O'Malleys super pac just launched an attack ad... aimed at Bernie.

[bunnies]

Here we go!!

Let’s say you’re running underdog Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley’s Super PAC. What’s the first order of business?

Could it be: Convincing voters he has a shot? Trying to chip away at the Hillary Clinton colossus?

Well, in the mixed-up world of presidential politics, where it’s sometimes not entirely clear whether candidates are running for president or jockeying for the vice presidential nod, O’Malley’s Super PAC on Thursday released an ad slamming not Hillary Clinton — but fellow underdog Bernie Sanders.

The ad, released by O’Malley’s Super PAC, Generation Forward, is one of the first ads released on behalf of O’Malley’s campaign. It labels Sanders “no progressive when it comes to guns.” The commercial flashes headlines from online news articles calling Sanders a “gun nut.” In a message about the anti-Sanders ad, the pro-O’Malley PAC explained on Facebook, “You can’t claim to soak the fat boys and exempt the profiteers in the gun industry.”

more: https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/06/25/martin-omalley-advertisement-hits-bernie-sanders-progressive/

Disclaimer: I haven't watched it yet, no speakers at work.

[retrowire]

1. yep,

O'Malley just lost my consideration.

I literally considered him my back up in case Bernie didn't make it.

sorry guy, I don't vote for the lesser of two evils.

[bunnies]

2. At least he made clear, right out of the gate, what his goals are.

No need for this shit at this juncture.

[roguevalley]

17. he's running for hills vp.

[daleanime]

18. +1

[swilton]

3. A big distraction from the valid economic issues Sanders raises against OMalley and Clinton

O'Malley has an on-again off-again relationship with the DLC and can't be trusted.

[bunnies]

4. Indeed.

I was just reading that article that he and Harold Ford wrote about the importance of "the center". Must be the same warm squishy purple spot Hillary spoke of. Love how all these DLCers are all liberally now. ick.

[swilton]

5. Sanders must have the corporate wing of the Democratic Party a little worried

How else can you explain O'Malley's being called in to do Clinton's dirty work.

I always thought his opening lines when he announced his campaign with 'the presidency is not a crown to be passed between two families' was a little bit 'methinks he doth protest too much' over-the-top.....You can't become Governor of Maryland w/o being part of the 'establishment'...is what I've always thought. And as some others would say - that about sums it up.

[bunnies]

6. There really is no other explanation.

Why come out so dirty, so quick? If O'Malley's intent is to split the left, thereby clearing the way for Hillary, he's certainly not going to do it this way. Attacking a man who is famous for *not* running attack ads is pretty bottom-of-the-barrel. And Im sure its no coincidence that McCaskill was out trash-talking today.

Why spend the airtime on a man who has no chance? Its so obvious its laughable.

[swilton]

7. Looking at some of the source thread's

responses....O'Malley's role is the spoiler: divide the left.....I was too naïve to believe that O'Malley was an operative when he entered the race - I just thought an 'also-ran' populist might split the left....Now I believe he's an operative....Bernie has been in politics for a long time - don't know if he's seen this kind of dirty dealing....

But it's telling that it's happening so early.....again, someone must be worried.

[bunnies]

8. Apparently Hillary learned something from '08 after all.

When playing dirty doesnt work... play dirtier.

[TBF]

9. Hey, someone has to be VP -

I thought Julian Castro had a lock on it, but Martin is an eager beaver.

[glinda]

14. Bazinga!

[eridani]

10. Dean had pretty much the same position on guns in 2004

And for the same reasons--Vermont is very rural, has high gun ownership and low gun crime. Rules that work for Vermont are likely not appropriate for large urban areas.

[aspirant]

20. Don't kid yourself

they would have smeared Dean with the "gun nut" thingey if the scream didn't do the job.

[Cheese Sandwich]

11. Bernie is the candidate for common sense gun control.

He voted to expand background checks, and for a ban on assault weapons. He also voted to ban high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets. He received an F or D- rating from the NRA, indicating a gun control voting record.

He is not a gun control extremist who wants to ban all guns. Vermont is a gun-friendly state and Bernie has avoided levying undue burdens on responsible law-abiding gun owners.


