WASHINGTON — Nearly 13 years later, it remains one of the most infamous campaign ads of the post 9/11 era.
A 30-second spot that then-Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) ran against Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.) in 2002 earned its notoriety by casting Cleland, a triple-amputee Vietnam veteran, as soft on the war on terror.
The ad, which contained images of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, listed the votes Cleland had cast around the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. Cleland had pushed to give DHS employees civil service protections, pitting him against President George W. Bush on the issue. But the ad’s copy suggested that he had opposed the creation of the department itself.
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Could you run a DHS-themed attack ad in the current climate?
Well, here’s the thing. Back then, we thought DHS was on the front line against Osama bin Laden. Now we think DHS is fondling my junk in the airport … and it has become this metastasized federal behemoth that no one likes and no one trusts and no one thinks is doing the actual job of protecting us.
I know it will be hard for you to do this, but play the role of Democratic ad-maker. What would you do with the DHS funding showdown?
I would be very cautious if I were a Democrat because you push this button and Republicans have a counter ad that says ‘We wanted this and they filibustered. They did the Washington D.C. thing they do. They blocked progress.’ There is a rejoinder on this one that didn’t exist in 2002.
