In Sunday's Meet the Press, Tim Russert had one hour to ask questions of Sen. John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee. You might think that during the hour Russert might ask about one of the major commercials that the GOP is currently running.
Afterall, one might think if the GOP is spending so much money on a subject that it was an important issue and an issue one would question the nominee. Unless the commercial is so ridiculous or blatantly false...
The commercial? The one talking about the "wacky ideas" people have about taxing gas sales and implying that Kerry supports this issue.
But what the ad doesn't say is that Vice President Dick Cheney actually introduced legislation to create new import tax that would have caused price of oil and gasoline to soar by billions of dollars per year and said at that time that low oil prices were not good for United States. Gregory Mankiw, President Bush’s Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, has argued that a 50 cent gas tax is a necessary component of income tax cuts. Kerry on the other hand, didn't vote for such legislation, only made a comment that he could support it.
Sounds like a good subject for a question. But then if Russert knows the ad is misleading then why bring it up? This way no one knows its misleading...
So how should Kerry respond? How about the following ad... (and it's just as honest as any Republican ad).
Voice Over:
Some people have wacky ideas.
Like taxing gasoline to raise oil prices.
That’s Dick Cheney
Graphic:
Dick Cheney's Gas Tax
VO:
Cheney once introduced legislation to create new import tax
If Cheney's tax increase were law, oil and gasoline would soar by billions of dollars per year
Graphic:
Cheny's Plan: Billions More a Year For Gas.
VO:
Cheney said that low oil prices were not good for the United States
Graphic:
Cheney: Low oil prices are not good for the United States
VO:
George Bush appointed Dick Cheney to develop his energy plan, so next time you fill your gas tank, think about Dick Cheney's gas tax plan.
Graphic:
George Bush & Dick Cheney, wrong for America
The GOP would scream about the accuracy but then considering their ad is misleading how could they complain? Yet they would because they believe only Democrats have to be accurate.
