"Someone Needs to Say It"

Tom Tancredo, palpably tired of being overshadowed by his House colleague Ron Paul, is up in Iowa with this ad, "Tough on Terror."

Islamic terrorists now freely roam U.S. soil. Jihadists who froth with hate, here to do as they have in London, Spain, Russia.

That's some of the boilerplate accompanied by footage of a shadowy, hoodie-clad villain walking into a mall and leaving an explosive book bag. "Tancredo: Before It's Too Late."

It's being compared to LBJ's Daisy ad, its obvious inspiration. But it reminds me more strongly of some forgotten 2004 ads I wrote up two years ago in "When Patriots Dissent." Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold, the only member of the World's Greatest Deliberative Body to vote against the PATRIOT Act, was being challenged by a deep-pocketed Republican who wanted to exploit that vote.

One showed video of the smoking Pentagon, with a voiceover declaring, "Ninety-eight senators vote to pass the PATRIOT Act. One senator votes no." Another ad pumped up the drama, showing a menacing Middle Eastern actor stalking over some Wisconsin hills before opening up a spy kit and taking pictures of a nuclear power plant. Michels himself then appeared on screen. "Unlike Russ Feingold," he said, "I will support renewing the PATRIOT Act, because we need to be able to track and stop terrorists before they strike again."

In a pretty decent year for Republicans when George W. Bush nearly won Wisconsin, Michels lost by 12 points. I'm going to go out on a limb—without even checking InTrade!—and predict Tancredo will lose, too.

More on negative ads here.

Comments

[Reinmoose]

meh,
it was inevitable

[Taktix?]

I wouldn't totally count him out, as he's polling well with the backwards, xenophobic, douchebag constituency...

[adamson]

Tom Tancredo being overshadowed by Ron Paul is like Dopey being overshadowed by Grumpy. In the end, they're still both dwarves.

[joe]

Ah, the LBJ ad.

Remember when it was possible for a politician to take a hit for being too hawkish?

We might be seeing that again, for the first time in 44 years, next summer and fall.

[ed]

Do we have to pay attention to all the fringe candidates till they officially drop out of the race? What is the protocol? Is it rude to pretend they're not really there?

[joe]

"Someone needs to say it."

Yeah, sure, absolutely. How brave and unique it is for Tom Tancredo to scare people with terrorism in the Republican primary campaign.

Especially given how the other Repubicans have shied away from such a message.

[Rattlesnake Jake]

Trancredo just doesn't get it. The type of meddling foreign policy he supports will continue to create MORE danger of terrorism to Americans.

[Dakota]

Side note:

If you go on Youtube they have it rated so that you have to be 18 to see the ad. I am assuming this ad is going on network TV.

Looks like the free market is better at "THINKING OF THE CHILDREN!" Take that FCC you child hating bastards.

[iih]

You see the problem with these ads (and a whole lot of other issues that relate to, especially, Muslims in this country) is that it does not define what a terrorist is. Is it someone with a middle eastern name that qualifies one as a terrorist? Is it dress? Beard? Scarf? Thought? I find this kind of ad very draconian. For simply have the "wrong" name, now all sorts of suspicions surrounds a Muslim. Isolation ensues, ghettos form and all of a sudden we have suburban Paris all over again, but now here! I think this is not likely to happen because of the overall much higher standard of living and education of Muslims in the US and Canada, but this kind of ad certainly builds a virtual wall. And that is dangerous.

I ultimately do not think Tancredo truly believes in what he says (a la "Nuking Mecca"). He is just desperate, not for the presidency, but for attention. It is probably some sort of psychological disorder.

[Cracker\'s Boy]

"the backwards, xenophobic, douchebag constituency..."

Which, unfortunately, is huge.

CB

[J sub D]

Prior to 9/11 the biggest terror attack on US soil was perpetrated by these two guys. They're still #2 on the terror parade. A conspiracy of two, white, native born, American veterans. Hmmm.

I wonder what Mr Tancredo is going to do about that.

[dhex]

It is probably some sort of psychological disorder.

i don't know if being an asshole is a psychological disorder, but that's certainly a far more polite way to phrase things.

[Episiarch]

Don't you know that Tom just wants to protect us American citizens (who have the right to bear arms and do) from a statistically insignificant chance of being blown up by terrorists?

[3W]

Another ad pumped up the drama, showing a menacing Middle Eastern actor stalking over some Wisconsin hills before opening up a spy kit and taking pictures of a nuclear power plant.

Ugh. It's bad enough these people keep invoking 9/11. They also seem to need to bring out the tired-old "terroists will attack a nuclear power plant and kill us all!" line; regardless of how much the theroy has been debunked.

