How long until Kerry distances himself from this ad?

I'm willing to bet that while distancing himself, he'll still pocket any revenue this generates for his campaign.

Oh, please. Whoever they are, these people are whack jobs.

Drudge posted a scan of the actual ad- but I agree, it needs to be confirmed. But what does it say about the DNC that our first impression is that it's true?? And second, we aren't surprised??

Ara,

Of course they are whack jobs, if it's true.

What's the "Oh please" about?

Let's keep in mind this IS Drudge, please.

It's also entirely possible that this was a prank or something by someone working in the newspaper.

Whack jobs or not, they are club that has been approved and sanctioned by the Florida Democratic Party. Someone is going to do some distancing on this.

I'm going to try and get a copy of the paper on the way home.

My dad lives down there, and I asked him about it. He agreed that they all should be shot. :-P

He's family, what can I do?

Of course, I don't agree with his opinion. It also might be changed by the person he will be flying around the country over the next few months....

My kneejerk reaction is to believe it, as he has a scan of the notorious ad as proof. However, that's a really bad scan. Let's wait and see how the accused party (the St. Petersburg Dems) respond.

The newspaper would have to answer for running it too.

My bet is that a lot of people are going to be running for cover on this one.

If Drudge is making it up though... what Rosemary said.

I doubt Drudge himself is the potential fraudster, but certainly someone he trusts sent it to him. Did he confirm it??

As an actual memeber of the left (unlike Sen. Kerry), I'd like to make it clear that we leftists are absolutely against murder of any kind. No exceptions.

Whether the victim is Sec. Rumsfield, an unknown Iraqi civilian, or a mentally-retarted prisoner on the Texas Death Row, we are against slaughter of any kind.

Thank you and good night.

Drudge, check his sources? Of course he did. Remember that letter on Muskie's stationary? Looked legit to me ;-)

On a technical note, it could be the scan looks so bad because it was sent thru a low-quality fax machine...

And if it turns out to be true, well: we all knew there were some real loonies on the anti-war left, didn't we?

Hell, nearly every anti-war rally publicized is a freak show run by ANSWER. I wouldn't be surprised if one of those twits wanted to "cap" someone in the administration too.

Don: thank you for that uplifting note! Too bad you didn't include Laci Peterson's child, but what the heck... whoops!

Sorry. Just pullin' yer chain. I just couldn't resist. :)

In the text, the Drudge Report (Matt, I presume) talked with one of the people who ran the add. Unless he made that up, too, it appears to be the real thing.

Isn't this kind of talk what got al Sadr's rag shut down? IMHO, Florida's looking more like a war zone everyday, anyway, with kids being killed in drive-bys, women raped at the toll plaza, wildfires on the turnpike and even Tigger groping little girls. I think the normal folks need to move out, now.

Well, no. let's wait until after the election.

Don:
You mention "murder" and "slaughter", but not killing. An oversight, perhaps, or just leaving an option open?

Disturbing, but really nothing new from the left. The only difference is instead of it being a post on Democratic Underground or a rabid caller to Savage or Rush to tell them they are wrong this is a PAID advertisement. Something that took forethought, planning, and allowed for reflection prior to its implementation. This is not a visceral off the cuff remark that could be explained by the "circumstance"

As to the legitimacy of the reporting by Drudge, a spokeswoman for the Florida Democratic Committee has responded with a comment trying to distance themselves from the group, Bret Hedinger (local radio guy) talked about it and had aparently seen the ad, Hannity brought it up albeit with no new info just reciting Drudge, and the ABC news breaks on the talk radio station here ran a story on it with the spokeswomen clips as well as a statement from the club's spokeperson.

I would have to say its legit. I would also say it is grounds for the secret service to launch a treason investigation. Heaven forbid something actually happen to Rummy now.

1 question though. Seeing as how the comment from the club explicitly talked about working together with Kerry's campaign, and the club's as advocated donating money to Kerry's campaign, how does this impact the McCain-Feingold Law? Is this not a violation against 527's? The way I understood it is that they simply were not allowed to work "together." Now that there is evidence that this outside source is working together is there a possibilty that they are in violation and thus subject to consequences?
Or am I completely wrong on this idea? I admit I very likely could be, taking into account my entry level understanding of the rules and this organization.

I can confirm the story. I have several copies of the paper in-hand.

Blogged it here.

Hmmm. Or even here:

http://tnor.org/blog/archives/000163.html

What's amazing to me is that we all know what the GOP did in Florida to steal the election from Gore, but no one really cares about that. That kills me. I guess that's why I never really considered Bush to be the "real" President - he's just keeping it warm for the next guy.

That being said, if the report is true, it is despicable, and if it isn't true, I'm not surprised - Drudge is hardly a credible source all the time. What I like about his report is that sometimes he hits it right on the dead when everyone else misses it. He's kinda like a demented genius, but in the end, gotta take him with a grain of salt. I've always said that people will ultimately choose to believe what they want to believe regardless of the facts. Dean's World "hear no evil, see no evil" of the Bush administration's lack of competence proves my point. While everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, at least TRY to be objective - hell, fake it at least.

And yes, I realize the irony of my argument considering my first paragraph. Now, Gore had lost fair and square, I'd have a different take on Bush. (and Gore wasn't even my guy. I voted for Nadar...in Florida no less!)

I'm not even going to respond to your election stealing fantasy.

D Smith bought the paper. That was how I got it confirmed. I wasn't trusting Drudge.

Guess the real test of the left'll be...how much dinero does this ad bring in?

"Sign me up! Bush lied, 'publican's hafta die!"

Sheesh. I bet I don't see this on the news.

This ad is despicable. The authors should be prosecuted for inciting treason against the US government. I want to see them to the perp-walk.

