Even as Democrat Jim Slattery was launching his campaign against Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., the latter went on the air with a negative radio ad calling Slattery a “real liberal†and “a Washington lobbyist . . . Gucci loafers and all.†Roberts also had a campaign staffer show up at Slattery’s Topeka kickoff to present the challenger with a change-of-address form. “Welcome to Kansas,†Ashley McManus told Slattery. In truth, though Slattery has been a D.C. lobbyist since he left Congress in 1994, he has owned a home in Kansas since 1974 and never registered to vote elsewhere. Slattery’s response to the carpetbagger criticism? “My opponent is an entrenched career politician who went to Washington, D.C., before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon,†Slattery said.
Meanwhile, the Kansas Republican Party also is wasting no time trying to define Slattery. Check out this JibJab-type animated video that paints Slattery as a Washington lobbyist, failed candidate and “opportunist.â€
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/-it_VYIzD1I" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
15 Comments
Unless Senator Roberts commits capital murder between now and the election, I doubt he’s in trouble from Slattery’s bid for the Senate office.
I’m not interested in anything that comes from foot dragger Roberts.
I’ve heard his attack ad several times now. It is fluff. Who did Slattery pull for in the final four? Give me a break.
I will be voting Slattery. Time for Roberts to go.
Wow! The RNC must be genuinely fearful of losing Robert’s seat, as they did Jim Ryun’s. But treating Kansas voters as idiots and pandering to their prejudices might backfire. Roberts has a black cloud following him, his role in starting Bush’s Misbegotten War and his subsequent role in covering up his blunder. What percentage of Kansans thinking the Misbegotten War a good idea?
I can’t tell anyone (can’t even convince myself) that I am able to listen to that stupid ad without my prejudicial attitude against Roberts coming into play. It is a stupid ad aimed at nothing of substance. Roberts “showing up” in Greensburg quickly after the tornado doesn’t mean he did so much for anyone. Who a politician chose on his NCAA bracket has no bearing on anything either. There are so many parts of that purely stupid ad that make me want to scream. Does anyone want to be treated as if they are an idiot? Is anything in that ad why a person would vote for anyone? I want to think Kansans are voting for better reasons. I want to think all Kansans feel that kind of ad is a slap in the face.
I’m lucky that those I know of all political persuasions agree to the stupidity of the Roberts ad even if they think Roberts is the best candidate. We’ve all agreed we know no one (thankfully!) that ad appeals to on any level. I’ve even heard a couple of friends who are strongly for Roberts say if that’s the kind of campaign he runs they’ll sit this one out.
Linda,
If you read who paid for it, the ad was piad for by the KSGOP and not Roberts.
At the beginning he identifies himself and says he approves of the ad.
Gotta give the Kansas Repukes credit: no embarrassment in being the pot who calls the kettle black.
Senator Roberts: Bush rubber stamp or empty suit? Discuss.
Still, I do give the Senator props for calling out Rep. Ti(f)ahrt for his dishonest mispresentation of SCHIP. “Even a stopped clock” and all that.
CF2K,
Isn’t being a bush rubber stamp an empty suit? Seems to me Roberts qualifies as both, and they are one in the same.
I did appreciate his support for the expansion of SCHIP. I sent him a letter telling him so. I send so many in disagreement I felt it was necessary to also send praise when I thought it was earned.
When Roberts showed up in Greensburgh with bush, wasn’t it to carry bush’s luggage? Does the ad show Roberts with his best bud?
How about an ad morphing Brown-nose Patsy into Bush in front of his Mission Accomplished banner?
That would be great!
I’m sure that at Robert’s next visit to the Eagle, someone is going to ask him about his larger campaign donations and his relatinships with lobbyists for those donors. And someone will ask him about his support for McCain and McCain’s reliance on lobbyists for his campaign staff, including his campaign manager and Charlie Black, the Lobbyist of Lobbyists, as his chief strategist. It was from Charlie Black himself, a year and a half ago, that I heard him say that whoever gets the Republican nomination “would be crazy” not to invite Jeb Bush to run as vice president, even it was only as a courtesy. There’s another good question for Roberts: Does he agree with Charlie Black?
ksdem – but I’ll bet you the “liberal” Eagle will endorse him – again.
I always base my votes on a candidate’s choice of footwear.. not on the destructive policies he has endorsed …. Roberts will be my man…He may back nonsensical policies that hurt the very fabric of American life.. but he wears Florsheims!!
Does Roberts hired attack dogs really think we are that stupid.. oh yeah.. he must ’cause we keep sending him back…..
But, but … Bush has the highest disapproval rate for any president in modern history, and Roberts is tied to him at the hip . . . and the Eagle won’t press him? The guy, Mr. Roberts, must know some powerful advertisers.
(As for the movie character, Mr. Roberts, Sen. Roberts is more like the captain.)
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