Alan Grayson Campaign Answers for ‘Taliban Dan Webster’ Ad

Congressman with Guts® Alan Grayson has upped the ante on campaign ads, even by his own aggressive standards, with a new ad that dubs his Republican opponent for congress “Taliban Dan Webster.” While the ad focuses on Webster’s moral attitudes from the 1990s, the ad is an unmistakable echo of an infamous 2002 attack ad by Republican Saxby Chambliss that pictured triple-amputee Vietnam vet Max Cleland with images of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.

This new ad closely follows another Grayson ad that hews to the Bush-era GOP formula, one which FactCheck.org says falsely accuses Webster of being a “draft dodger.” Is turnabout fair play, or is Grayson’s line-crossing a short-sighted play to his base?

Here’s the “Taliban Dan” ad:

The Grayson campaign rejects comparisons to the Saxby Chambliss ad, telling Mediaite (via a spokesperson), “Our mention of the Taliban in the ad is about the way it governs, not about its military. The Taliban is an extremist government regime that forced its crazy right-wing views on the populace it governs. If elected, Dan Webster would force his extreme crazy right-wing views on Central Florida.”

In other words, they’re not calling Webster a terrorist, just a religious fanatic.

When we pointed out that the “Taliban Dan” ad only featured citations from the 1990s, Grayson’s campaign responded that “Webster has been asked by local media to deny the assertions in the ad, and he has not denied a single one… He does not deny any of the assertions that this stuff is still on his agenda.”

At this time, Webster’s campaign has not yet responded to our request for comment, but will release a statement shortly.

We also asked about the “Draft Dodger” ad, which FactCheck.org said “falsely impugned” the patriotism of Grayson’s opponent. Grayson’s spokesman responded, “During Vietnam and the draft, there was a national call to serve for every eligible recruit. What FactCheck didn’t understand is that, because of the national call to serve at that time, every deferment Webster received before his ultimate classification is a refusal of that call to serve.”

While Grayson’s bare-knuckled style has certainly not endeared him to opponents, he has earned the loyalty (and campaign dollars) of many Democrats who bitterly remember the 2004 results of “taking the high road,” and are eager to fight fire with fire. Grayson first hit the national radar last year with a series of blistering rants about health care, and since then has become the gold standard for Democratic rabble-rousing.

Grayson hasn’t confined his ire to Republicans, either. He recently called for the firing of Press secretary Robert Gibbs in the wake of comments Gibbs made about the “professional left.”

While Grayson may run the risk of alienating independents and centrists by embracing such tactics, the payoff has been a tough-to-argue-with record of fundraising success and a sizable early lead against Webster.

Update: Daniel Webster’s campaign has released the following statement regarding Alan Grayson’s new ad: (via email)

Webster Campaign Calls Latest Grayson Ad “Ludicrous”

ORLANDO, FL – This weekend Alan Grayson released his third negative television advertisement against Daniel Webster.  So far, Grayson’s negative ads have outnumbered his positive ads (3-2).  It is clear that Mr. Grayson would rather talk about issues from twenty years ago than the issues of the past two years.  First Grayson mislead voters about a stairway, then he misleads them regarding Mr. Webster’s inability to serve in our military, and now Grayson compares Webster to the Taliban.

“Alan Grayson’s latest attack on my husband is shameful.  Mr. Grayson seems to have a problem telling the truth and no problem misleading the public,” said Sandy Webster, who has been married to Daniel for thirty-eight years.  “Dan has been an amazing husband and father, and the finest man I have ever known. Mr. Grayson should be ashamed of his nasty smears against my husband.”

Alan Grayson compares Webster to the Taliban, but the odd thing is that Grayson doesn’t even support our troops efforts in the Middle East to combat the Taliban or other Muslim extremist groups.

“Alan Grayson is at it again, misleading voters with nasty negative ads against Senator Webster.  Mr. Grayson is certainly no champion of respecting women, he even publicly called a woman a ‘K Street whore.’  To compare Daniel Webster to the Taliban is ludicrous,” said Webster Spokesman, Brian Graham.  “Alan Grayson is simply trying to distract voters from his record of higher taxes, increased debt, and rising unemployment.  Central Florida deserves better than Mr. Grayson’s gutter-politics and dirty mouth.”

Daniel Webster, a family man and small-business owner, has dedicated himself to serve the citizens of central Florida with honor and integrity. Daniel Webster served as Majority Leader of the Florida Senate and the first GOP Speaker of the House in over a century.

