridicules his call for a sales tax on items currently exempt, and tries to blame him for the Iraq war, the excesses of Wall Street and "the economic hardship facing Rhode Island today."
The site opens to a "short list of things Lincoln Chafee wants to tax" that includes: "The blind ... Amputee Veterans ... People who heat their homes ... People who wear shoes ... People who use water ... People who read the newspaper .... People who take medicine."
It then gives viewers of the new Web page -- http://www.senatorchafee.com -- a chance to: "Use the form above to tell a friend or call Lincoln Chafee at (401) 456-0003, and tell him to drop his proposed tax plan. Rhode Island is already paying the price for his votes as Senator."
A click away, it says, "Rhode Island is paying for the decisions and policies of the Bush years with one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation." At the bottom is this tag line: "Paid for by the Democratic Governors Association. Not affiliated with a candidate or candidate's committee." (There are associated Twitter and Facebook accounts to keep those who sign up abreast of Chafee's other alleged shortcomings.)
While the Democratic Governors Association has launched attacks against
Republicans running in California and Nevada, in Rhode Island its
efforts are aimed at Republican-turned-Independent Chafee, who has been
the front-runner in most recent polls though a late April Rasmussen poll
showed him running even with Democrat Frank T. Caprio, the current
state treasurer, who faces Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch in a
primary.
Asked why the DGA targeted Chafee and not any one of the Republicans in the race, spokeswoman Emily DeRose said the national organization felt it was important to "remind" voters how often Chafee backed the former Bush administration. "I think voters have a perception of [Chafee] that is not accurate. ... We want to educate voters on who he is." She cited, for example, a dozen votes by Chafee to fund the Iraq war and called Chafee -- who famously disclosed he had not voted for President George W. Bush -- a "rubber stamp for the Bush administration."
But Chafee campaign manager J.R. Pagliarini denounced the Democrats' "third party effort to attack Chafee and bolster Caprio and Lynch without having either of their fingerprints on it."
While denouncing the Democrats' "smear campaign," he also issued this statement: "It's obvious that Senator Chafee's successful campaign has the national Democratic party very nervous.
"Why don't they mention that 29 Democrat senators voted in favor of the Iraq War when Senator Chafee was the only Republican to vote against? That alone has cost Rhode Islanders and the rest of the nation two hundred and seventy billion dollars and counting," Pagliarini said. Of Chafee's subsequent votes to fund the war he initially voted against, Pagliarini said he "did not want to leave our men and women in service without the essentials they needed to perform their jobs. Wasn't going to punish them or put them in harm's way."
Lynch spokesman Joel Coon said: "It is absolutely appropriate for Senator Chafee's record to be highlighted on issues that matter to Rhode Islanders." Caprio spokesman Nick Hemond noted that his candidate also "opposes Lincoln Chafee's plan to make Rhode Islanders pay taxes on their prescription drugs and groceries, which the independent Web site points out."
Click here for original article.
Asked why the DGA targeted Chafee and not any one of the Republicans in the race, spokeswoman Emily DeRose said the national organization felt it was important to "remind" voters how often Chafee backed the former Bush administration. "I think voters have a perception of [Chafee] that is not accurate. ... We want to educate voters on who he is." She cited, for example, a dozen votes by Chafee to fund the Iraq war and called Chafee -- who famously disclosed he had not voted for President George W. Bush -- a "rubber stamp for the Bush administration."
But Chafee campaign manager J.R. Pagliarini denounced the Democrats' "third party effort to attack Chafee and bolster Caprio and Lynch without having either of their fingerprints on it."
While denouncing the Democrats' "smear campaign," he also issued this statement: "It's obvious that Senator Chafee's successful campaign has the national Democratic party very nervous.
"Why don't they mention that 29 Democrat senators voted in favor of the Iraq War when Senator Chafee was the only Republican to vote against? That alone has cost Rhode Islanders and the rest of the nation two hundred and seventy billion dollars and counting," Pagliarini said. Of Chafee's subsequent votes to fund the war he initially voted against, Pagliarini said he "did not want to leave our men and women in service without the essentials they needed to perform their jobs. Wasn't going to punish them or put them in harm's way."
Lynch spokesman Joel Coon said: "It is absolutely appropriate for Senator Chafee's record to be highlighted on issues that matter to Rhode Islanders." Caprio spokesman Nick Hemond noted that his candidate also "opposes Lincoln Chafee's plan to make Rhode Islanders pay taxes on their prescription drugs and groceries, which the independent Web site points out."
Click here for original article.
Linc Chafee is a tested leader of unquestioned integrity and a strong independent voice. As Governor, he will work hard to create new jobs, rebuild our economy, solve our chronic budget problems, end corruption, and forge a new way forward for Rhode Island.
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 328
United Nurses & Allied Professionals (UNAP)
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) State Committee
