Angus King - Straight Talk

The Charlie Summers for U.S. Senate campaign today released an an online ad, title "Straight Talk". The ad compares the record of former Governor Angus King to his current campaign rhetoric.

King has lashed out in recent days at an ad campaign run by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that probes his record as governor. The Chamber's ad points out that King more than doubled state spending, and left his successor with a billion dollar shortfall.

King has disavowed negative ads in this campaign, but his record in previous campaigns tells a different story. In 1994, when he was behind in the polls in his race for governor against Democrat Joe Brennan, King launched a negative, personal attack ad campaign. King's ads mocked the popular former governor, even comparing the then 59-year old Brennan to a mummy. King's negative attacks helped him win his race by less than 2%.

Now that King is ahead in the polls, he wants to change the rules of the game. King has lashed out against the U.S. Chamber's ads, but has failed to challenge their factual basis. The Chamber ads are strictly based on his record, but King's ads against Brennan were purely personal. King's ad did not mention Brennan's record as governor, but merely attempted to portray the former governor as old and obsolete.

King's "do as I say, not as I do" position on negative ads is part of a broader pattern. King held a press conference at the beginning of this senate campaign, calling on his opponents to reject superPAC support. But King was the first candidate in the race to receive support from a superPAC. When he ran for governor, according to the Portland Press Herald, "King criticized his opponents for cozying up to special interests by accepting money from PACs, or political action committees". But now, according to the same article, "As a Senate candidate, however, he has accepted more than $63,000 from PACs". King has also made several trips to Washington to court donations from super-lobbyists that represent the oil, pharmaceutical, and tobacco industries. King attacked Brennan for growing government, but as governor, King increased the size of government by 56% and left Governor Baldacci with a deficit of more than $1 billion.


"It's time for Angus King to drop the Washington double-talk and be straight with the people of Maine," said Lance Dutson, Summers for Senate campaign manager. "This pattern of saying one thing and doing another is exactly what voters are tired of. We need Charlie Summers to take his record of no-nonsense fiscal responsibility to the Senate so we can get government out of the way and let our small businesses get our economy growing again."

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[oldtimefreedom]

Angus is no independent.

[Nathan Grant]

The ad Angus King made in 1994 was not an attack ad anyway, it was a contrast ad. The ad tried to point out differences between the candidates, not attack the actions of the other candidate. Besides, only one SuperPac, not many, came out in support of Angus. That was before he suggested discouraging SuperPac influence, which his opponents soundly rejected.

[Sammie Therriault]

This is funny seeing how I distinctly recall you stating during last Wednesday's debate on the Husson campus that you didn't release any negative ads against King. Doesn't this count as one? I mean, I can double check the recording I have for my journalism class to make sure that I head incorrectly, but I'm pretty sure that I did hear you loud and clear.

[Nathan Grant]

King is exactly what Maine and the nation need. Angus has tons of leadership experience in public life as someone who governed independently of party affiliation. He has a great pro-business and pro-education record. No other candidate has a record of uniting the parties to get things done.

[Nathan Grant]

Yeah, the everybody-does-it defense of negative attack ads is just lame. While attacks can be informative, attack ads also turn people off to the political process when they just become loosely factual propaganda campaigns. I'm sure Angus would have run his campaign in 1994 differently if he was to do it again, because Angus could definitely hit Summers hard with some attack ads of his own if he wanted to, but he doesn't.

[Kenneth Capron]

Pretty weak Charlie. You're going to need more than this to sway voters. Even Dill isn't feeling the love.

[Seth Baker]

really sucks because King is not what Maine needs but the GOP primary did not result in an electable opponent....