Cranwell Speaks
It appears that C. Richard Cranwell, the former House Majority Leader and Democrats' incoming party chairman, has jumped head first into the gubernatorial campaign's choppy waters--and he hasn't even officially started his new gig yet.
On a mid-afternoon conference call with reporters, Cranwell, whose ascendency to party chairman was first reported Sunday by Mike Shear, made a few observations about Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore's latest radio ads running in his home base of Southwest Virginia.
In them, the Kilgore campaign sets the candidate apart from his Democratic opponent, saying that basically Tim Kaine is a big liberal, who's positions on guns, abortion and the death penalty can't be trusted in the Old Dominion. One ad says that Kaine supports "abortion on demand." You'll find some of the Kilgore ads here.
Cranwell, who's known to be razor sharp with his comebacks, did not a direct swipe at Kilgore, but he did say that he was disappointed with the tone of the ads.
"It looks like to me the folks on the other side are getting a little desperate ... they're being out-raised [and] polls show that they are losing ground," said Cranwell who introduced himself on the conference call as "Old Man Cranwell." He said he was referring to a poll in Southwest Virginia that showed Kaine gaining ground on Kilgore.
"We've gotten to mud wrestlin' a little early," he continued. "I thought the summer was for lemonade, going to the beach ... "
When asked about the specific charges that Kilgore made, particularly the ones challenging Kaine's stances on gun rights, he said: "I don't think anyone ought to dignify any of this by getting into a debate on the facts. I know an attack ad when I see one. They are all calculated to try to create divisiveness, create a little fear, maybe a little hate."
That of course didn't stop Kaine's press secretary, Delacey Skinner, from hitting back directly when Cranwell wouldn't.
"Patently false" is how she described the Kilgore ad's "abortion on demand" statement. "They've got a major credibility problem. They stretch the truth."
By Chris Jenkins |
June 7, 2005; 4:22 PM ET
| Category:
Democrats
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Posted by: jcarrice | June 7, 2005 10:50 PM
"I don't think anyone ought to dignify any of this by getting into a debate on the facts."
-Chairman-Elect Cranwell
Enough said. Why should the Kaine campaign let facts get in the way when they can spout rhetoric and misdirect people from Kaine's liberal record.
Posted by: Alan | June 7, 2005 11:36 PM
Yeah right, is this the best that Kilgore can throw? Calling Kaine a liberal won't fly when people see his extremism.
Posted by: Peter | June 8, 2005 03:34 PM
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Hey Delacey:
Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.
For the Kaine campaign to complain about stretching the truth is hypocrisy unlike anything I've ever seen.