By FITSNews || U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett is being targeted by of one of the first negative ads of the 2010 S.C. gubernatorial race, and while it couldn’t happen to a more deserving fellow, some are alleging that the blindside originates from current S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford and the campaign of S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley – the governor’s preferred successor.
The thirty-second ad – which is being funded by Virginia-based issues advocacy group Americans for Job Security (AJS) – blasts Barrett for his vote on the TARP bailout and for accepting stimulus funds for his district.
The size of the ad buy was not immediately available.
“When Washington politicians vote for big spending and bailouts, it always ends up sinking us,” the ad’s narrator states.
The ad then links Barrett to over $22 million in stimulus funds and reminds voters of his flip-flop on the Wall Street bailout. In perhaps its most effective moment, though, it pulls a clip from Barrett’s appearance before a local candidates’ forum in January and uses the Congressman’s own words against him.
“I would do it again today if I had to do it all over,” Barrett says of his TARP vote.
Ouch.
Barrett’s campaign quickly denounced the ad.
“This is an outsider special interest group with unknown funding sources and unknown motives,” Barrett spokesman B.J. Boling told the Charleston City Paper.
Meanwhile, several sources who obviously read our “Negative Nikki” story earlier today called FITS independently to place the blame squarely on the Haley campaign – and Sanford.
“This ad has Jon Lerner written all over it,” one source said, referring to the D.C.-based campaign consultant who advises both Sanford and Haley.
Sources also told FITS that the consultant most directly responsible for the AJS ad, David Carney, worked with Gov. Sanford during the latter’s tenure as chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association. Sanford resigned as president of the RGA last June when he admitted having an extramarital affair.
A spokesman for AJS confirmed that Carney has been affiliated with the organization since its inception in 1997, but said that Lerner was “not a consultant” with AJS.
Haley’s campaign said it had nothing to do with the ad, but defended its content.
“The reality is he cast (the TARP) vote and sooner or later he’s going to have to answer for it,” Haley spokesman Tim Pearson said.
To view the AJS ad, click here, or watch it below …
WEB EXTRA
Americans for Job Security
By Groundball March 1, 2010 at 4:59 pm
If governor sanford is against him, I must be for him. Rep. Barrett has not been at the top of my list, but having an enemy like sanford will work in his favor.
By Red March 1, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Any politician who voted for TARP should be voted out of office.Maybe the Wall Street bankers will give him a job when he loses his election.
By hans March 1, 2010 at 5:29 pm
If Barrett is part of the problem, then how can he be part of the solution?
By Sic-ly March 1, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Haley= Obama Stimulus
McMaster= Pandering Pol
Barrett=TARP
Bauer=stray animals
VOTE DEMOCRAT.
By Rylyn March 1, 2010 at 6:22 pm
Maybe you should call Bob Peeler and see what going negative does for you…especially so early and on television. I’m sorry to see this and the fact that candidates can’t run on their on merit with out bashing the oposition.
By Garnet Spy March 1, 2010 at 7:42 pm
So it’s victimize the messenger?
By John March 1, 2010 at 8:00 pm
I didn’t realize that Gresham was the frontrunner already? pretty strong for him. He definitely has the best vision for SC.
By Sicster March 1, 2010 at 8:01 pm
HALEY=FRAUD. CANNOT FORGIVE OBAMA STIMULUS VOTE.
IS SHE RUNNING TO BE THE NEXT SANFORD? HELP US ALL.
By Roger Roger March 1, 2010 at 8:23 pm
Remember these days?
“It’s remarkable that during the eight-year gubernatorial term of GOP Gov. Carroll A. Campbell Jr. – - one of the state’s most successful governors – - a startling amount of legislation Campbell wanted got passed with a Democratic-led General Assembly. By using compromise and working with lawmakers, Campbell successfully pushed a gas tax increase, corporate tax cuts, restructuring and more.”
It would be nice to have someone in the Governor’s office who’s well-liked and can work with people to get stuff done for South Carolina.
http://www.statehousereport.com/columns/04.1205.walk.htm
By Kool Kat March 1, 2010 at 8:29 pm
Bailout Barrett is not worthy of governor, as he has proven he can’t handle being one of 435 members supposed to represent us in DC. Thank you Nikki Haley for standing up for us and voting against the stimulus and bailouts!
By Richard March 1, 2010 at 8:36 pm
How pathetic. Barrett you are not a victim, you are the problem. South Carolina will not accept inept judgement and finger pointing.
By Sicster March 1, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Kool Kat — you are sorely mistaken. Haley indeed accepted Obama’s Stimulus. Unfortunate she’s the only GOPer in the race to cast such a vote. Not as conservative as you once though, huh?!
By Magic Marker March 1, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Let me connect the dots for you. Barrett’s campaign, allegedly, has some relationship or association with Terry Sullivan’s mail shop and consulting firm. As has been well documented, Sullivan is currently the campaign manager for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s gubernatorial campaign in Texas.
Dave Carney is also involved in the Texas governor’s race as a senior advisor to Gov. Rick Perry. Recently, Sullivan outed Carney for his use of the word “retard” on a conference call, ironically the same day Sarah Palin endorsed Perry.
There are two conclusions to be drawn from the ad. One, Carney and Sullivan are going to continue their feud for a few months longer, and two, the Haley camp doesn’t have the cash nor the fortitude to launch such an attack on their own. But in the end, the ad will still play and the soap opera that is the Republican primary for Governor just got a little more interesting.
