Veterans group's attack ads targeted GOP incumbents(VoteVets)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06324/739841-177.stm

The political advertisement depicting a mannequin in U.S. military wear being shredded by small-arms fire began showing up in August against U.S. Sen. George Allen of Virginia.

The powerful, bullet-blazing ad, claiming the senator failed to support sufficient funding for body armor to protect troops in Iraq, made its way into races against three other incumbent Republican senators who were defeated Nov. 7: Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, Jim Talent of Missouri and Conrad Burns of Montana.

Another evocative commercial, softer in tone while showing a paralyzed Iraqi war veteran in a wheelchair, was used in the final days of the campaign against U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart of Bradford Woods, as well as two other GOP House members who lost, Gil Gutknecht of Minnesota and John Sweeney of New York. The claim this time: The incumbents voted against veterans' benefits.

The note at the end of the ads made clear they were paid for not by Democratic candidates but by VoteVets Political Action Committee. It is a group that came out of nowhere this year, with Pittsburgh-connected veterans of the Iraqi and Afghan wars playing a large role in its leadership.

VoteVets supported a small group of war veterans running for office around the country, including Democratic congressional winners Patrick Murphy and Joe Sestak in Eastern Pennsylvania. It attracted more attention, however, with the emotional nature of its opposition to conservative Republicans like Mr. Santorum and Ms. Hart, whose appeal to constituents' patriotism has long been among their political strengths.