Dem Governors Demand RGA Remove Political Terrorism-Themed Ad

The Democratic Governors Association is demanding that its counterpart, the Republican Governors Association, take down an online video that it claims glorifies domestic political terrorism.

More than a week after the RGA stirred the pot with an online ad themed around the story of 17th-century British radical Guy Fawkes, the DGA still is weighing into the debate.

"In light of the dangerous overtones of their radical 'Remember November' video, we are calling on Haley Barbour and the Republican Governors Association to put a stop to this ad now," Nathan Daschle, executive director of the Democratic Governors Association, said in a statement sent to the Huffington Post on Wednesday.

"Unfortunately, instead of doing the right thing, the RGA is attacking the media for pointing out the fact that this ad glorifies a 17th-century terrorist who has captured the imagination of the GOP base. Now they're even fundraising to air their incendiary video on national television."

On the weekend of April 25, the RGA unveiled the website RememberNovember.com that graciously incorporated the story and symbolism of Fawkes, the anti-government terrorist who attempted to blow up the House of Parliament and kill King James I. The RGA video did not promote political terrorism itself, just the concept of a sweeping change in governance: with Obama cast in the role of King James and the Republican Party adopting the Fawkes cause. (Fawkes, it should be noted, was the inspiration for the movie "V for Vendetta", which, in turn, became an inspiration for the Ron Paul presidential campaign).

Produced with impressive technological savvy, the video succeeded in its design: to spur conversation and garner attention in the broader media. When several outlets questioned the underlying message, the RGA put out a response ad mocking the objectors and adding another fundraising appeal.

"No political committee should fundraise off of terrorism," said Daschle. "If Haley Barbour won't keep this ad off the air, Republican candidates running with RGA help - candidates like Charlie Baker, Scott McInnis and Meg Whitman - should do what is right and tell the RGA to take down their ad."

Asked for a response to the statement, RGA spokesman Mike Schrimpf emailed the following: "The DGA deserves an Oscar for their wild imagination and faux outrage. The only thing incendiary about the video is their response."

HERE IS THE ORIGINAL RGA VIDEO:

HERE IS THE RGA RESPONSE TO THE MEDIA COVERAGE:

Comments

[Sil in CNY]

12:57 PM on 05/06/2010

"Remember November".....hmmmm...that can't have ANYTHING to do with elections, now.....can it??? No....it makes SO much more sense to immediately think POLITICAL TERRORISM!!! Of course, "fundamentally changing" America is in no way, shape or form "Political Terrorism"....no....because you all know SO much better than "we the 'little' people" do about whats good for us.....

......turning off my sarcasm font now.......

This type of rhetoric makes me sick to my stomach and I thank God that the free-thinking American people are wide awake and paying attention to what our so-called leaders are doing. The DGA, Huff Post and your ilk can try to paint American citizens who love our country and believe in what our Founders created for us (that is a Constitutional Republic in case you're not aware and that means we are a country of laws) as a bunch of political "terrorists" or whatever other derogatory term you want....but our truth will outweigh your lies.......every time

[ZeraLee]

03:53 AM on 05/06/2010

Deep in November it's nice to remember
altho you know the snow is yellow.
Deep in November it's nice to remember
without the hate the GOP rings hollow.
Deep in November it's nice to remember
the fire of September that made us callow.
Deep in November our hearts should remember and follow.

The Sheeple Song

[ZeraLee]

03:43 AM on 05/06/2010

Interestingly, if you say it in broadcast or recorded media, it is libel, not slander.

[Sean 6399]

03:20 AM on 05/06/2010

Nothing offensive about it.

Progressives are running scared. Will you label the entire country racist in November when we reject your pathetic sycophantic statism in favor of limited government and individual liberty?

[ElBruce]

01:37 AM on 05/06/2010

"the video succeeded in its design: to spur conversation and garner attention in the broader media. "

They could just show a lynching and get the same effect. Just being offensive isn't the same thing as success, at least not when you're supposed to represent a responsible group of people.

[DoinMyHomework]

01:49 AM on 05/06/2010

who says they represent a responsible group of people? they got their buttts kicked in 08 so badly they started marketing themselves to the most wacko of the wacko to rebuild a base. the GOP. the party of the clinically paranoid.

[Rogan]

07:23 AM on 05/06/2010

so true...

[DoinMyHomework]

01:28 AM on 05/06/2010

the republicans are the true anti-americans. they are willing to sell US security, the US worker, and the US health care system down the river for any corporation that can make money off our people.

[ALfarmgirl]

12:52 AM on 05/06/2010

I think anyone who ties the RGA ad to Guy Fawkes gives the Republicans far too much credit. I doubt the average Republican even knows who he was. I imagine if you asked the half Governor of Alaska who he was that she would consider that a "gotcha" question.

[CTtransplant]

10:35 PM on 05/05/2010

I say that Dems create their own ad...

That's Republicans for ya! That's one more reason why the Party of 'NO' should be a no-no come NOvember.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7cry-4pyy8”

[imsosure]

10:01 PM on 05/05/2010

The GOP Bin Laden is full of terrorists.

[Stirner]

09:58 PM on 05/05/2010

Governments exist primarily to defend "their people" from enemies they have created. More "terrorism" means more need to "protect our people" and so more power to the politicians. What a racket -- similar to the church racket, which is a protection racket -- pay up, do what we say, and you will get (in time) a reward or a punishment. Sheep need Shepherds.

[Marnie1]

07:55 PM on 05/05/2010

All about violence and fear. That't the RepoTaliban.

[cincinnati]

06:36 PM on 05/05/2010

The Republicans are phony and completely DISHONEST when it comes to terrorism.

THEY IGNORED many warnings about 9-11 and LET it happen.
We all know that if Dem's had done that the nasty Fox channel and pals
would be calling for burning down the White House. They would scream
about it for 10-20 years.

It was pretty strange how an aide kept asking Cheney "does the order still stand ?"
Cheney got angry when asked about the third time, as witness's said in the rather
lame investigation that was finally conducted.

Was Cheney saying NOT to use
the multiple layers of defensive weapons around DC and the Pentagon, to LET
that jet [or missile...?] hit it, and therefore make 9-11 even more of a
" Pearl Harbor" that the Neo-Con's had said they needed ?!?!?!

The defensive systems were designed to hit even small fast fighters.
Shooting down a large and rather slow passenger jet would have been easy,
so why did they allow it ? The passenger's were going to die either way,
at least those on the ground could have been saved.

Demand a new investigation!

[DUSAA-1775]

07:23 AM on 05/06/2010

...' THEY IGNORED many warnings about 9-11 and LET it happen...'

Do the doctors know that you are on the computer again??

[cincinnati]

02:57 PM on 05/06/2010

Maybe you were asleep during the investigation. There were warnings such as the Aug. 7 WH report, that Bush and Cheney IGNORED ! Also odd that some people were warned not to fly in the period just before.

So if you are too lazy to know all about it that reflects on you.

[cbvani]

06:35 PM on 05/05/2010

I don't see it.

[teletom]

05:53 PM on 05/05/2010

Talk about manufactured outrage. if you are wondering what the 'v' in November reminds you of, it's used all the time in the word 'vote' :
http://thetrevorproject.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/vote.jpg
All this Guy Fawkes business is just crazy talk. The meaning is so obviously about the up coming election. Even if it was about Fawkes, the phrase 'remember remember, the 5th of November' is anti-Fawkes, so if it was a play on that phrase, then it's anti-violence.

[myvoice09]

05:43 PM on 05/05/2010

Their records are fair game! They are like cockroaches - they don't want their actions exposed! Too bad; so sad!