[de stijl]

J sub D,

Don't forget this guy. (Although Richard Jewell probably does want to forget.)

Also a vet.

[Syloson of Samos]

de stijl,

Jewell is dead as I recall. Sometime last summer.

[iih]

i don't know if being an asshole is a psychological disorder, but that's certainly a far more polite way to phrase things.

J sub D, can you take care of that for me? 😉 (The polite description part that is). I am sorry, you've built a reputation and your services are in demand 🙂

[An Ottawa Reader]

I don't have anything useful to add to the debate on how big a scumbag Tancredo is. I will add he was a genuine no-hoper from the start. Pure, unadulterated xenophobia doesn't sell as well as people often think or fear, unless times are really rotten--and they're not, not yet.

Something else, though--Tancredo's ads look ten times more professional than Paul's. Paul's NH ads remind me of late-night ads for a small-time legal or medical practice, not a presidential or even a congressional campaign.

I know the message is the main thing, but surely now they have money the Paul camp can afford nicer looking ads?

[J sub D]

Although Richard Jewell probably does want to forget.

Boy, he got screewd. The authorities, aided and abetted by the media, fucked that poor guy over. Has anyone from euther community delivered a formal apology? Just curious.

[Jonathan Hohensee]

They delievered the apology on August 30th, 2007.

[Jonathan Hohensee]

They delievered the apology on August 28th, 2007. He died the next day of shock.

[robc]

Ive wondered when Atlanta was going to put up the Richard Jewell memorial/statue in the centennial olympic park? They should put it on the spot he found the bag.

Its too late for an apology, but they can acknowledge a hero in a way that has been commonly done thoughout history.

[Dave Woycechowsky]

A conspiracy of two, white, native born, American veterans. Hmmm.

Unless they had undisclosed help.

[VM]

Why, you help them? Try to teach them? Did they, as your pupils, know and understand more about the topic than you?

oh that's right. You're the Wham of H&R.

[Jonathan Hohensee]

"In July 1997, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, prompted by a reporter's question at her regular weekly news conference, expressed regret over the FBI's leak to the news media that led to the widespread presumption of his guilt, and apologized outright, saying, "I'm very sorry it happened. I think we owe him an apology. I regret the leak."[10]"

[gaijin]

Islamic terrorists now freely roam U.S. soil. Jihadists who froth with hate, here to do as they have in London, Spain, Russia.

I will assume his knowledge of such facts has been forwarded along with the actual evidence of evildoer's whereabouts to the FBI for investigation.

[VM]

joe | November 13, 2007, 9:14am |:

would that were the case. Recently was just in Wisconsin, and if that group could be a bellwether for the area, the fear and the hawkish attitude was alive and well. And the absolutely ridiculous Hillary hate. But I really hope you're right!!

3W: cool link!

[The Wine Commonsewer]

Islamic terrorists now freely roam U.S. soil

Which would explain all those sidewalk cafe bombings.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

Why do you need to be 18 to see THAT?

[VM]

Grape - you have to be 18 due to the tard factor. DAMMIT MAN, can't you see: IT'S FOR THE FAILED ABORTIONS ERRRR... CHILDREN

[lunchstealer]

Prior to 9/11 the biggest terror attack on US soil was perpetrated by these two guys. They're still #2 on the terror parade. A conspiracy of two, white, native born, American veterans. Hmmm.

I wonder what Mr Tancredo is going to do about that.

He'd probably do what Dondero does. Point to the conspiracy theory that says that these two were stooges put up to it by Philipino Islamists working for Iraqi intelligence. No shit, that's what these people think. They count OKC as Islamic terrorism.

[Rattlesnake Jake]

"He'd probably do what Dondero does. Point to the conspiracy theory that says that these two were stooges put up to it by Philipino Islamists working for Iraqi intelligence. No shit, that's what these people think. They count OKC as Islamic terrorism."

This position is presented in Jayna Davis' book "The Third Terrorist". I've read the book. The book seems pretty convincing, but I don't have any data to check her work against to determine how reliable it is. David Schippers found her data convincing. Her house was even broken into and a manuscript to her book was stolen before she went to press. The same thing happened to Schipper before the publication of his book concerning the Clinton impeachment trial and to Kathleen Willey before the publication of her new book on the Clintons.

[joe]

VM,

Of coures the GOPers aren't going to be levelling that charge in the primaries. We'll see what happens in the general.

[TLB]

Shorter Weigel:

The libertarians just don't see terrorist infiltration of the U.S. as an important issue and would prefer to concentrate on more important things like free drugs.

[MikeP]

For the category of short film with the most non sequiturs per minute, the Oscar goes to...

[Brandybuck]

Unless they had undisclosed help.

