Alison Grimes accuses McConnell of providing amnesty and taxpayer benefits to "illegal aliens"

[Cali_Democrat]

MoveOn demands Grimes take down ‘offensive’ immigration ad

The liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org is demanding that Democratic Kentucky Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes take down an ad that uses the term “illegal aliens.”

“This latest TV ad from Alison Lundergan Grimes is deeply upsetting. Grimes seems to be forgetting that we are a nation of immigrants that has continually strived to honor all the hard-working people who aspire to the American Dream,” Ilya Sheyman, MoveOn.org’s executive director, said in a statement Tuesday.

“It’s deeply troubling that Grimes would stoop this low in order to try to defeat [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell, and she needs to take this offensive advertisement off the air immediately.”
Grimes’s ad accuses her Republican opponent, McConnell, of voting to provide “amnesty and taxpayer-funded benefits to three million illegal aliens, the largest legalization program in U.S. history,” and cites a Washington Post article.

Grimes appears at the end of the ad to approve the message and says, “I’ve never supported amnesty or benefits for illegal immigrants, and I never will.”

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/220744-moveon-demands-grimes-take-down-offensive-immigration-ad

[Kalidurga]

1. Weird

I thought she was a Democrat. I think she should remove the ad and apologize.

[bullwinkle428]

2. So you're saying we can't count on your help re: immigration reform, Alison?

[cali]

3. it appears to me that on quite a few issues, she's been attempting to run to right of

McConnell.

[Cali_Democrat]

7. She has proudly declared herself to be a "Clinton Democrat"

Grimes won't win, but the bigger picture in this case is the 2016 election IMO.

This is a preview.

Hillary will savage Obama from the right as she tries to appeal to "working class whites" in states like Kentucky. She'll attack Obama for being soft on illegals and weak on defense. She'll wonder why Obama hasn't obliterated Iran yet.

It's gonna be a bumpy ride.

[KentuckyWoman]

16. On quite a few issues she IS right of McConnell.

She's old school conservative Democrat. I could never understand the love affair with her. She never was or will be progressive.

I'll vote for her. Not in love with her. Disagree with her on quite a lot. But I don't hold my nose to vote for her.

[Dawgs]

4. Grimes should give people a reason to vote for her, and quit trying to be more republican than MM.

It's getting ridiculous, and frankly looks a little desperate.

[monmouth3]

5. Put a fork in her...n/t

[world wide wally]

6. Well, now I guess she will sound more conservative and Republicans will be switching over to vote

for her right and left!

Good move, Allisaon. You are a shoe-in now

[eissa]

8. Awful to watch her crash and burn like this

I was so excited and hopeful of her chances. Now she just looks desperate and ridiculous.

[brer cat]

9. I'm from Georgia

so I do understand the tight rope that democratic candidates have to walk to have a prayer of being elected in red states, but I think Grimes is really going overboard. I have been under the impression that this race is fairly close, so I don't see the need to panic and run so far right.

[Ykcutnek]

10. MoveOn and American Bridge make the mistake of thinking we give a damn.

We just want Mitch out and owe no outsiders any kind of explanations or capitulations about our attempt to do that.

[Cali_Democrat]

11. Welcome to DU...

Don't you think the ad is offensive?

[Ykcutnek]

12. Doesn't even make my list of concerns about this election.

I care more about having a Senator that will vote to raise the minimum wage and is in favor of Senator Warren's student loan legislation.

[JI7]

25. if people just want Mitch out then why run these type of ads ? why not just run an ad saying Mitch

sucks ?

[Ykcutnek]

26. It was in response to an attack ad by the McConnell campaign accusing her of supporting amnesty.

And no one here really gave it much thought until the holier-than-thou special interest groups and out-of-staters started blogging about how hurt they were by it.

[JI7]

28. Kentucky is over 85 percent white

[Ykcutnek]

31. Exactly.

And she supports the CIR bill passed by the Senate. Has said so numerous times, actually.

They need to cut her some slack.

[Sheepshank]

44. I do believe Grimes is talking on the level and in the 'speak' of the Kentukian Voter

so they clearly understand what their darling boy McConnell is up to.

She is speaking to the potential and past McConnell voter.

She isn't on the national ballot...she is purely on the Kentucky ballot, and if she were running here in Utah, I'd expect she'd be doing the same thing.

[Cha]

58. YES! Ads with mitch's quotes.. especially when he was all instrumental in shutting down our Gov to

the tune of $24 Billion Bucks!

[JaneyVee]

13. Curtains.

[hfojvt]

14. so then Move On favors "amnesty and benefits for illegal immigrants"

Or they just don't like the ONE word "aliens"?

[pampango]

23. The term "amnesty" in the context of immigration reform is an invention of the far-right. Liberals

know better.

