January 5, 2006

MoveOn lumbers into "fast and hard" anti-Alito action.

The NYT reports:
A commercial by one of the liberal groups, MoveOn.org Political Action, depicts Judge Alito as an actor receiving makeup and coaching.

"Yes, you wrote on a job application that a woman has no constitutional right to an abortion," a handler tells him. "But your excuse is brilliant: you only did it to get the job."

"You broke your promise not to rule on cases involving that company you invested with. Stick to your answer: computer glitch," the handler continues. "Oh, and the group you belonged to that wanted to restrict African-American admissions to your college. You've been saying, 'I don't recall.' Love it."
Read the article for the background on the three things the commercial refers to if you don't know it already. The last of the three things is especially despicably distorted.

MoveOn doesn't seem to be putting its heart into this anti-Alito business, though. I tried to find the commercial on their website and couldn't. (I wanted to see if the application of makeup to the actor's face had a homophobic tinge.)

I did find this plea for funds:
If Bush announces an extremist nominee we’ll to need respond fast and hard with ads on the airwaves and in major newspapers that get our message out – and none of it comes cheap. So today we’re launching our Emergency Fund to Protect our Rights with an initial goal of $500,000. If you can help us get there now, we can leap straight into action the moment we hear the news.
"If"! And the NYT article says they're only spending $150,000 to run the anti-Alito ads. "Leap straight into action" -- yeah. You do that. Make sure you accumulate plenty of money first, though. Then, take down that nominee, the moment you hear about him. Fast and hard!

IN THE COMMENTS: Link to the ad found.

11 comments:

Sloanasaurus said...

It sounds like a "State of Fear." Moveon is in the business of staying in business by spreading fear to raise funds.

How sad.

goesh said...

It wasn't but about 20 minutes after Bush announced Alito that some Dem Senator up and said in affect there were serious reservations over an extremist being nominated. I too look forward to the hearings and grilling of Judge Alito.

Sissy Willis said...

Here's the ad, Ann (a little hard to spot, but it was linked on their home page).

It shows only the back of the actor's head, plus one weird poking of his eye by the acting coach. Quite revolting, intellectually dishonest and ineffective.

Unknown said...

"Stop him before he kills again!"


(from the Roberts parody ad) Limbaugh will have fun with this one, too.

Eli Blake said...

And the pro-Alito people aren't doing the same thing? If you follow this link (don't read the page itself unless you want another dose of far right lunacy) and click on the ad banner at the top (where it says, 'Aplus for Alito') it will take you to a whole raft of resources supporting him, some of which misstate his positions in order to make them sound better. And I've heard a couple of pro-Alito ads already on the radio that stretch the truth.

But I guess when the other side runs an ad, it's a smear campaign. When your side runs an ad that is every bit as misleading, it's OK.

Swift Boat Vets for Hypocrisy.

Ann Althouse said...

Eli: I have slammed pro-Alito ads on this blog too. Your attack on me is flat out of line with the facts.

Derve Swanson said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Ann Althouse said...

Eli, Mary: Read this old post:

What a horrendous pro-Alito ad!

Then come back and apologize.

Gordon Freece said...

"Despicably distorted"?! That's absurd.

You need to realize that these people at MoveOn are liberals. Patriots. They are the people entrusted with preserving this nation, and they have devoted their lives to that cause.

People like that, people of unshakable integrity, have a very simple equation that they face every day: It's easy for them to be honest. By definition, they can hardly be otherwise. But wouldn't it be narcissistic and selfish for them to cling to their own purity of conscience at the expense of their nation? Isn't it about more than just them? Of course it is. For people of integrity, it always is.

If the folks at MoveOn have the moral courage to accept a certain amount of guilt, sacrificing their own peace of mind to make their beloved nation a better and freer place, they should be commended for it. To call them "despicable" is the most repellent neocon hogwash I've seen all day. How much were you paid to use those two words?

Eli Blake said...

Ann:

Where did I attack you? I attacked some of the pro-Alito types who are complaining about an examination of his record. True, you have endorsed Alito, but you haven't joined with the nuts (like the group I linked to).

Ann Althouse said...

Eli: I made an inference. Sorry, if you weren't aiming that at me. It felt like your were.