Hi, I’m Rick, and I have a slime problem
Credibility. Let’s face it, it’s been a big issue for Rick Santorum. Moving past the whole didn’t actually live in the state of Pennsylvania issue (I know, fussy, fussy, I want my senator to actually live in my state) his campaign ads have been something of a failure.
His opponent, Bob Casey, who continues to hold a strong lead in the polls, finally struck back at Santorum, pointing out that his ads lie, uh, liberally, and reminding people how many times he has put Pennsylvania second to his desire to climb into the GOP senate leadership. Oh, and he tied him to Bush, too, which never hurts.
I’m waiting to see some similar fighting back from Joe Sestak and Lois Murphy — both of whom could win their congressional races. While I’m kind of used to Murphy’s alternating shrill responses with ineffective message pieces, I’m hoping Sestak takes a different, and more effective direction. While Murphy faces empty suit Jim “I took a ton of money from Tom DeLay” Gerlach, Sestak faces Curt Weldon, now commonly known in these parts as Congressman Nutcase, thanks to his bizarre, black helicopter-eque rantings and ravings about “Able Danger.”
Sestak has the opportunity to hit back, and hit back hard. Basically showing Weldon to be the nutball he is — and playing on Weldon’s poor record of constituient servivces and arrogant, nasty attitude in dealing with the people of his district. Plus, of course, Sestak can play up the fact that he was working to make this country safe in the military, while Weldon was playing alternately, fireman and secretary of state.
I remain hopeful that Sestak will be able to step up.