This Graph Explains Why Immigration Reform Is Not "Amnesty"

Conservative media figures have attacked House Speaker John Boehner for accusing tea party groups of undercutting Republican Party interests, claiming that Boehner did so to facilitate passage of "amnesty" in 2014. But the "amnesty" label that right-wing figures affix to immigration reform has been disputed even by Republican lawmakers opposed to reform.

Indeed, the comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate imposes severe hurdles and makes undocumented immigrants wait 13 years before they can even begin to apply for citizenship.

As the Washington Post explained:

One of the weaknesses of the public conversation about immigration is that any proposal under which the final result for some undocumented immigrants is citizenship gets labeled "amnesty." But in reality, most proposals put a ton of hurdles between such immigrants' current status and that goal.

The Post included this graph from the Center for American Progress, which drives home the absurdity of calling what basically amounts to a 13-year wait -- that may or may not result in citizenship -- an "amnesty":



http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/12/13/this-graph-explains-why-immigration-reform-is-n/197265

[hfojvt]

29. do liberals know what is missing there?

And some liberals are straight up in FAVOR of amnesty too.

[pampango]

32. You're a liberal, right? Why don't you tell us what's missing?

And some liberals are straight up in FAVOR of amnesty too.

Are you using "amnesty" in the republican usage meaning any comprehensive immigration reform or in the sense of a real amnesty?

Polls show that most (not just some) liberals are in favor of comprehensive immigration reform which includes a path to legalization - "amnesty" to republicans.

[kentuck]

15. I have been one of her strongest supporters but..

...this is very bad timing, to say the least. Whomever advisedvher to run this ad does not have her best interest in mind. It probably won't hurt her that much in Kentucky but she did not need to go there. I think she should pull the ad but I doubt that she will.

[tularetom]

17. She's bought into the Clinton/Turd Way bullshit that the US is a "center right" country

I still want to see McChinless out on his ass, but I'm not holding out any great hope that she'll be much better.

And if she loses, it might send a message to H Clinton that trying to be more republican than your opponent is not the way for somebody who calls themselves a Democrat to win an election.

[JI7]

30. she isn't running as a candidate for the entire country but just the state of Kentucky and in that

state they are right of center.

[tularetom]

34. All senators and congresspersons are in perpetual campaign mode

With the 24 hour cable news cycle they can't afford to ever do anything that will alienate their "base" even after they are comfortably seated in the senate. And it's quite obvious that she perceives her "base" to be the bible belters and Obama haters that live in her state.

How reliable of a Democratic vote will she be if she is elected? If she makes the slightest move toward support of anything proposed by Obama she will be crucified. And it's obvious she lacks the fortitude to do the right thing. She'll never stand up for the president. She might be a supporter of H. Clinton, but Clinton hasn't been elected yet and hopefully never will be.

"I'm further right than Mitch McLipless" isn't a winning campaign strategy. Grimes has a lot to learn.

[JI7]

35. she most likely wont be reliable but the reason we need her in the senate is so Harry Reid

can stay majority leader and Democrats can continue to chair the committees and the power that comes with what will/will not be brought up for a vote.

but when an actual bill is brought up for a vote i wont be surprised if she is one of those that regularly votes with republicans.

[cali]

38. Mine aren't. Most people don't even know

who their repub opponents are. They're just sacrificial lambs. I haven't even seen one sign for the repub who's running against my rep. All I know about him is that he doesn't believe in climate change and he's against the ACA. In Vermont, those are not smart positions. Hell, even the idiot republican running against our dem governor is smart enough to say that he's "agnostic" on single payer.

[tularetom]

42. All senators and congresspeople except cali's are in perpetual campaign mode

Must be nice (not being sarcastic). I live in a pretty reliable blue state (CA) but one of our senators is probably the biggest war profiteer in the senate, and my congressman is a wing nut who could run and win in the tea baggiest district in the US without changing his spiel.

[Cha]

59. Oh, she'd do Better! mitch is that bad.

[msanthrope]

18. Don't like it when either Glenn Greenwald or Alison Grimes uses that term. nt

[Arkana]

19. Grimes is going off the rails.

She's running to the right, she's throwing out bullshit answers to questions that should have had clear answers...her campaign is crapping itself.

[kentuck]

20. I recommended to her campaign that...

...she focus on 3 issues that Mitch is weak on. They seem to be scattered all over the place at this time?

[geek tragedy]

21. Immigrant bashing, the last refuge of scoundrels. nt

[PAProgressive28]

22. .

[JI7]

24. so is this what people meant when they called her a Populist ? in the pat buchanan way ?

and the evil dlc is trying to take her down .

[Bad Thoughts]

27. All that is left is for Grimes to say she doesn't know that Obama was not born in Kenya

As a Democrat, she disappoints.

