Dole Ad Fabricates Audio Of Opponent Yelling "There Is No God"

Falling behind in her reelection race, Sen. Elizabeth Dole has uncorked one hell of a charge: The Democrat running against me is godless.

Dole's 30-second ad, which is running on television in North Carolina but has not (understandably) been promoted by the GOP, uses a September fundraiser co-hosted by 40 people, including a representative of the Godless America PAC, to falsely accuse Democrat Kay Hagan of being an atheist herself.

The end of the ad features a picture of Hagan with a female voice yelling "there is no God!" -- the clear implication is that the voice is Hagan's. In fact, the Democratic candidate is a Sunday School teacher and an elder at her Presbyterian church.

The Charlotte Observer reported Wednesday morning that Hagan's campaign is seeking a "cease and desist" order against Dole's new attack.

"A leader of the Godless Americans PAC recently held a secret fundraiser in Kay Hagan's honor," the ad begins, showing some ominously blurred footage, ostensibly of the event in question. The ad then quotes the group's Ellen Johnson making atheist claims on two cable news shows. Summing up, the spot asks: "Godless Americans and Kay Hagan. She hid from cameras, took Godless money. What did Hagan promise in return?"

Two weeks ago, when the National Republican Senatorial Committee launched a similar attack, the Fayettville Observer described it as "the nastiest, most misleading, negative ad of the campaign."

Watch:

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If the spot reeks of desperation, it's not hard to understand why. According to the Pollster.com average of all surveys taken for the race, Dole fell behind Hagan in the polls in mid-September, with her position worsening ever since.

UPDATE: The Hagan campaign has issued two response ads, as well as a prepared statement to be delivered by Hagan herself.

State Senator and U.S. Senate Candidate Kay Hagan

Remarks as prepared

October 29, 2008 press conference

* Thank you for coming today. I know this was called at short notice, and I appreciate you being here for this.
* Let's get right to it. Elizabeth Dole should absolutely be ashamed of herself.
* I don't know what things were like when she grew up in North Carolina, but the North Carolina I was raised in would NEVER condone this kind of personal slander.
* I can't begin to tell you how upset I am that she has attacked my Christian faith.
* She's been in Washington for too long, gotten too close to George Bush and the special interests and this is what she's become.
* I am appalled at these tactics. This is politics of the worst kind, and it's been rejected by North Carolinians at every level. This is so unbecoming of the woman she claims to be.

* I have taught Sunday school. I'm an elder in this church, where the Hagan family has attended for over 100 years. I go on mission trips. I was raised going to Sunday school and church every week. And I raised my children that way.
* On Christmas Eve, we attend the 11:00 evening service, then early on Christmas mornings, my children and husband and I go to the Bell House and cook breakfast for the residents there. My family, my community and my church are the anchors of my life.
* If Senator Dole wants to pass judgment on my faith, that's her right - but it's not what my faith teaches.
* This is a fabricated, pathetic ad.

* I am outraged...That is not my voice at the end of the ad, and I do not share their beliefs.
* This was an event with nearly 40 hosts, including an ambassador and a sitting U.S. Senator (John Kerry).
* We have already contacted our lawyers and are proceeding with a cease and desist order sent to Elizabeth Dole.
* This kind of politics should not be tolerated.
* The politics of George Bush won't create one new job, lower the cost of health care, or do one lick of good for North Carolina.
* At their core, Americans aren't Democrat or Republican, red or blue - they're Americans, plain and simple. We ALL love our country, and we all value the role of faith in American life.
* Shame on anyone who says differently.
* Congress just had to bailout Wall Street, workers' retirement savings are out the window, people are genuinely concerned about keeping their job in this tough economic climate, and Elizabeth Dole is trying to talk about ANYTHING but the issues.
* This attack speaks volumes about her personally and politically, but more importantly, it speaks to the lack of leadership she's shown on behalf of North Carolinians. At this critical point in American history, why isn't Elizabeth Dole talking about what she's done for North Carolinians and what she's planning to do if re-elected?
* This is exactly why people in North Carolina are supporting me - I have real, concrete proposals to help fix what's broken in Washington and advocate on behalf of working families. I've been talking about the issues and ensuring North Carolinians know what real leadership looks like.
* Elizabeth Dole is just relying on the same old, tired rhetoric that divides people instead of bringing them together, and that's the last thing people in North Carolina want right now.

Comments

[donniebnyc]

On the day after election day 2004, I said the only good that can come of Bush winning is that he would destroy the repub party. I had no idea that so many repubs would join him in nailing the coffin shut. This is a sad year in American politics. I only hope President Obama can bring us together to face our problems as one nation again.

