From Seattle writer and consultant Matt Rosenberg...: Columbian: Dems Slime Rossi

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Columbian: Dems Slime Rossi

September 05, 2004

In a Sunday editorial notable for its even-handed criticism of both political parties, the (WA) Vancouver Columbian takes Republicans to task for distortions in an attack ad on U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, and lays into Washington Democrats for a hit piece on Washington GOP gubernatorial nominee-to-be Dino Rossi.

As if the dissing and distortion of political candidates on the national level wasn't enough to make the partisan-weary citizen want to hibernate until Nov. 2, the state has entered a season of slime now, too....In one of the worst political pranks of the season, Vancouver residents, among others, got a mailer this week from the Washington State Democratic Party that distorts gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi's record beyond all recognition.
Rossi, a former Republican state senator from Issaquah who is now running for the governor's office, has been one of the Senate's brightest lights. In 2003, he courageously dealt with Washington's deficit, recession and high unemployment rate by passing a bipartisan-supported budget that protected the state's most vulnerable people from service cuts and insulated Washington workers from higher taxes they could not afford.

He did a brilliant job. The Democratic mailer, however, makes it sound as if Sen. Rossi was busy beating children in his spare time.

The front page of the four-page ad says, "You shouldn't hurt people who need help the most." Behind the words is a picture of a young girl sporting a large bandage on her arm that covers a bleeding wound. Inside the hit piece are complete misrepresentations about Rossi's voting record on issues such as health care and prescription drugs. It must be noted that many of Rossi's votes and views were shared by leading Democrats and Gov. Gary Locke.

Hang in there, voters. The road to the general election is going to be slippery.

Please, Washington State Demo primary voters, give us the hard-left Ron Sims to go up against Dino. Oh, pretty please? Not that Christine Gregoire couldn't easily lose to Dino, either.