Our Side Hits Back in Maine

by: Adam Bink

Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 12:50

First, I want to thank everyone who contributed for me to go to Maine next month and blog on the ground about this campaign. If you haven't chipped in yet, you can do so here. Thank you so much for your generosity, and look for some great content here at OpenLeft in just a few weeks!

Earlier this week I wrote about the anti-equality campaign's new ad in Maine, which is a carbon copy of the Yes on 8 campaign's ad in California. The two campaigns use the same consulting firm, Schubert Flint Public Affairs. The ad was about how marriage equality would force school districts to teach the principles of equality in local schools (oh, the horror).

Our side hit back, and the ad was universally debunked as misleading at best and a lie at worst.

Gerald at Dirigo Blue called the Maine Department of Education, which then released a statement saying a change in Maine's definition of marriage would not require local school districts to change their teaching requirements.
A journalist at the Kennebec Journal, reprinted in the Portland Press Herald (the state's largest paper), denounced the ad as false and misleading. So did the Maine Public Broadcasting Network, and the Lewiston Sun Journal.
Charla Bansley, the seemingly worried public school teacher featured in the ad, was uncovered by Jeremy Hooper at his blog to be (a) the state director of Concerned Women for America of Maine (b) a teabagger (c) a private Christian school teacher (d) Someone who delights in saying rabidly crazy things regarding marriage and family.
Maine legislative leaders, several former attorneys general and law experts wrote a memorandum ripping apart the argument in the advertising as completely false.

Our side successfully hit back against the right-wingers in the journalistic department. Today, the No On 1 campaign is hitting back on TV:

There are multiple ways to help take this further. If you're in Maine or know someone who is, ask them to sign up for the No On 1 e-mail list, and to write a letter to the editor on how false the other side's ads are. If you're not in Maine, go to your Facebook wall and/or Twitter feed, and post the response ad (here's the link) and this link to sign up for the No On 1 campaign. Because even if you don't know anyone in Maine, you may have friends out there on the internets who do. If you're either, you can go vote in this local FOX poll (right side of the page).

I wrote yesterday about an interconnected movement. Fighting back- bloggers, you, and No On 1- together is how we can string together victories that demoralize and help defund the right. Let's get it done.

Adam Bink :: Our Side Hits Back in Maine

Tags: No on 1, advertising, LGBT movement, Maine marriage equality 2009, No On 1 Maine, (All Tags)

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Our Side Hits Back in Maine | 16 comments

I also diaried the new ad... (4.00 / 1)

here, but thanks for all the additional Maine news. I'm glad to see that No on 1 Maine isn't repeating No on 8 California's many mistakes, one of them being not hitting back hard enough.

Yes, Virginia, there are progressives in Nevada.

by: Andrew Davey @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 12:38:30 PM CDT

by: you @ soon

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Yup (4.00 / 2)

Great diaries, Andrew.

Get your copy of The Progressive Revolution
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by: Adam Bink @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 12:40:31 PM CDT

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by: you @ soon

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Btw, for comparison... (4.00 / 1)

Here were the No on 8 California responses to the "schools" distraction:

The Jack O'Connell ad actually initially helped in stopping our side's sliding poll numbers, but ultimately the constant focus on the school and church lies only ended up reinforcing them. That's why it's important for No on 1 to avoid this by simply refuting the lies then shifting back to the central message of protecting all Maine families.

Yes, Virginia, there are progressives in Nevada.

by: Andrew Davey @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 12:44:42 PM CDT

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"In Maine, we're proud of every family." Including abusive families? (1.33 / 3)

Every family!

And when you say "every family," you aren't just saying, gay or hetero...

You just had to say...

Every family, which also includes abusive and incestuous families, and families where children are neglected and unloved, because...

