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June 21, 2010 04:32 PM UTC

Norton's 9/11 Ad "Not Coming Down" (Unlike Twin Towers)

  • 34 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

The Grand Junction Sentinel’s Gary Harmon reports:

Colorado Democrats called Norton’s ad “deeply offensive” and said they would circulate a petition calling on her to drop the video and return any contributions she gets because of it.

Norton, who boasted Friday of her endorsement by Sandra Dahl, wife of United Airlines Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl, said she would do no such thing.

“Joe Rice and the other Democratic veterans deserve thanks for their service, but on this one they’re just wrong,” she said in a statement. “Too many liberals in Washington have forgotten, and the advertisement is not coming down.”

One of the better commentaries we’ve seen on Norton’s controversial “never forget” ad was posted by Westword’s Alan Prendergast Friday:

Norton, whose noxious rhetoric has established a new low in political discourse this election season, has outdone herself with the new video that opens her ominous homepage.

“First, they tried to close Guantanamo,” Norton intones, as a clock ticks urgently somewhere in her head. “Then they said jihadists had the right to remain silent.”

The rant goes on in that vein, right up to the point where Norton says, “The liberals in Washington seem to have forgotten…”

[Screen goes dark. Whining jet engine noise, shameless auditory evocation of hijacked planes crashing into World Trade Center.] “But we haven’t.”

No, of course we haven’t. Which makes this cynical use of 9/11 among the worst political appeals ever, a classic case of fearmongering instead of ideas–right up there with the famous anti-Goldwater ad of 1964, suggesting that his election would result in a nuclear holocaust.

Right folks, but you’ve seen the polling. One of the things about the “Hail Mary” pass in politics, like football, is the small likelihood of success; but you’re still desperate enough to try. The fact that this sickeningly over-the-top ad has been received so poorly–we have yet to see a single positive reference in major media–only reinforces the perception of desperation within Norton’s campaign. Even those who are susceptible to this kind of naked appeal to fear, and we concede that’s a significant number of people, will see right past this web-only ad to Norton’s flagging poll numbers–and realize exactly why she’s going there.

Once the viewer understands that one of the most terrible moments in American history is being crassly manipulated by a losing candidate, desperate to breathe a little life into her uninspiring campaign, the emotion that follows is something other than fear.

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34 thoughts on “Norton’s 9/11 Ad “Not Coming Down” (Unlike Twin Towers)”

  1. Jane Norton for Senate –

    Mistake #1 – doesn’t apologize for C & D, instead, brazenly defends both Referendums

    Mistake #2 – forgoes the State Assembly, but still attempts to stay relevant by attending Congressional and County Assemblies, some of which she is heavily booed at

    Mistake #3 – declares war against all Muslims

    And for you Jane Norton sockpuppets who are coming to troll and trash me – know this – at least I had the guts to go to the Convention and respect their decision

    And that, my friends… is the autopsy of a terrible campaign…

    1. Ref C was critical to Colorado’s future — I won’t vote for a Republican who opposed it.

      But there is no question that the U.S. cannot let bin Laden and others cast us as waging a war on Islam.   The vast majority of Muslims are responsible and peace-loving.  The fact that the Provisional IRAs killed in the name of the Roman Catholic Church doesn’t mean the Catholic Church is a bunch of terrorists.  And a few killers shouldn’t be allowed to profane the name of Islam.

        Bush, wisely, ensured we would not cast this as a war on Islam.  

      1. That shows if they get out everybody that voted for Eisenhower and Nixon, but not Bush, and it is snowing on August 10th they win.  Josh can’t show it to you, but trust Josh (?) it is so.

  2. no Colorado pol on either side of the aisle has served in Iraq more honorably, more often, or with more accomplishment of real good than Col. Joe Rice, who has served mainly working directly with Iraqis and who is also responsible for getting a trusted and endangered interpreter out of Iraq. None has been more thoughtful, studied and made more effort to see clearly or cared more deeply and it has taken a great personal toll on him and on his family.  We who know him see it every time he returns from another tour.

    To hear this nitwit so much as mention Joe’s name in this context, to hear her speak as if she has any way of knowing more about it than Joe does, to imply that he may be well meaning but clueless or weak, makes me sick.  I’m seething.  She is no longer just a nitwit to me.  She is now absolutely vile, disgusting, despicable. I was merely against her in political terms before. Now I can’t help but actually wish her ill in general. I know that’s wrong of me but there it is.  I wish her very ill indeed.

    1. Ken Buck I disagree with a lot – but I respect the guy. Jane Norton has now shown she will sink to any depth in a desperate attempt to win.

      And what is with the idiots running her campaign. Didn’t anyone point out that when you’re losing, don’t make things worse?

  3. Ms. Norton and her campaign have again failed to address the issue most on the mind of all voters in Colorado – the economy. She and her campaign managers should read the front page of today’s Denver Post.

    Her new ad isn’t just despicable, it won’t even attract much attention from primary voters because they aren’t focused on our overseas engagements at this time. Colorado voters are focused on their jobs, their paychecks and what all of this economic woe means to their present and future life style and standard of living.

    In an election campaign, if you want the voters to think about oranges but they are focused on apples, one needs to talk about apples to get their attention. In this case, the voters are focused on the economy by an overwheming margin (55% in today’s Post), not on the war on terror.

    She has a problem speaking to our economic and budgetary woes because her policy is to do nothing and hope for the best, except of course cutting taxes which we have been doing for the past decade including the present national administration. She isn’t offering any reasoned or workable policy to help our economy and thus, she has to rely on the tactic of diversion (it certainly can’t be elevated to the status of a strategy) in the faint hope she can some how win the primary. It certainly is a “Hail Mary” pass and like most won’t work.

