UPDATE - Racist Radio Ads and Blackwell's Ties

A well-funded group, fronted by Blackwell's friend is running vulgar, racist ads on his behalf in Ohio targetting black voters.

* Ad Examples: "If you make a little mistake with one of your 'hos,' you'll want to dispose of that problem tout suite, no questions asked," one of the men says.
"That's too cold. I don't snuff my own seed," the other replies. "Maybe you do have a reason to vote Republican," the first man says.

& "I can understand why a Ku Klux Klan cracker like David Duke makes nice with the terrorists... what I want to know is why so many of the Democrat politicians I helped elect are on the same side of the Iraq war as David Duke." (ads available online at http://www.voteourvalues.com/ )

*  The ad campaign is called Vote Our Values and is funded by America's PAC. This is a massive ad campaign - they claim to have already spent over a million dollars to buy  17,000 plays.

* Herman Cain is both the spokesman for VOV (http://www.nysun.com/pf.php?id=41648) and the voice in the ads. Cain and Blackwell were co-chairs of Steve Forbes presidential campaign.  Additionally, he is listed on Blackwell's endorsement page, donated to Blackwell's campaign and stumped with him in Ohio. Cain also does the voices in the ad . Fox News interviewed Cain this week and he stated the purpose of the ads is to help Blackwell:

"They`re playing in approximately 10 to 12 markets, markets that have been targeted, quite frankly, based upon some of the races that are going on. For example, in Ohio, Ken Blackwell, a Republican candidate for governor in Ohio, is running a very good race. And he has a very good chance of winning. Now, Ken Blackwell, for example, has already attracted a large percentage of the black vote. But the idea is to get other black voters, who have traditionally voted black -- voted for Democrats, to take a look at Ken Blackwell, as well as all of the other Republican candidates. (OUR WORLD WITH NEIL CAVUTO 4:33 PM EST October 17, 2006 Tuesday)

* This is the second group with huge Blackwell ties to run appalling, slanderous ads designed to help Blackwell.  In September The National Black Republican Association ran an ad that stated Democrats started the KKK. The group listed Blackwell as a founding advisor. Blackwell's campaign said "We find the advertisements inappropriate and distasteful. I don't understand the purpose that an ad of this type would serve." (Governor candidate denies association with group airing KKK ads The Associated Press State & Local Wire September 22, 2006 ).


* Fact: Ken Blackwell himself has run radio ads that were called "racist." Running against Barbara Sykes in 94 he ran the following ad:
"They are going to try and trick you into thinking that a vote for Ken Blackwell is bad. They think that we are dumb enough to fall for that. They don't think we know they are upset because finally, after 199 years, Ken Blackwell, an African-American, holds a constitutional office. We must not let them control us."

"Democrats charged on Thursday that the ad is meant to intentionally mislead listeners into thinking that Blackwell is running against a white opponent to draw black votes away from Sykes."It's a cheap, racist trick on their part, trying to make it look like whitie is after blackie," said state Democratic Party Chairman Harry Meshel. "Where in the hell do they get off saying 'they are trying to trick us' and 'we must not let them control us?' Well, who in the hell are 'them'?" Meshel asked. ( DEMS VOICE IRE;BLACKWELL'S BLACK-FOCUSED AD CALLED RACIST, TRUTH-SKEWED Dayton Daily News (Ohio) October 21, 1994)


* Fact: Blackwell sent a racially insulting mailing to black voters earlier this year which trashed Strickland.
   Philip Morris, an African-American columnist at The Plain Dealer said, "The problem with this particular appeal … is its tone-deaf delivery. It unnecessarily mines a caricature so unappealing that it borders on stereotype. It's a problem I've noticed with Blackwell in the past. He has appeared challenged to find the right pitch when appealing to African-American voters."


Is it any wonder Blackwell polls at 3% amongst blacks in Lucas County? (http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061015/NEWS09/61015009)