Another e-mail exchange

From: Bill Pope Sent: Friday, September 15, 2006 6:44 PMTo: ‘Martin Tobias’Subject: RE: You a fan of Rove?

From the Washington Post:

“Republicans are planning to spend the vast majority of their sizable financial war chest over the final 60 days of the campaign attacking Democratic House and Senate candidates over personal issues and local controversies, GOP officials said. “The National Republican Congressional Committee, which this year dispatched half-dozen operatives to comb through tax, court and other records looking for damaging information on Democratic candidates, plans to spend more than 90 percent of its $50 million-plus advertising budget on what officials described as negative ads.

I hope you dont countenance this type of campaign, but thats Roves speciality. I also think its going to happen to Darcy Burner. Do you believe that the ends justify these means?

MY response:

Not at all. The politics of division are is the most destructive thing to happen in America. The politics of division I believe threaten the very fabric of this country and the concept of one nation. I am hopeful that both sides can keep the level of rancor and debate to the facts and not simply to polarizing soundbites. Polarized people on either side give up, disengage, and start looking for other ways to get their point across like running through the streets and smashing windows and burning cars(WTO protestors).

I actually asked Karl about these tactics personally and he described the GOP tactics as much more blocking and tackling get out the grass roots votes. In fact in the Bruner/Reichert race on the east side, the 527s from out of state are the first ones on the air with negative ads this week. I dont believe the ends justify the means, but I do believe people have the right to defend themselves and point out differences. Unfortunately in todays climate, if you are attacked by a negative campaign, you need to respond and point out you are not the only one with faults.

I do not impugn the personal motivations of anyone willing to run for public office. Service to your country is a rare privilege and should be a goal for our best and brightest. Unfortunately you also open up yourself to deep personal scrutiny and attack at the level no individual should have to endure. My problem is that the process we have today is so invasive, so negative, so divisive and polarizing that many of our best and brightest dont even step forward to join the fray. The real question is how does a body politic go about choosing the best representatives for their government. I am not sure our current process achieves that end.

m