Here’s the sad part. If someone did kill Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al, there would be dancing in the streets. It would look just like Mogadishu after Blackhawk down. They’d drag their bodies through the streets if they could.

Their hatred is so great they really do wish the president and his team dead. That’s what this vitriol is buying. With a population of 250 million people, there are more than a few running around with a few loose screws.

Free speech has limits. You are not free to threaten anyone. You are not free to incite people to violence. Should some nut case decide that he’d be doing the nation a favor and kill the president or any of his team, I would hold anyone who engaged in hate speech toward the president as morally culpable.

Not that it's needed anymore, but here is further corroboration from the Miami Herald.

You'd think anyone publishing such tripe would have the good sense to go anonymous, or at least use an unlisted number. As it stands, police should have no trouble at all locating Ken Steinke, the president and the illiterate boob who wrote the ad. The smart money says that James J McCall has a pretty good idea where to find Vice-President Edna McCall, as well.

Tim, really, you poor guy, are you certain that you voted for Nader? Positive? :-)

This goes beyond free speech and vigorous political debate. This is criminal. People need to be arrested and prosecuted – aggressively. Advocating the assassination of a public official is beyond the pale.

I’m not interested in hearing Kerry weasel his way out of this. I want Franken, Garofalo, Moore, et al to immediately and loudly distance themselves from this. Where are McAuliffe, Byrd, and the Hero of Chappaquiddick? These and others need to call for arrest and prosecution – nothing less.

Will these people finally realize that this scorched earth political posturing is unproductive, destructive, and dangerous? The worst of the right-wing partisans would never have done this. Can you imagine Ann Coulter or Limbaugh (for examples) saying anything even remotely as incendiary as this?

There can be NO EXCUSE – as much as I distrust Bush, this is a ‘with us or against us’issue. One either condemns this behavior and calls for immediate arrest and prosecution, or is deemed to have endorsed it. No quibbles over what ‘is’ is, no evasions about ‘what they meant was’, and no half-hearted ‘they don’t speak for me’ garbage.

They are criminals. Nothing less.

Actually, Ann Coulter said she wished that Timothy McVeigh had blown up the New York Times building instead of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

Yeah, well Ann Coulter is an asshole. But you knew that...

Last time I checked New York Times and it's management were not public officials - though there are many who wish otherwise (especially NYT editors). Further, I didn't hear her advocate that another Timmy actually DO it - merely whined that he'd chosen an alternate target (and no that does NOT exonerate her). On the day she suggests someone stand the Hero of Chappaquiddick against the wall and pull the trigger I will be conflicted, but call for her arrest and prosecution nevertheless.

One thing I will give Ann (perhaps the ONLY thing) - unlike her detractors she does support her arguments with facts and citations. Her opinions though .....

Coulter's remark may have been in extremely poor taste - and it was - but it was a joke, and it was retracted in the very next breath. Out of line, sure, but not comparable to Steinke's ad.

Here in Oklahoma, jokes about Timothy McVeigh don't go over very well, even 9 years after the bombing. I was only responding to "Beerded One" trying to pretend that Ann Coulter hasn't said anything that incendiary.

I think the Democratic club ad borders on the criminal. Radical anti-abortion groups that super-imposed doctors' photos over bullseyes and gave home addresses for the doctors are in a similar vein.

Coulter wouldn't know a fact if it bit her on her pock-marked skinny little anti-patriotic ass. She has demonstrated NO interest in improving this country EVER.

I'm from St.Petersburg and there is an article in the St Petersburg Times this morning (4/14) about the Gabber and the ad. The article states that that the $175. ad was written by Ken Steinke, 75, president of the St. Petersburg Democratic Club. He has a history of political zealotry and was arrested in 1993 for throwing Repubican signs off an overpass. Publisher Ken Reichart is quoted as saying: "I'm surprised by the reaction," he said. "It must be a slow news day." The Gabber is a free weekly paper with a circulation of 13,000. just thought you'd like to know.

"Coulter wouldn't know a fact if it bit her on her pock-marked skinny little anti-patriotic ass. She has demonstrated NO interest in improving this country EVER."

Cute. I don't notice you actually, you know, REFUTING any of her arguments here. Or are you so special that all you have to do is mail in an ad hominem and go home?

Enquiring minds want to know!

Ted, you're on acid. So are all those who say this is widely representative of the Democratic Party.

And I agree with Dean that someone at the newspaper screwed up in not reading what the thing said, and should at least get a warning on file - to PAY ATTENTION.

And I agree that the person who wrote this ad should resign. Post haste.

Don't give Drudge the credit though - someone e-mailed it to him. And I'd bet my hind leg that he didn't talk to anyone personally, despite his "report."

First, IANAL. Do not construe this as legal advice, it is only my untrained understanding of the law.

That said, there is a difference between advocating a criminal act and inciting a criminal act. The former is protected speech, that latter is not. This ad seems to me to be on the advocating side of the line, though the "we should" part steps awfully close to that line.

Finally, lest anyone think that this is special pleading, I consider the ad to be reprehensible and I plan to vote for our sitting president this November. But it's not illegal.

The funny thing is, John Kerry, the man these people are supporting, the candidate for whom this ad was created, has recently stated that he does not intend to withdraw troops from Iraq, if elected.

My blood pressure allows me only 1 foot-to-the floor rant at a time - right now it's focused on the lack of U.S. Media broadcasts into Arabic nations.

I'll be happy to let a defense attorney make legal arguments for these people IN COURT. In the meantime, for those who want to do the legal research on this project I suggest Title 18 of the Federal Code as a place to start. Somewhere around section 300 if my memory serves me right. (Gave up my law library years ago so I can't double check).