Daniel Webster has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, the American Conservative Union, the House Conservatives Fund, Governor Jeb Bush, Governor Mike Huckabee, Governor Bob Martinez, US Senator George LeMieux, US Senator Connie Mack, Congressman Mike Pence, Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, former Comptroller Bob Milligan, former Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher, former Secretary of State Sandra Mortham, Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty, Orange County Clerk of Court Lydia Gardner, Orange County Property Appraiser Bill Donegan, Orange County Commissioner Fred Brummer, Orange County School Board Member Christine Moore, former RPOF Chairman Tom Slade, former Senate President Ken Pruitt, former RPOF Chairman Van Poole, former Senate President Tom Lee, former Speaker Tom Feeney, former Senate President John McKay, former Speaker Allan Bense, and former Senate President Jim Scott.

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filed under

Alan Grayson, Dan Webster, Max Cleland, Osama bin Laden, Professional Left, Robert Gibbs, Saddam Hussein, Saxby Chambliss

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• Azarkhan

  Alan Grayson, the 11th richest congressman, worth $31.4 million. A true man of the people.

• tatboy

  Well Tommy… sounds like you’re a big fan of this type of campaign… or at least i didn’t see any judgement or displeasure with it? So I guess both sides to it and aprove of it, so no more bitching about it… right?

• tatboy

  Sorry… “do it and approve of it” God I need to replace my keyboard.

• Fox News: We proudly pander to Teabaggers

  It is about time Dems started painting these tea partiers in their proper light. Too many Americans have been duped by the tea party thinking that this was about the economy and the tea party. This is about social conservatives trying to force their God agenda on the rest of us, and using the tea party platform as a means to accomplish it.

  Tell these people FO!

• right-is-wrong

  
  Alan Grayson is worth an estimated $31.4 million

  The nerve of him wanting to raise his taxes.
  Especially when $25Million of he estimated $31.4 million is a claim against a bankrupt ponzi company.
  He’ll ruin himself.
  He may have to start another Telecommunications company (like he did to get his money in the first place)

• Tommy Christopher

  tatboy said:
  Well Tommy… sounds like you’re a big fan of this type of campaign

  Honestly, I don’t have an easy answer for this. It’s like I say in my article, there’s a tradeoff for Grayson. Personally, I prefer my representatives to be better than the opposition, but it is fair to ask what’s the virtue of a virtuous loser? Grayson is successful, as was Chambliss.

  I have consistently challenged Grayson, and everyone else, on issues of fairness, which itself could hardly be read as an endorsement of these ads.

• soccermom

  Fox News: We proudly pander to Teabaggers says:

  Tell these people FO!

  I guess we’ll find out on election day which side the voters tell to FO.

• tatboy

  Tommy Christopher said:
  Honestly, I don’t have an easy answer for this. It’s like I say in my article, there’s a tradeoff for Grayson. Personally, I prefer my representatives to be better than the opposition, but it is fair to ask what’s the virtue of a virtuous loser? Grayson is successful, as was Chambliss. I have consistently challenged Grayson, and everyone else, on issues of fairness, which itself could hardly be read as an endorsement of these ads.

  My feelings precisly. I want my guy/gal to WIN. And a virtuous loser is a loser. So the ads back then are just as bad/good as Graysons are now. Only you won’t see the MSM crying about them. He’ll still be the congressman with guts, and “brassknuckles” and all that stuff they pile on him on MSNBC. While the R’s were just “mean”. I call “shinanigans” on the MSM and want my guy/gal to give as good as he/she gets.

• tatboy

  P.S. Hope everything is going well with the ol’ ticker. Really want you around a long time to yell at. Love your writing and look forward to reading it for a loooooooong time.

  Be well.

• betweentwoevils

  Grayson is ahead in some polls by 13 points in what is a predominantly conservative area of central Florida. I don’t like his Ad. but I see both sides use the same kind of methodology.

  Jon Stewart says: “I don’t agree with you, but I am very sure that you are not Hitler.” I wish more campaigns took that sort of civil tone.

• murf

  Since Greyson is a regular diarist over at Daily Kos, and Markos just released a book about the ” American Taliban ” someone should inform the voters in his district to check out the site .

• Penguin60

  The above ad was paid for by the Re-Elect a Psycho/Alan Grayson for Congress…….

• Penguin60

  Fox News: We proudly pander to Teabaggers said:
  It is about time Dems started painting these tea partiers in their proper light. Too many Americans have been duped by the tea party thinking that this was about the economy and the tea party. This is about social conservatives trying to force their God agenda on the rest of us, and using the tea party platform as a means to accomplish it. Tell these people FO!

  The above ad was paid for by the Re-Elect a Psycho/Alan Grayson for Congress…….

• Big Eddie

  Alan Grayson – Still the # 1 liberal thinker and gentleman .

• NORBIT

  Lying, low-life, character-challenged DEMOCRAT! – What else is new?

• NORBIT

  btw, What time does the “HATE WHITEY” rally thrown by the naacp, la raza, and the other left-wing RACE-BASED HATE-GROUPS begin this weekend?

• Puter Boi

  Tommy Christopher said:
  I have consistently challenged Grayson, and everyone else, on issues of fairness, which itself could hardly be read as an endorsement of these ads.

