Desperate Dems Invoke “Karl Rove” in New Ad – Axelrod Challenged by CBS’s Bob Schieffer – “Is That All You’ve Got?” – Incumbents Avoid Debates

David Axelrod (left) invokes the name of Karl Rove (right) in weak attempt to rally base - image: Reuters

White House Advisor, David Axelrod, on this Sunday's CBS’s “Face the Nation” was chastised by journalist, Bob Schieffer for a recent DNC advertisement that offers an outright fabrication regarding Karl Rove, former George W. Bush advisor, Republican’s in general and the Chamber of Commerce taking foreign monies to finance campaigns. Schieffer categorized the assertions as “Peanuts” and when pressed for details, Axelrod came up empty. Schieffer queried “Is that all you’ve got?” (Video clips below)

The UK’s Telegraph offered: “Epitaph for Barack Obama's Democrats: 'Is that the best you can do?'”, an excellent article outlining the latest attempt by Democrats to salvage the Mid-Term elections.

Axelrod may be thinking that anything goes in campaign finance due to the Obama campaigns use of then

"Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign is allowing donors to use largely untraceable prepaid credit cards that could potentially be used to evade limits on how much an individual is legally allowed to give or to mask a contributor's identity, campaign officials confirmed."

(Washington Post 10/28/2008 article)

Democrats, who apparently will not defend the legislation passed by the Congress, nor campaign on issues due to the aforementioned legislation, are now digging deep into the well in the latest attempt to rally the base by accusing Rove and “Big Business”.

The simple fact that Democrat Incumbents are avoiding Debating opponents nationwide is telling. (Google Democrats avoid debate and find countless articles) Apparently, when one cannot stand on one’s record, entering the debate forum is a risk.

Not all Democrats, however, are adverse to risk nor concerned about the Debate forum, as Massachusetts Barney Frank,(D-MA4) who is “continuing to lose ground”(AP) to Republican Sean Bielat, entered the arena yesterday twice, once on WRKO and a later debate on NECN (clip below). After watching the debate on NECN (three segments available here, one understands why Democrats are not eager to face their Republican opponents. Bielat trounced Frank in both debates, calling the long-term incumbent out on occasion for Frank’s usual refusal to acknowledge statements made on any given subject, regardless of a mountain of evidence to the contrary.



Meanwhile, in the Hamdpen 2nd, the Richard Neal campaign has issued a press release that notes they have agreed to two debates, however, however, the release features no date of release nor offers a clue as to when the debates might take place. The first is allegedly tentatively scheduled for October 15th at 7:30 pm on WGBY Springfield (the local PBS station). Neal was also asked to participate in “Town Hall Style Debates” and is said to have declined.

With Congress convening in order for the House and Senate Democrats to hit the campaign trail (while allowing Bush Tax Cuts that affect every single taxpayer) to expire, one would think they’d find the time and take the opportunity to get out and face their opponents head on. (Especially in Massachusetts and the 8th District in California (Pelosi) That said, they may fear constituents response might be similar to that of Bob Schieffer’s: “Is that all you’ve got?”