I had dinner at my friends Michael and Cindy's house on Saturday night, and Michael asked if I had heard Cynthia McKinney's primary election radio ads. My radio listening consists of my local National Proletariat Radio station (for the classical music) which doesn't take advertising (Well, actually it does. It's just not real advertising), local hard rock stations (I don't think that's Cynthia's demographic), and conservative talk radio (I know that's not Cynthia's demographic). So, no, I hadn't, but knowing Cynthia, I could imagine that she would be running a real smear campaign. And to no one's surprise, she is. Michael showed me the pertinent info out on the web and I said to him, 'Thank you. I know what I'm gonna do for Monday's blog.'
I've talked about Georgia's 4th Congressional District before. It consists of three parts:
So, the game is rigged. Whover wins the primary, wins the seat. Normally, Cynthia runs unopposed in the Democratic primary. This year, however, she has a challenger. Her opponent is Denise Majette a former DeKalb County judge. Since Cynthia is now running against a black, female Democrat she has to crank up the smear machine big time. In last Thursday's Atlanta Urinal and Constipation was this article about the radio ads from both candidates.
Less than a month before their showdown at the polls, U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney and her challenger are facing off with different radio ads.
I wonder which one deals with the issues and which one smears her opponent?
Majette's doesn't mention McKinney, while McKinney's attacks Majette by name.
I'm shocked! Shocked, I say!
Majette --- who McKinney claimed is backed by conservative Republicans
She hasn't claimed backing by the World Wide Zionist ConspiracyTM yet, but give her time. She'll make that charge soon enough. Its them damn Jews out to get me!
--- uses her ad to attack Republicans. The ad says Majette has "the record to take on the Republicans and get our fair share" of federal money for schools and health care. It also touts her degrees from Yale University and Duke University Law School and her nine years as a DeKalb County State Court judge.
Sounds pretty qualified to me. And she's stressing positives. Doesn't sound like much of a Democrat.
McKinney's ad, by contrast, names Majette repeatedly.
Once again. I'm shocked! Shocked I say!
"Abuse of power sometimes is an angry, out-of-control cop beating up a teenager in California. Sometimes it's an angry, out-of-control judge like Denise Majette," the announcer says.
Or an angry out-of-control looney like Cynthia McKinney making baseless allegations about 9/11.
The ad goes on to say that an appeals court had overturned a prison sentence Majette gave and accuses her of hiding a trial transcript to cover up mistakes. "She can't be trusted with our rights or our votes."
Wow! Sounds serious. I wanna know more about this. I bet Denise Majette does also.
Majette on Wednesday said she didn't know the basis for the accusations, but added: "My opponent has always been a negative campaigner."
See! She does want to know more. I do too. And Sainte Cynthia d'Arc (according to the Arab Times) a negative campaigner? Judge Majette oughta be ashamed of herself.
McKinney did not respond to the Journal-Constitution's requests for an interview.
For the third time. I'm shocked! Shocked, I say!
University of Georgia political scientist Charles Bullock said the ads represent a reversal of traditional roles.
"Typically the first real solid shot comes from the challenger," said Bullock. "The challenger has to pry votes from the incumbent. It is a surprise to see the incumbent go negative before the challenger."
Sounds like Cynthia might be a little worried. Be still my beating heart.
OK. What were these allegations all about? Could this be some real serious abuse of power by Majette? Could this be comparable to a white cop slamming a black on the hood of a car? The AJC did a follow up article on Saturday.
McKinney, who represents the 4th Congressional District, launched a radio ad campaign this week that compares the former DeKalb State Court judge to an "angry, out-of-control police officer beating up a prisoner."
It says Majette, who is challenging McKinney in the Aug. 20 Democratic primary, "lied and hid the existence of trial transcripts to cover up mistakes she made that deprived innocent people of their rights."
This is beginning to sound serious. I'm really worried now. We definitely don't need an out-of-control person representing the 4th Congreszsional District. We need a voice of reason and sanity.
It concludes that Majette "can't be trusted with our rights or our votes."
Which implies that Cynthia can.
Majette denies the accusations, which are based on the 1998 trial of Linda Hamilton.
Now, we're gonna here the real story. I'm reading with bated breath.
Hamilton, charged with driving 17 mph over the speed limit, demanded a jury trial and was found guilty.
In handing down her punishment, Majette sternly chastised Hamilton for insisting on a costly, time-consuming trial and sentenced her to two days in jail plus community service and ordered her to pay a fine of $1,000.
And got up from behind the bench and bitch slapped her. And probably told the cops they should have beat her up. Sorry. Got a little carried away there. Just figgered that was gonna be Cynthia's next accusation.
Hamilton, seeking to challenge her sentence, sought a transcript of the court proceedings, but ultimately had to ask the Georgia Court of Appeals to order Majette to release it.
The appeals court eventually reversed the conviction and said Majette had not properly advised Hamilton of her right to be represented by an attorney.
Hamilton paid a $92 fine and served no jail time.
So justice was served.
On Friday, Majette denied any wrongdoing in the case. "I didn't hide any records, and I didn't deny her her rights," she said.
And I didn't bitch slap her even tho' I wanted to.
McKinney's campaign manager, Bill Banks, said the campaign will soon focus on the congresswoman's accomplishments for the district. But first, he said, McKinney wants to smear her opponent draw attention to what she considers Majette's failings.
In other words, smear early, smear often.
"What we're trying to show is she doesn't have . . . good judgment" Banks said. "We felt she was vulnerable in this area."
And Cynthia McKinney does have good judgement? Stop it! You're killin' me!
Emory University political scientist Merle Black said the ad's comparison between Majette and a vicious police officer is a bit of a stretch,
A bit of a stretch? A bit of a stretch? Man this is freakin' bungee city! This guy has a firm grasp on the obvious. And he teaches at Emory? With comments like that he may have to get out of academia. He's making too much sense.
but for the most part, the ad is "just another day at the office in terms of a political campaign."
Especially a campaign involving Miss Big Fat Mouth.
"In politics, fairness is not what it's all about," he said. "The idea is to be unfair.
And when are the spineless Republicans gonna learn this? I miss Lee Atwater.
The idea is to put your opponent on the defensive and make her explain."
When they gonna make Cynthia explain why she's a wacko?
Majette's current ad focuses on her record, though she is beginning to criticize McKinney in her public statements as spending time stirring up controversies instead of paying attention to the district.
And being an all around looney. Examples? Hell yes we have examples. From the AJC to you.
After the terrorist attacks last fall, McKinney was castigated for implying that the Bush administration may have known about the planned assaults but did nothing to stop them so friends of the president could profit from the devastation.
She also was criticized for apologizing to Saudi Prince Alwaleed after then-New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani rejected the prince's offer of $10 million for the Sept. 11 victims.
And she continues to make us proud.
Meanwhile, I'm waiting for the Democratic primary, where, for the first time in my life I will be a Democrat and, I will be voting for Judge Denise Majette. I hope she wins and rids of us of our wacko Congresscritter.
Here come da Judge! Here come da Judge!
Posted by denny at July 29, 2002 01:17 PM