  Really, TC?
  Then why didn’t you raise hell about the following quote…

  “During Vietnam and the draft, there was a national call to serve for every eligible recruit. What FactCheck didn’t understand is that, because of the national call to serve at that time, every deferment Webster received before his ultimate classification is a refusal of that call to serve.”

  This quote doesn’t even make sense. They are saying that anyone who did not join the military during Viet Nam is a draft dodger? Seriously? If this had been said about a candidate from the your “neck of the woods”…..your head would have exploded. I also will note that Grayson has not served in the military. Did he need a personal invite from the government? Did he need a “calling up”?
  Well, TC…..I am a veteran….I chose to serve…..I hold no resentment towards anyone who didn’t. I believe we all do what we feel we should do in life. The only time I get agitated, is when someone like Grayson…or any other public official starts pointing fingers and calling names….especially about military service.
  You should have called them out, TC….but you didn’t.
  You whiffed.

• CosmosDan

  I don’t think that ad is nearly as bad as the ad accusing Max Cleland of being soft on defending America. Grayson is a little over the top for me but at least he comes out swinging. His fellow Dems should have that kind of gumption.

• tatboy

  CosmosDan said:
  I don’t think that ad is nearly as bad as the ad accusing Max Cleland of being soft on defending America. Grayson is a little over the top for me but at least he comes out swinging. His fellow Dems should have that kind of gumption.

  That’s because when your side does it, it’s OK. It is the same… you just can’t see it due to your complete and utter lack of balance and low IQ.

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Derek-Elliot/1397506919 Derek Elliot

  Isn’t Alan Grayson the whack-job who believes that Bush and Cheney planned the 9/11 Moslem invasion?

• shootfromthehip

  God it is tiresome reading the same shit every day from the righties who whine like bitches on this website.

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Tracy-Starrett/782356411 Tracy

  I think he needs more treatment.

• Kitsune

  And this is why the progressives are going to win bigger than anybody expects.

  They’re willing to do whatever it takes to win, where the other side isn’t.

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Ninos-Jando/752109803 Ninos Jando

  ‘We also asked about the “Draft Dodger” ad, which FactCheck.org said “falsely impugned” the patriotism of Grayson’s opponent. Grayson’s spokesman responded, “During Vietnam and the draft, there was a national call to serve for every eligible recruit. What FactCheck didn’t understand is that, because of the national call to serve at that time, every deferment Webster received before his ultimate classification is a refusal of that call to serve.”’

  WRONG. Webster’s campaign released his military enrollment documents. He TRIED to enlist, BEFORE being drafted, and he failed the physical. He didn’t refuse to join the military, the military refuesed him for health reasons. The Grayson campaign knew this, as they knew his Bible quotes were taken wildly out of context. Did Grayson ever try to volunteer to join the military? Didn’t think so. Grayson is a sleaze and a liar. If he has to lie to win, well…

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Ninos-Jando/752109803 Ninos Jando

  Puter Boi said:
  Really, TC?
  Then why didn’t you raise hell about the following quote…

  “During Vietnam and the draft, there was a national call to serve for every eligible recruit. What FactCheck didn’t understand is that, because of the national call to serve at that time, every deferment Webster received before his ultimate classification is a refusal of that call to serve.”

  This quote doesn’t even make sense. They are saying that anyone who did not join the military during Viet Nam is a draft dodger? Seriously? If this had been said about a candidate from the your “neck of the woods”…..your head would have exploded. I also will note that Grayson has not served in the military. Did he need a personal invite from the government? Did he need a “calling up”?
  Well, TC…..I am a veteran….I chose to serve…..I hold no resentment towards anyone who didn’t. I believe we all do what we feel we should do in life. The only time I get agitated, is when someone like Grayson…or any other public official starts pointing fingers and calling names….especially about military service.
  You should have called them out, TC….but you didn’t.
  You whiffed.

  Bill Clinton genuinely dodged the draft. Wonder what Grayson thinks of him. Grayson himself didn’t chose to serve.

  Anyways, thanks for serving our country.

• right-is-wrong

  tatboy said:
  That’s because when your side does it, it’s OK. It is the same… you just can’t see it due to your complete and utter lack of balance and low IQ.

  And when your “side” does it they scream yeah but you lefties did it.
  you just can’t see it due to your complete and utter lack of balance and low IQ.

• Founders_were_Liberal

  You GO Allan Grayson. Good to see Dems smacking back. As RepubliCONS have demonstrated often and virulently, politics is a rough game.
  As long as AG is on the side of the afflicted, I hope he gets even richer.
  Wassa matter, don’t like it right wing-nuts?
  Wah Wah!
  EAT IT!
  Oh, and Prince right wing nut AzarKON- As long as AG is on the side of the afflicted, I hope he gets even richer.