By Tiger Dan March 1, 2010 at 11:08 pm
The punchline of the whole thing is that Haley is the only GOP candidate who actually voted to take stimulus funds.
By Mike at the beach March 2, 2010 at 2:08 am
I agree Tiger Dan, but I think the REAL message here is a great one for Barrett. No one buys negative ads aimed at the tail end of the pack. His fundraising continues to do well, and he’s obviously moving into contention from relative obscurity outside of the upstate. Name recognition is much more important in June than in February and March.
By Toyota Kawaski March 2, 2010 at 8:27 am
4th place Negative Nikki not bad
By Another Opinion March 2, 2010 at 9:03 am
Do politicians not realize the American people are tired of gutter politics like this ad? Did their political consultants not tell them that?
Why is there a need for political consultants anyway? Do those in politics not know enough about their field that they have to waste money paying for advice?
It’s sad that we have ass clown politians when what we need are leaders.
By friend of fits... March 2, 2010 at 10:40 am
Bailout and emarks? He needs to be voted out of Congress much less running for Governor. Go Nikki go if she did it. Washington is screwing America up so bad that someone needs to hold them accountable..
By LowcountryGamecock March 2, 2010 at 10:46 am
I hope Barrett’s Tea Party debacle shows up in some ads this primary season:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QsY2r7HbTM
Gotta love it!
By Richard March 2, 2010 at 11:11 am
To set the record straight: Haley voted to debate the budget with the stimulus which is the claim the Barrett camp is pushing. However, her final vote was against the budget with the stimulus. This is an attempt at trying to deceptualize and minimize the national bailouts in question. Misery loves company I guess, even if one has to lie about it.
By CNChapin March 2, 2010 at 12:18 pm
I’m sick of cry babies who whine about “negative” campaigns. Shut up and go home to your mommy. That’s life. If no one ever “went negative” how would you really know that there is anything potentially negative about them?
This country has become a bunch of limp wristed cry babies who can’t handle reality. Life is tough, things aren’t fair, if you want to play the game you’re probably going to have to get dirty, and no one blows sunshine up your ass if they really are telling you the truth. STFU you pansy-fied whimps.
As far as Barrett vs. Haley goes, well they’re BOTH politicians. How good could EITHER or them be? Quit looking for “leaders” or trying to decide which candidate is going to do the most for you or solve the most problems when they get in office and start demanding that the damned government stay the hell out of our lives so we can once again have the freedom to solve our own problems. Politicians only fawk stuff up. They never solve anything. Quit thinking that is going to change.
“The government is good at one thing. It knows how to break your legs, and then hand you a crutch and say, ‘See if it weren’t for the government, you wouldn’t be able to walk.’” –Harry Browne
By SouthernMan March 2, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Smells of Howard Rich! Howard supported Sanford now he must be backing Nikki. As far as politics in SC, how in the world did Andre got re-elected is beyond me. But after I think about it, SC is at the bottom as far as education, I guess the same ignorance will be used to make Nikki the GOP candidate in June.
By WorkingTommyC March 2, 2010 at 2:52 pm
The same ol’ vindictive amandabots spouting the same nonsense against Nikki.
What’s the deal? Do you people vote for these people or do you marry them? They’re in for short terms–if people pay attention–then they’re done and they’re gone. Find the most useful ones possible. Usually the choices are nil in terms of anyone who will really fight the establishment and do something–unless you yourself are willing to run or find someone who will. We got lucky this time in having one candidate who may prove useful.
If Nikki Haley just gets us transparency: on the record voting for all votes and transparency in accounting so that we can trace every dime, she will have done more than any other governor has ever done in this state in terms of returning true power the citizens here. No one else running is talking about this.
In any election, find the ones who can, based on their records of actual achievements, get something done that will make a real difference. Once elected, stay after them the whole time to get it (and anything else you can get them to do) done. After that, find someone better.
USE them, abuse them (verbally) if necessary, to get everything you can in terms of reform, fighting corruption, and restoring our liberties. Whoever is elected, make them feel pain if they don’t do what is right.
By OhNoNotAgain March 2, 2010 at 3:00 pm
I can’t see how showing someone’s vote and their words about that vote can be taken as negative. It’s just the truth. Barrett is a joke.
By No Name March 2, 2010 at 4:26 pm
GRESHAM BAILOUT
They will keep saying it over and over JUST like Perry did with Kay Bailout….just like J.D. will say John McSorry .
The National GOP got rolled for 5.6 trillion to bailout Paulsen’s friends and the Banksters and now they want us to forget it. Paulsens laughs about it in his book.
The Banksters watched the Dems give 3 Trillion to the poor…They watched 6 Trillion go to the Military Industrial Complex ….and so when the computer model broke down ….because no one in the Ivy League spends time with Asians in the computer labs…..the “Skull and Bones” crowd needed the biggest idiot President ever to do one more big lie …so they scared the lawyer legislators who never took Econ 101…..into bailing them out.
Only re-elect federal folks who intuitively knew it was wrong and voted no.
Sorry Gresham …..you knew it was the wrong vote and the fact that you knew it was wrong but let the party hacks and Lindsey convince you that it was not only right but would ensure support from the Status quo turned out to be wrong.
Your only hope is to stand up and admit you were wrong…name names of people that told you these lies and take your lumps that way.
McCain tried this with his I am sorry I was tricked but the old fool is just not worth the trouble.
By Tiger Dan March 2, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Quick question: through which channels could a South Carolina governor achieve “on the record voting for all votes [in the South Carolina Legislature]?”
I eagerly await your reply.