nrcc

I've mentioned before that PUMA will be a big problem with the freshman GOP coming in, especially with the egos of some of these people with no political experience. It's a big surprise coming this close to home already, but Talking Points Memo is buzzing about the NRCC's lackadaisical support for Elmers in the recount due to the Elmers campaign's claim of not knowing the full story about the Etheridge video incident. It's magically delicious.

Mike Minter must have dashed the NRCC's hopes of running a big name against freshman Larry Kissell. The National Journal has a piece up outlining the top Democratic congressional targets of the NRCC and Larry Kissell hasn't made the top tier. If you've seen him in-district you would know why. His constituents just love him.

I'm sure there are other reasons Larry isn't on the list. He absolutely mopped the floor with Robin Hayes. This wasn't a close race. Larry didn't ride Obama's coattails, however the race would have been closer if Obama hadn't been leading the ticket.

Larry is also working hard for the people in his district. He seems to be everywhere. Each time we've been upset with him, it was when he said or did something that many in his district support. I've often said he mirrors his district and he does.

I'm told our campaign is doing well and that the proof is in the attacks coming from the National Republican Congressional Committee. I realize it is their job to try and build up their candidate, Republican Robin Hayes, by tearing me down, but this is ridiculous.

NRCC Press Office
March 17, 2008

Candidate for NC-08 Will Say Anything to Get Elected

Washington- Larry Kissell, the re-run candidate for North Carolina's 8th Congressional District, can't make up his mind on whether he supports or opposes earmarks. His inconsistency on the issue shows he will do or say anything to get elected.

Earlier this year, Larry Kissell was complaining about earmarks, according to a local press report...

I'll link to the facts I've uncovered and you tell me what you think . . .

On July 27th, 2007, Erik Prince gave $20,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), listing his employer/occupation as “Self/Business Owner”. Today Erik Prince, chairman of Blackwater USA, testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Four Republican members of the House Committee are also members of the NRCC Executive Committee. Patrick McHenry holds two leadership positions: IE Task Force and Finance Vice-Chairman.

According to metafilter (and Talking Points Memo, though I can't find the reference to NC-11), the NRCC is robocalling NC-11 households with a recording that begins with the title of this post. Then, when people hang up, they call the house back six or seven times. The idea? "I was going to go out and vote for that Shuler fella, but the bastard called eight times during dinner!" Does the Asheville Citizen-Times know about this? [They did.] Shouldn't they hear from you about it?

The latest National Republican Congressional Committee mailer attacking Heath Shuler hit the Hoolie's mailbox today. It uses the ad promoted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as a platform from which to attack Shuler for not reviling the images of dead Americans. The entire premise is disinformation.

The front of the mailer depicts a young soldier photoshopped in front of what looks like a burning oil well with this caption, "We ask them to stand up for our freedom."

And at the top of the flip side, "But Heath Shuler won't stand up for them." The mailer accuses Shuler of being a shameless politician, going so far as to give him a capitalized title, "Politician Heath Shuler", as though Charles Taylor is somehow less of a politician given his sixteen years in Washington.

Well, well, well! It looks like the NRCC's rumored October ad buy got pushed up by a couple of weeks. Any connection between Taylor's "millionaire trigger" last week and this ad buy are purely coincidental, I'm sure...

first posted at Scrutiny Hooligans

The Asheville Citizen-Times, playing johnny-come-lately behind we Hooligans in reporting the DCCC's NC-11 ad buy, has this quote from Charles Taylor's camp:

"Taylor, in a statement released Sunday, said the DCCC was resorting to “outright lies” in its ads.