Dole’s attack on Hagan’s faith drives heated campaign lower
Thursday's No. 2 editorial.
If Elizabeth Dole is still the gracious person North Carolinians have admired for many years, she’ll pull her new attack ad off the air. It’s worse than dishonest in its depiction of rival Kay Hagan as a “Godless American.”
Hagan raised a strong defense Wednesday, addressing the media in front of Greensboro’s First Presbyterian Church, where she’s been an active member and elder. Talking about her Christian faith and works, backed by family, friends and former minister Joe Mullin, she revealed a side of herself most voters haven’t seen.
Dole’s ad forced the political debate into the realm of religious beliefs. It exploits what now looks like a campaign misstep by Hagan — attending a Boston fundraiser at the home of atheist activist Woody Kaplan, a founder of Godless Americans.
The event did not promote the agenda of that organization, which Hagan says she opposes. The gathering was sponsored by a Democratic group, not Godless Americans.
From that one association, the Dole ad links Hagan to unpopular views. With Hagan’s picture on screen, a female voice avows, “There is no God” — a deceptive attempt to put an atheist’s words into a Presbyterian’s mouth, with the goal of helping Dole’s election chances.
Even in a campaign long ago driven down in tone by Democrats and Republicans, this is a low blow. Making false insinuations about a candidate’s religious beliefs is beyond the bounds of acceptable political disagreement.
Hagan said Wednesday she thought about calling Dole and asking her to pull the ads. She should have. Instead, her campaign will respond with ads of its own refuting the allegations.
Politically, it probably has no choice. But it would be nice to think that, if the two spoke directly and honestly, Dole might realize she was wrong, and both candidates could finish this very competitive campaign on a higher plane.
Comments (2)
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I'm not American so perhaps I have no right to comment, but this is bizarre. It's a bit like what Colin Powell said about the Obama-Muslim lies. The correct answer is that he isn't a Muslim. The really correct answer is, what if he is? It sounds like Hagan has proved to be a Christian beyond reasonable doubt. The sickness is that people care. Isn't America supposed to be the land of religious freedom, including (if you so choose) freedom from religion?
Posted on October 30, 2008 4:57 PM
I don't care if Hagan belongs to every Presbyterian Church in N.C. If she doesn't want to be aligned with a group of atheist and atheist activist Woody Kaplan, a the founder of Godless Americans, then she should associate herself with them. Just like if Obama didn't want to be associated with Ayers and Wright then he shouldn't have been such close friends with them. You have to wonder about other bad judgements Hagan and Obama would not want to be responsible for if they should get elected.
Posted on October 30, 2008 10:32 PM