Readers who write in complaining about critical ads against John Kerry should play closer attention to the type of campaign their candidate is running.

President Bush is running on a solid record of accomplished leadership on important issues. His ads are backed by facts and draw a comparison between his clear positions on key issues and Kerry’s flip-flopping record on a long list of important issues related to national security, funding for our troops, education, judicial appointments and energy policy.

John Kerry has run more than 28,000 negative ads attacking President Bush, according to the Campaign Media Analysis Group which tracks ads. These ads are only reinforced by the negative ads run by groups created through a loophole in new campaign finance laws. These groups have spent tens of millions of dollars toward Kerry’s election and have been targeting Bush since the summer of 2003. I have yet to see a positive ad released by them.

Combine these ads with Kerry’s negative ad totals and you will find Bush has been the target of more negative ads than Kerry.

As I recall, John Kerry was the candidate who called Republicans “crooks” and “liars” over an open microphone at a rally. I, too, hope integrity is more important than sound bites like this. I, too, hope Maine’s voters think long and hard about the character of people running for office and how they convey their message because they will see that President Bush is their candidate.

Oliver Wolf, Lewiston

Copy the Story Link