[wrylass]

"What has she promised in return?"

What indeed? If this were true, and clearly it's a pack of lies, what would a plausible promise be ... to run God out of Washington??!! Come on, this is beyond stupid ... clearly Ms Dole believes her constituents are too.

[Myshkin57]

Hagan made a deal with the devil she doesn't believe exists, apparently.

[cmk1967]

I really hope Dole loses. I lost my job because of her. I was an aircraft mechanic and when she was in charge of the FAA she signed off on allowing airlines to outsource maintenance to companies overseas.

Thousands of mechanics lost their jobs because of her. The overseas companies were not subjected to the oversight that the airlines were here. The overseas employees did not have to be subjected to drug screening and background checks like the mechanics here are, nor did they have to be licensed. How could we compete.

When mechanics here would do a heavy check on an aircraft that had its last check done overseas we would have to fix things that should have been fixed or was done wrong from that check. Doing the job right and fixing things we shouldn't have had to made our checks take longer and is the justification airlines used to oursource more of our work.

The mechanics and our families flew on the planes we fixed. We had an interest in making sure it was done right, more so than some guy who will never fly on the plane.

I really hope she loses her seat!

[RationalDubSteppa]

Wow I'm really sorry and shocked to hear that! Why Isn't this on the National Stage!!! I'm really interested in this could you send me some info on that? Cheers Mate!

[Erdgeist]

You've really defined the meaning of free-trade. It is just another name for outsourcing or more technically, labor arbitraging. The only people who have made money since Nixon (R) put in free-trade have been U.S. corporations.

No Republican cares about Main Street families or their needs. They only care about tax dodging U.S. corporations and Wall Street.

[supervoter]

She also signed off on downsizing the amount of weather-reporting stations, and by both actions endangered airline passengers whenever they stepped foot on an American airline. I just donated $100 to Kay Hagan.

[siennamoon]

I saw this ad air today, it's (excuse the pun) God awful!!

What happened to separation of church and state?

Liddy Dole has been a horrible Senator. Do nuthin' Dole

[prog]

Doesn't Liz Dole know that lying is a sin?

I couldn't care less if Hagen is an atheist, but she isn't, and this is just the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen.

The Republican way: win at all costs, no matter how immoral.

[supervoter]

I, too, could care less about Hagan's religion or lack thereof, but I'm terrified that all the people out there who do care will vote for Dole.

[geobushono]

oh to have a tape of dole saying, "There is no God but God"......

[SUIGENEROUSLA]

all you would have to do is make one up with audio software like they did with Hagan.....­..

[musholmes]

What is with our nation's turn to intolerance and hatred?!? Heaven forbid that a muslim could successful run for office and now atheist aren't allowed to support candidates? If it were up to the religious right, they wouldn't allow anyone but their ilk be allowed to vote.

[pheepher]

As John McCain said, prior to becoming Bush III, when politicians run out of ideas, they use the method of attacking their opponent. Nothing like being a hypocrite.

[KOisGod]

Sadly, this sort of crap works on the low information voters.

I hope it backfires big time.

[RationalDubSteppa]

Low Information Voters == Evangelicals

[Myshkin57]

I'm donating to Kay Hagan because of this. This is WAAAAAAY over the line. There is nothing wrong with being an atheist (I am) but Dole is trading on people's fears and stereotypes in a way that's even worse than Bachmann tried to in her botched attempt. If you're an atheist or realize there's nothing wrong with being one then you should donate as well.

[SUIGENEROUSLA]

you might also consider:

Dole's communications director is Hogan Giddley 7 0 4 - 6 5 1 - 7 0 9 6. In marketing a product, feedback is usually appreciate­d.........­.so I'd say call him too.

[hypnus]

Who looks more like a Christian? Not you Libby.

[Querent]

I think we'll see a major backlash against Liddy for this atrocious ad. I don't know which is worse: smearing atheists as unfit for public office; or smearing Kay Hagan, who is clearly a sincere Christian, as an atheist.

[jtmoney]

Bob Dole was a much more honorable person then this.

[RationalDubSteppa]

This is true. She is not honouring the memory of her husband and that's said.

[milo h minderbinder]

Maybe you two just phrased it badly, but it sounds like you're saying he's dead. He's not.

[logic63]

Didn'r Elizabeth Dole steal money from the Red Cross when she worked there?

[Mysticalsister]

Go directly to ActBlue and sign up. Then donate whatever you can to Kay Hagan. We must work together to defeat Elizabeth Dole, and any candidate who uses this kind of disgraceful attack. It's the only way it will stop.

We the people have to show republican smear merchants that theold paradigm of hate and intolerance has died an ignominious death.