Sources:

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-votes-for-background-checks-assault-weapons-ban

http://www.ontheissues.org/2016/Bernie_Sanders_Gun_Control.htm

[Doctor_J]

12. a post today refers to Sanders as a "racist gun nut"

And said post survived a jury by 5-2. Some really disgusting people have joined du since 2008

[bunnies]

23. I dont know which is worse.

This it was posted or that it survived an alert. Disgusting.

[TM99]

13. Yeah, I am done with O'Malley as well.

Could they have done a positive add touting O'Malley's positions on gun control? Yes.

Did they? No. They did a negative attack add against Sanders trying to portray him as a gun nut.

As Cheese Sandwich points out, Sanders is moderate on the issue of guns and is in line with many Democrats from rural states.

Given the cozy relationship between O'Malley and Bill Clinton and his on again off again relationship with the DLC/Third Way, I was hesitant to trust his entry in this race as anything more than a surrogate for Clinton.

Sadly, this now reminds me of last seasons' House of Cards.

[glinda]

15. No respect of even considering O'Malley at all now.

The Republicans are all nuts and ignorant and shills of Corporations that do oil, gas, coal and the Dems will eat themselves if this crap keeps up. I guess I truly do live in a bubble to think that Dems were not as nasty as Conservatives. But what I have seen lately is just as stupid.

[Divernan]

16. Kick & 1 more rec needed to get this on greatest page, if you please?!?

[Babel_17]

25. :) (nt)

[madfloridian]

19. That's really odd to go after him rather than the frontrunner.

But you know what they say about strange bedfellows...

There was stuff going on in the Iowa caucuses in 04. Rivals joining together to beat another.

But it's strange for O'Malley to do this...betcha there's background to it.

[aspirant]

21. Since her TV surrogates are all bombing,

Last edited Fri Jun 26, 2015, 07:23 AM - Edit history (1)

here comes, a bit earlier than planned, the secret WEAPON

A 2% Populist Pretender candidate attacks a real Populist candidate so the 2 pretenders can ride off into the victorious sunset with armed "gun toting" guards.

[Enthusiast]

22. O'Malley, you just fucked up, big time.

Now we know what you are. You and Clair.

[Babel_17]

24. How can his team be oblivious as to what their supporters think about Sanders? (and HRC)

Though obviously we can't generalize, and I'd love too see real polling data that has people detail how they rate the candidates. I guess O'Malley decided to come out swinging and gain hard ball cred by taking Sanders to task over an important issue. He now needs an encompassing take down of swathes of the Clinton platform or he just isn't going to look relevant, or plausible. I see his credibility riding on doing that soon.

He does need to become relevant, very quickly, as part of any plan to win the nomination. If his goal is less modest, well then, that's another story. By being combative he'll get a chance to lay out his message to the cameras. But this isn't the first time to the rodeo for most watchers. People will be weighing whether he is looking for a place in the next administration.

[Koinos]

26. Some uninformed opinions on this thread.

A super PAC is not formed by a candidate, nor is it allowed to communicate with the candidate or provide money directly to a candidate. O'Malley had no knowledge of this ad before it was made.

A spokesperson for O’Malley’s campaign said the former governor was not aware of the ad before it was released and that he doesn’t currently fundraise for Generation Forward.

http://time.com/3936562/martin-omalley-bernie-sanders/

Any supporter can start up a super PAC. Bernie has some super PACs as well:

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/2015/05/30/sanders-unable-superpacs/28184005/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2015/05/30/pacs-promote-sanders/28159039/

Neither O'Malley nor Sanders likes super PACs; but, according to Citizens United, they are created without the candidate's approval and operate independently of the candidate's campaign.

Super PACs both help and hurt the candidate they support. You can see this with "Generation Forward" and its ad. Generation Forward hurt the candidate they supported. But it is unwarranted to say that O'Malley was responsible for this ad.

You will note that Bernie himself blamed the super PAC and not O'Malley for the ad.

Our candidates are great. Super PAC supporters are maybe not so great. They are like attack dogs without a leash.