• lonestar77

  Tommy uses the disgraceful Alan Grayson to attack the “Bush era”, “Saxby Chambliss”, etc. Pitiful. Tommy even throws in the lame and completely ridiculous lefty claim of previously “taking the high road”. Alan Grayson is a wackjob of the nuttiest order and everyone knows it. For Tommy to defend his is incredible. I’m sure Tommy would take the same easy approach had a “R” compared a “D” to the Taliban. Or, if an “R” completely took out of context an opponents words to smear him. The Grayson campaign based an ad around cutting words Webster spoke to make it appear that he things women should be subservient to men when his entire argument was the exact opposite. I know you don’t set the bar very high, Tommy, but even for you this is weak. It appears as if someone forced you to write about Grayson, and this was your way of giving that person the finger.

• johnnymorales

  Grayson is accurate in his charges.

  When he’s not talking facts, he’s clearly expressing HIS opinion, which is still ok.

  Chambliss committed character assassination.

  THERE IS NO EQUIVELENCY. For you to even refer to them as similar shows just how unintentionally biased your POV is.

  This is only newsworthy because it’s a Democrat doing it.

  If it were a Republican, the same charges would be accepted without challenge, and a dozen Republicans asked why it was and whether the Democrat can be redeemed. ONly after that would the Democrat was allowed to “answer” for his failings, never mind declare them false

  The notion of an unbiased political writing is a quaint and dead notion today.

  There is NO neutral.

  While it’d be nice if the so-called neutral types like yourself split down the middle on which side most benefited from your work, the truth is overwhelmingly it is the Right Wing that benefits, as you challenge, question, doubt the sincerity of the Left for the simple reason the Left will answer you, but the Right Wing gets a pass, because you don’t want to piss them off and risk never hearing from them again.

  Asking, challenging boths sides is just doing the dirty work of our extremely biased right wing American Corporate News Establishment is the same as aiding and abetting the extremely biased national coverage, because ACNE basically only challenges the left point of view.

  By being equal, neutral you do nothing to balance the scales, but help add legitimacy to the Right Wing media, because you ask the same stupid questions demanding justification from the Left for their “evil” tactics.

  By NOT responding to your enquiries, the Republican candidate further benefits, because he will remain unchallenged, and only be mentioned as “not responding” to your questions, while Grayson is asked to account for his words.

  You assume a false equivalency between the charges from the left and right.

  You think getting both sides is being fair and balanced.

  Fair is finding out the truth, and reporting it, regardless of which side benefits.

  I can’t wait for the day when supposedly “fair and balanced” left leaning writers like yourself stop fooling yourselves re: unbiased POV and either get off the fence and support the side that agrees with you or just shut up, because ultimately you defended the Republican candidate to many “who skim” the article, regardless of your intentions.

  The fact that you can’t see that shows, you’re just a pasty of the American Corporate News Establishment helping to spread right wing propaganda regardless of whether you yourself are right wing or think you are.

• musiccityvic

  Founders_were_Liberal said:
  You GO Allan Grayson. Good to see Dems smacking back. As RepubliCONS have demonstrated often and virulently, politics is a rough game.As long as AG is on the side of the afflicted, I hope he gets even richer.Wassa matter, don’t like it right wing-nuts?Wah Wah!EAT IT!Oh, and Prince right wing nut AzarKON- As long as AG is on the side of the afflicted, I hope he gets even richer.

  You show your neverending ignorance along with all of the Progressives. You condone dishonesty which is par for the course because your President is the most dishonest president in history. The sewer will be drained in November. Grayson is the poster boy for the Dems and their supporters. A dishonest liar.

• FearMonger

  Tommy Christopher said:
  Honestly, I don’t have an easy answer for this. It’s like I say in my article, there’s a tradeoff for Grayson. Personally, I prefer my representatives to be better than the opposition, but it is fair to ask what’s the virtue of a virtuous loser? Grayson is successful, as was Chambliss. I have consistently challenged Grayson, and everyone else, on issues of fairness, which itself could hardly be read as an endorsement of these ads.

  Bullshit. All the bitching about CONTEXT with the St. Shirley episode and YOU Tommy Christopher don’t say a word about the intentional distortion of Webster’s words in this ad.

  You should denounce this type of shit but you won’t… until it’s coming from the right. Well guess what? The bar just got EVEN LOWER so … next time, when a (R) does the same thing, you can just STFU.

  Perhaps next time it will be YOU who gets the meaning of his words twisted 180 degrees.

  Hmmmm

• LA screenwriter

  betweentwoevils said:
  Grayson is ahead in some polls by 13 points in what is a predominantly conservative area of central Florida. I don’t like his Ad. but I see both sides use the same kind of methodology.

  Actually, that’s NOT true.
  Grayson is now DOWN by about 7 points in the latest polls and sinking…