Democrats wimping out again

The DCCC had an ad up showing flag-draped coffins to emphasize how the country was moving in the wrong direction. Republicans complained loudly that Democrats were inappropriately using the deaths of Americans for political purposes. The Democrats wimped and pulled the ad:

ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) - Democrats pulled an Internet ad that showed flag-draped coffins Friday after Republicans and at least two Democrats demanded it be taken down on grounds the image was insensitive and not fit for a political commercial.

The ad by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called for a "new direction" and displayed a staccato of images, including war scenes, pollution and breached levees as well as a photograph of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay doctored to look like a police mug shot.

The campaign committee replaced the ad with a radio commercial that targets Rep. John Hostetler, R-Ind., for opposing an increase in the minimum wage. Democrats have made a minimum wage increase a central theme of this year's election.

Democrats had featured the video ad for nearly two weeks on the DCCC Web site where it had gone largely unnoticed until Republicans began objecting to it this week. On Thursday, more than a dozen Republicans, many with military backgrounds, called on DCCC Chairman Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., to apologize. Democratic Reps. John Spratt of South Carolina and Chet Edwards of Texas asked Emanuel to pull or alter the ad.

Meanwhile, Republican Mike DeWine unleashed an ad using vivid images of smoke pouring from the Twin Towers to charge his opponent, Sherrod Brown, with being soft on terrorists:

WASHINGTON – Using vivid images of smoke pouring from one of the towers of the World Trade Center, Republican Sen. Mike DeWine unleashed a commercial yesterday that charges Democratic challenger Sherrod Brown with casting votes in Congress that could have weakened America’s response to terrorism.

And, you ask why Republicans continue to beat Democrats at the polls.

The Democrats should be running ads daily with Bush in front of his "Mission Accomplished" sign alternating with shots of American troops being blown to smitherines. A second ad should feature Bush when he said, "It would be a lot easier if this was a dictatorship -- just as long as I'm the dictator," interspersed with shots of Cheney claiming that Bush is above the law.

If the Dems had the guts to run ads like that, they would win. But, no. They wimp out at the first criticism by a Republican. It's like the little kids running from the school yard bully. No wonder people think they're weak.