Words don't really matter, and we progressives and liberals are so absolutely certain that we're right, that we never even have to make sense, much less a reasonable argument.

by: Jacob Freeze @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 13:16:01 PM CDT

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spoilsport! (0.00 / 1)

by: Gray @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 13:38:48 PM CDT

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Puh-leeze! (2.00 / 4)

Every family, which also includes abusive and incestuous families, and families where children are neglected and unloved, because...

Because of course, "homosexuals" are sexual deviants and pedophiles and promote incest...

Come on, stop listening to Maggie Gallagher for just a minute and take a look at reality.

Yes, Virginia, there are progressives in Nevada.

by: Andrew Davey @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 14:13:19 PM CDT

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by: you @ soon

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Don't distort what I said. (1.00 / 4)

If you can't read, go back to grade school.

This is just another demionstration that some "progressives" are at least as stupid as the stupidest conservatives.

by: Jacob Freeze @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 15:03:57 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

And the faux-gressive puts his foot in his mouth AGAIN... (1.33 / 3)

Uh-huh, this from the same person who laughs off racist attacks on Obama from the right and was a proud "PUMA" last year. Yeah, keep mocking us...

Yes, Virginia, there are progressives in Nevada.

by: Andrew Davey @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 15:24:03 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I supported Kucinich, liar! (4.00 / 1)

And I had zero to do with PUMA.

And some people wonder why the public doesn't trust Democrats!

Who wouldn't want to give up control of their healthcare to a bunch of self-righteous, low-IQ twits?

Your sold-out party had a chance to nominate a real progressive, and instead we got the stinking con-man Obama.

by: Jacob Freeze @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 16:10:49 PM CDT

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Yeah, sure. (0.00 / 1)

It's always the same, Jake: Nobody here is progressive enough for you. Really, what do you want here, then? Ever checked if there's another blog somewhere where you feel more at home? Seriously.

by: Gray @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 16:53:53 PM CDT

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It's only "the same" because you can't read, or don't bother. (1.33 / 3)

My original remark was about exaggerated language in a TV ad, which had nothing to do with... who's farther to the left?

And then then Andrew Davey distorted what I said as if it were gay-bashing.

Did you miss that, you illiterate clown?

It isn't about left or right.

It's about liars like you and Paul Rosenberg and Andrew Davey.

You dishonest jerks are a shining example of why the left never really makes any progress, and here we are again, watching single-payer disappear from discussion and the public option circle the drain.

Because all you jerks really care about is playing holier-than-thou identity politics and demonizing anybody who doesn't subscribe to your bullshit.

So now we have the stinking con-man Obama at the top of the ticket, and even on a website that's owned by an honest progressive like Chris Bowers, you stupid, dishonest jerks still muddy the water just enough so that anybody who happens to drift through comes away with the same expression...

The left is mostly lying jerks and identity fanatics like Gray and Paul Rosenberg and Andrew Davey, with just a few freakishly honest exeptions like Chris Bowers.

And that's even the main problem with Obama...

If the substructure of the left had any integrity, then it wouldn't be fatal to have a stinking con-man at the top.

by: Jacob Freeze @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 18:23:52 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Nerves... (4.00 / 1)

...if I was you, I would see a doctor and talk about this...

by: Gray @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 19:39:50 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

LOL hes right about Chris Bowers however. (4.00 / 1)

And yes, I think this is a trouble that Jacob deals with.

Change
"We must break up the banks and never again let them get so big that they distort our politics and take down the economy.

by: HousesofProgress @ Fri Sep 25, 2009 at 19:53:47 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yup, at least one who got away untarred. However, even Chris... (0.00 / 0)

..has never been critical enough of Obama for Jake's liking, so I see this more like a dilpomatic safeguard. At least I can't remember Chris calling Obama a "stinking con-man"!

And now I have to look up what's an "identity fanatic". As a "holier-than-thou" type of guy, I have to know what this is for more effectively "demonizing" people!
:D

by: Gray @ Sat Sep 26, 2009 at 03:45:46 AM CDT

[ Parent ]