Boehner Gets Nailed on Campaign Ad Hypocrisy

From Greg Sargert at the Prospect: “GOP House Majority Leader John Boehner wants you to know that it’s OK if Republicans use images of people killed on 9/11 for political purposes, but at the same time, it’s very very bad indeed if Dems show pictures of flag-draped coffins.”

How’s that? Well, the dead in the Democrats’ ad were soldiers killed by Islamic militants in Iraq, and the dead in Bush’s ad were civilians killed by Islamic militants on Sept. 11. Having a hard time figuring out why it’s OK to exploit one group and not the other? So was a reporter from the Cincinnati Enquirer. He called Boehner on it. And his response was, well, ridiculous.

Check out Bush’s video and the Dems’ video

Cincinnati Enquirer:

Questioned by reporters on what the difference was, Boehner seemed tongue-tied. “These were American citizens killed by terrorists. That is a very different policy issue than American soldiers dying on the battlefield protecting the rights and freedoms of American people.”

“How so?” a reporter asked.

“How so? You want me to describe the difference between men and women of the military out there defending the American people, and victims – victims – of terrorist activities?” Boehner asked.

“They were both killed by opponents, right? Terrorists or Islamic insurgents?” a reporter pressed.

An exasperated Boehner said: “The World Trade Center victims were victims of a terrorist act here on our shore and I think all Americans were appalled that this did in fact happen. But I think the differences, in terms of the images, are as clear as night and day.”

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