  4. I bet in the Second World War, Korea—and yes, Vietnam, candidates were actually allowed to comment on the war, its impact and our tactics in fighting it to a successful conclusion. However, apparently this war is different—at least if you comment on it from the Right.  I do seem to recall President Obama taking a position on Iraq (he was against it earlier and by gosh even more so than Hillary) and didnt see breathless and fevered expressions of outrage (“despicable”) while such ads were being run as US troops were dying in battle.   This is a made up issue, exploited on a slow news Monday.

    1. There is absolutely no problem with a candidate commenting on this war and our tactics.  Personally, I think mirandizing non-US citizens is nuts.  Personally, I think having a civilian terror trial in NYC for the 9-11 mastermind is also nuts. I could go on.

      That said, for a candidate for US Senate to disagree with the statement, made by Obama and Bush before him, that this is not a war against Islam, is properly the subject of dersion and scorn.  We need to win a war on terrorism not commit a genocide against innocents because of religious differences.

        1. I suspect even Norton if she had it to do over again, and would not be publicly eating crow, would knock out the Islam piece.  

          Bigotry is a challenge for left and right and, like veteran’s issues, not partisan.  

          It is a plague on both our houses.

          1. I think you may be indulging in wishful thinking.  Especially where registered Rs are concerned.  So many have moved to indie status over just this kind of thing that the remaining registered and self identifying Rs are what that exodus is leaving behind.

            I really enjoyed a column I read recently in a magazine (maybe Harper’s) I found on the plane.  It was a humorous investigation of the following polling factoid: 25% of Rs think Obama may be the anti-Christ while only 22% think he wants the terrorists to win. This inspired very funny speculation as to the  gap and why those in it think the potential anti-Christ would not want the terrorists to win. Horning in on the anti-Christ’s territory? Also it suggested polling to find out if those who chose “may be the anti-Christ” felt they were open minded because they only think he may be. Also were they surprised that Bill Clinton wasn’t the anti-Christ, etc.  Kept me chuckling.  

    2. comment about Joe Rice.  For one thing, WPP, just because Joe is a Dem don’t assume you know where he stands on Iraq/Afghanistan issues.  You probably don’t and Norton demonstrates that she clearly doesn’t, especially by lumping him with liberals. Tell that joke to the grassroots Dem constituents who get mad at him about something every other week.

      Norton is no doubt as ignorant of the issues she refers to here as she is of what Joe Rice thinks about anything. The woman is a moron.

  5. So Joe Rice criticizes the ad and Jane Norton can’t respond by saying “No, Joe Rice I’m not taking the ad down?  And THAT is supposed to be an attack on Joe Rice?  Gimme a break—-its a good ad, it has done exactly what it was designed to do (get free attention) and Republican primary (and Colorado general)voters will love it if it is shown on television.  And thank goodness we have Mr. Hasan righteously being aggrieved(again)…

    1. Is Norton trying to lose by 30% instead of 20%.  She is past the stage where she needs any name recognition.  If she is looking for the bigotry vote, she already had it.  BTW Buck leads Norton with hispanics 71-25%.

      Norton’s problem isn’t that people don’t know who she is.  Her problem is that people do know who she is.  This just reminds them of that.

    2. Lots of Republicans (including many who aren’t Muslim!) think this ad is pretty offensive. A few have already said so here.

      Not all Republicans are completely off-the-wall batshit-crazy racist fuckwit assholes.

      (Gosh I hope that shows up in a signature.)

    3. Jane Norton is running a 2006 campaign in 2010. If you were saying what you were saying then, it would make sense.

      It’s kind of like how Republicans liked to say Democrats were living in a pre-9/11 world. Jane is living in a pre-Great Recession world.

  6. Isn’t it about time we stop using what to replace them with as a political football and seriously redevelop the area with something that does somebody some good? Or do we just keep arguing over which pieces of twisted metal should be sacred and how far away is far enough for a mosque, not that we’re at war with Islam or anything?

  8. It’s interesting at a psychological level how the people most thinking they are tough are the ones most afraid of the vicissitudes of life.

    There’s a page out there on the intertubes about dream analysis of self identified cons and libs.  Generally, the libs had many more “weird” dreams, free form, creative.  Cons had many more nightmares than libs, being eaten by tigers and whatever.

    As the person doing the research said, it wasn’t a definitive piece of research, but the pattern was clear and more work needs to be done.  

    My observations would confirm his research.  

  9. Norton, who boasted Friday of her endorsement by Sandra Dahl, wife of United Airlines Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl…

    What I take away from this convenient boast;

    Ms. Dahl’s endorsement makes Norton the champion on this issue.

    There goes one of the wheels……

  10. Here is vintage Norton:

    Jane Norton Hey Liberals on Colorado Pols: I’ve got news for you – the War on Terror ad isn’t coming down

    Jane:

    I got news for you.  

    I am not a liberal.  

    You are a bigot.  

    Keep the ad up.  

    It is about a war against Islam, not terrorism.  I want all the world to know about your brilliant foreign policy positions.  

    You were down 10 points a couple weeks ago.  You put up the ad, had one of your spokesman apologize for BP and voila, you were down 16 points on Sunday.

    What do you have up your sleeves, a fundraiser for the NRSC at the Cherry Creek country club? That ought to help cast you as the DC outsider (?) and get you to 20 points down.  

    For an encore, fire Penry and hire Wadhams as your campaign manager?  I think that could take you from up 30 points in January to losing by 30 points in August.  Now that would truly be remarkable.

    1. What makes Norton a bigot? She makes one video about the war on terror and you guys automatically jump on her case and attack her for things she most certainly.  You really cant even see the plank in your own eye.

      1. I also suspect,a fulminations aside, this add may speak to that Republican base.   If so, it may account for her lead over buck in the poll that came out today (see dairies for detail.)

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