[Zen Democrat]

33. I'm starting to actively dislike this spineless woman who caves to the bottom for votes.

[rock]

36. I take it that most objections here

are the use of the term "illegal aliens". I know that is politically incorrect, and that "amnesty" is corrupted by the repiggies definition, but is there another point that I don't get? Is the bill for immigration reform not acceptable to liberals? Color me, as usual, confused.

[PAProgressive28]

40. She's using RW scare tactics

Remember the charge of giving "amnesty" is what really hurt Cantor. She's trying to get Republican votes - something she will NEVER get. She needed to drive up Democratic turnout to win. This will only hurt her (further).

[rock]

41. OK, got you

Thanks, I see. You're right, it'll lose a lot more Dems than gain repiggies. Welcome to DU!

[kentuck]

37. Alison is playing hardball politics...

Unfortunately, many Democrats take everything at face value and allow no room for such "politicking".

She does not believe in discriminating against anyone and in private conversations she calls them "undocumented citizens"...

[PAProgressive28]

39. What really stinks is that she had a chance

She was in this thing but went off in another, weird direction. This ad, the skeet-shooting ad, not giving an answer on if she supports Obama...she blew it. Wasted opportunity.

[kentuck]

43. No, she didn't.

Get a grip.

[Cali_Democrat]

45. You think she can still win?

What's her strategy here? Doesn't she know this is offensive?

[Major Hogwash]

47. Do you currently live in Kentucky?

This ad is not offensive to the majority of people living in Kentucky.
Especially those who have lost their jobs and believe is it because illegal aliens have taken their place in those jobs.

[Cali_Democrat]

48. No I don't

But this seems like she's using GOP talking points. Is the kind of language you would hear from Rush Limbaugh.

[kentuck]

49. Sometimes ads get made and comments made...

..that the candidate is not informed about? I let her know that I didn't think that was an appropriate ad to run and she says she will have her team look at it. She also used the words "undocumented citizens" rather than "illegal aliens". Sometimes in a busy campaign, some things may get by the candidate. From all that I have seen and all that I know, she is a very compassionate, caring, does not discriminate against anyone, intelligent person.

But she will not be bullied. She will play hardball with Mitch McConnell if necessary. And it is necessary because Mitch is doing his best to put her on the defensive and keep her there. He prefers to talk about "personal" issues, rather than policy issues. Alison understands that. Unfortunately, a lot of folks on DU seem to think all the cardplayers keep their cards face up on table? That's not the reality of it. Do not mistake hardball politics as a flaw in her character - it is not.

[Cali_Democrat]

50. OK...well let's hope they know what they're doing

I'll admit, I'm a Dem in a blue state. I don't get this stuff. It doesn't penetrate, if you know what I mean...

[kentuck]

53. I can understand.

Alison's heart is in the right place. She's a tough politician, a real fighter for women and equality, but she is in a tough race and has to fight with the weapons that the other side chooses. I think she can beat the top Republican in the Senate.

[PeteSelman]

46. You have to do what you have to do.

Kentucky isn't the place for PC bullshit. Those are the terms that will hurt Turtledick down there so you HAVE to use them. Running away from the President helps you with those mouthbreathing rednecks so you do it.

This is serious shit. No time for apologies.

[bunnies]

54. Yeah! This is no time to stand up for what you belive in!

This is no time to have a spine! This is no time to treat anyone with respect! Lets placate the knuckle draggers! Merica1!!1!

[kentuck]

55. There is idealism...

and there is politics. There is no room for both at one time. We can make peace after the battle. Unfortunately, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Otherwise, you will lose the election but you will still have your idealism and vision for the country. It doesn't mean that you give up your principles or what you believe in - it only means that you are willing to fight however the other side wants to do it. I think we all should read Sun-Tzu's Art of War. Because politics is war without bloodshed. War is politics with bloodshed, to paraphrase Mao.

[PeteSelman]

56. Well then go ahead and lose.

You can't preach that shit to the people down there.

What's right and what wins are entirely different things.

[samsingh]

51. she fights rough

[DefenseLawyer]

52. Politics ain't beanbag

She's trying to win an election in Kentucky not make points with MoveOn. Let's keep our eye on the ball.

[AverageJoe90]

57. You've GOT to be kidding me.

It's almost as if someone keeps interfering with our universe and trying to make it into a bad copy of "The Onion"......

[Cha]

60. Illegal Alien Invasion..

[Savannahmann]

61. Plenty of populist issues out there.

Demilitarization of police. Legalization of marijuana. Reigning in the NSA. I could go on and on until you were sick of reading. All of these issues would motivate people to vote for her. Instead she's using the Latino community as a bogie man to try and frighten the racists into voting against McConnell.

Anyone still think executive action on amnesty is still going to happen after the election?