PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN Republican attack ads leading voters astray, says ex-VA head

The Republicans use a 'slime machine' to hurt John Kerry, the ex-senator says.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- If it weren't for $250 million worth of attack ads filled with lies funded by the Republican "slime machine," John Kerry would be the runaway winner in Ohio and the nation during the Nov. 2 election.
That's the opinion of ex-U.S. Democratic Sen. Max Cleland, who introduced Kerry at the Democratic National Convention and is one of the candidate's most prominent surrogate speakers. Cleland spoke with Vindicator editors and writers Friday during a 90-minute meeting.
Cleland described President Bush as a "bumbler," and someone who distorts facts. In contrast, Cleland called Kerry articulate, and the right candidate for America. Cleland says there is a clear choice in the election, and voters will side with Kerry on Election Day.
The former U.S. senator and ex-head of Veterans Affairs called Ohio ground zero, saying it is the key battleground in the election.
Though Cleland articulated the reasons why Kerry should be elected, many polls of likely Ohio voters, and those nationwide, show the race is a statistical dead heat.
How money works
"When you have $250 million devoted to trashing you with lies, you confuse the public as to who he is," Cleland said in explaining why the race is close.
Republicans "spend every day attacking him, and it's effective. It's a very effective slime machine. You'll see the worst stuff emerge in the last two weeks. The slime machine appeals to the radical right."
Cleland said that same slime machine led to his 2002 defeat in Georgia's U.S. Senate race. Television commercials questioned Cleland's patriotism regarding his votes on homeland security bills even though he is a triple amputee, losing the limbs when he picked up another soldier's grenade as it exploded in 1968 while serving in the Vietnam War.
Cleland also pointed out that the unprecedented number of newly registered voters are not participants in polls. Many of those potential voters were registered by Democratic political groups.
"Voter registration may be the turning point for this election," he said. "They are pretty much unpolled, and under the radar screen. If registered voters turnout, Kerry will win. A lot of things are breaking for John in these final 21/2 weeks, and he'll win."
GOP response
Kevin Madden, a Bush-Cheney campaign spokesman, disagrees.
"President Bush is going to win Ohio because he has demonstrated he has the decisive leadership needed to make America safe and the right policies needed to grow the economy," he said.
"Instead of preaching blame and pessimism like John Kerry, President Bush has articulated a positive vision for the country."
Kerry doesn't represent Ohio's values and is on the wrong side of all the issues important to Ohioans, Madden said.
"The Kerry campaign specializes in negative and divisive language," he said. "It's unfortunate and unbecoming a candidate for the presidency."
Cleland said, "John Kerry is Gary Cooper and he's going to beat the bad guys to the draw, and run the bad guys out of town."
skolnick@vindy.com