Bill Halter Comes Out Swinging: Slams "BailoutBlanche"

Bill Halter has responded to Lincoln's aggressively negative campaign with BailoutBlanche.com. The site prominently featured a video of Lincoln casting her vote for the Wall Street bailout; bookended by a chronicling of her constant support for Wall Street and a list of bankster contributions to her campaign:

Upon releasing the Web site and video, the Halter campaign had this to say:

"WWW.BAILOUTBLANCHE.COM LAUNCHES:
NEW WEBSITE HIGHLIGHTS GREATEST HITS FROM WALL STREET'S FAVORITE POLITICIAN"

North Little Rock -- Sen. Blanche Lincoln has been in Washington for 20 years as a politician, which is a long time away from Arkansas. A new website, www.bailoutblanche.com, details how her votes have hurt Arkansans and how much money she has taken from Wall Street interests. The Web site includes audio and video of Sen. Lincoln siding with Washington over working families.

Among Blanche's greatest hits when it comes to helping Wall Street rather than Arkansans:

• In 1993, Blanche Lincoln voted to pass NAFTA -- a free trade agreement that put more than 10,000 Arkansans out of work. (House vote No. 575, 7/28/93)
• Seven years later, Senator Lincoln voted for looser trade restriction with China; the result was another 21,000 lost jobs in Arkansas. (Senate vote No. 251, 9/19/00)
• In all, between 1994 and 2002, one economic watchdog counted more than 200,000 lost jobs in Arkansas as a direct result of the free trade agreements Blanche Lincoln supported.
• In 2004, Senator Lincoln voted in favor tax breaks for companies that shipped American jobs oversees and against tax breaks for companies that kept jobs in America. (Senate vote No. 90, 5/11/04)

The site also details her contributions from Wall Street:

• Senator Lincoln accepted thousands of dollars from Lehman Brothers -- a Wall Street investment bank that defaulted on debt worth 600 billion. Yet they still 4000 to contribute to Blanche.
• AIG, the disgraced insurance company that took 85 billion in bailout money, also gave 2000 to Sen. Lincoln.
• Bank of America received a 45 billion bailout; and has given Blanche Lincoln 16,500 for her campaign.
• JP Morgan Chase took 25 billion in TARP money; and they gave Blanche Lincoln 20,000 in contributions.
• Goldman Sachs got 10 billion in taxpayer dollars; while giving nearly 15,000 to their friend Blanche Lincoln.
• Morgan Stanley walked off with 10 billion in taxpayer-funded bailouts; and provided 16,000 for Senator Lincoln.

"Senator Lincoln has been in Washington a long time, and her votes reflect that her values have changed," said Halter campaign manager Carol Butler. "Bill Halter will bring Arkansas values back to Washington. Arkansans need someone who will be on their side, not Wall Street's side."