The Truther worldview: "It is impossible for evil men to perform evil acts without there being a shadow government conspiracy orchestrating it."

It's impossible for them to grasp the fact that a handful of anti-social survivalists could be terrorists. It might have been more than those two guys involved, there might have been another antisocial nutbag with them. But most certainly it wasn't a shadow conspiracy of bankers or government insiders. People can, and do, commit evil acts all on their own.

[pdog]

Save me Tom Tancredo and Jack Bower! Save me from all the terrorists!

[Rattlesnake Jake]

"The libertarians just don't see terrorist infiltration of the U.S. as an important issue"

Yes we do. That's why we're opposed to a meddling foreign policy which is creating terrorist infiltration of the U.S.

[Your Good Buddy Johnny Clarke]

Eh, they can't put up a statue of Richard Jewell, he was overweight and as we all know, fat people are evil, selfish burdens on society. It would set a bad example for the children.

[J sub D]

The libertarians just don't see terrorist infiltration of the U.S. as an important issue and would prefer to concentrate on more important things like free drugs.

It's worse then you think, Lone Whack Off. I, an avowed athiest, held open a door for a woman wearing a hajib today. [the crowd gasps]. She might have been wearing a suicide bomber belt under her clothing, but I was too stoned to call homeland security. Fortunately, I've got you, Tommy T and Rudy G. to do all of the thankless homeland protection tasks. Keep up the good work.

[J sub D]

To My Good Buddy Johnny Clarke,
You're absolutely correct. We wanted to have a hero. There are plenty of heroes. It's just that in this case, the science says this was not a hero.

[Chris S - .5]

Wow, what a hero.

It looks like Tancredo has finally figured out how to put hammer the nails into his own coffin?

[Kolohe]

Jihadists who froth with hate, here to do as they have in London, Spain, Russia

I've recently taken to ask for the froth on my hate to be non-fat soy, as whole froth was starting to affect my waistline.

[VM]

"We'll see what happens in the general."

exactly, joe! the cockroaches will flee to under the fridge!

[Kenny]

Why do you need to be 18 to see THAT?

The requirement is not a min age, it's max IQ.

[iih]

Just came across this: Food for Tom Tancredo and the rest of the GOP pack against Paul?

Here is an excerpt on Paul's opinion of Islamic Fascism:

In the spin room after the Republican debate on Tuesday evening in Dearborn, Mich., a reporter from the Arab-American News asked Ron Paul what he thought of the term "Islamic fascism."

"It's a false term to make people think we're fighting Hitler," Paul responded. "It's war propaganda designed to generate fear so that the war has to be spread."

[ToughLuckTancredo]

Tancredo is getting really desperate. The boy is almost broke and this BS ad is nothing more than "Hail Mary" from his own 5 yard line and into a strong head wind. It's not hard to figure out that he's just about ready to hang it up. Some people may support him but it clear that nobody wants to give him any money. Probably because they know he'll spend it on a idiotic ad like the afformentioned.

[J sub D]

It's not hard to figure out that he's just about ready to hang it up.

And the rest of the republican pack is scramblig, trying to get Tancredo to endorse their adversaries.

[Taktix?]

It.

[Taktix?]

What do I win?

[Knight Who Up Until Recently S]

TAKTIX WINS THE HERRING AND THE SHRUBBERY.

[Libertarianoid]

If I want to bring terrorists here to pick my crops or mow my lawn that's my right. Instead of complaining about terrorism we should legalize it and tax it.

[Jim Walsh]

A conspiracy of two, white, native born, American veterans.

Don't forget Christian...

[Duckman]

Yeah, this is really the dying gasp of the Tancredo campaign.

Tancredo built his entire campaign around ending illegal immigration. He doesn't offer alot more than that. This ad feeds into that strategy, which so far hasn't worked.

So, to the Ron Paul people out there, alot of Ron Paul supporters seem to think Tancredo may endorse Ron when he bows out. I will admit he's the only Republican who has any chance of doing so. Who thinks that might happen?

[Rick Barton]

I think that TT did refuse to participate in a debate in which Dr Paul was excluded. Isn't that true?

[Rantly McTirade]

This whole thread shows why Paul will ultimately implode-actual Americans, who are very responsive to his fundamental economic and foreign policy positions, will be disgusted by the open borders whores and Muslofilth apologists that have attached themselves to his campaign-and whose treasonous and insulting positions Paul has not openly disavowed.

[Muslims Against Sharia]

Muslims Against Sharia commend Congressman Tancredo for clearly defining the enemy and standing up to Islamist lobby and PC establishment.

Tom Tancredo Radio Ad
Tom Tancredo TV Ad