While I have made no secret of my preference for Ned Lamont, I have tried to give Dan Malloy equal coverage on this blog. I have reported on Malloy’s numerous endorsements, and on his well-thought out policy proposals. And, I would strongly prefer either of them over Tom Foley.
I have criticized both campaigns for going negative in a way that will hurt the election of a Democrat in the general election. But there is a difference in tone between the Lamont campaign’s negativity: “career politician,” “misleading job claims,” accusations, which are, in fact, true, and the barrage of negative attacks on Ned Lamont by the Malloy campaign, which are, in fact, false.
Moreover, the Lamont campaign has limited any of its minor league negativity to press releases, while the Malloy campaign’s negative attacks are featured in a new ad. Dan Malloy launched the ad after stating just last week that he has no intention of running a negative campaign.
Here are the falsehoods contained in the ad:
Claim: “This year’s race for governor is a critical choice but my opponent refuses to debate.”
Fact: Ned and Dan have appeared together at more than 30 debates and forums, including two statewide televised debates, and they will be appearing together next week in Windham.
Claim: “So here are the facts: I have a proven record of creating jobs, lowering crime, cleaning up government.”
Facts:
1.Stamford lost thousands of jobs during Malloy’s tenure as Mayor and the unemployment rate went up.
2. As reported yesterday by the Hartford Courant, three of Malloy’s city employees were charged with stealing nearly $400,000 from the city of Stamford. Malloy named two of the employees “Employee of the Month.”
Claim: My opponent doesn’t have that experience, in fact he reduced his employees by more than 70% while paying himself a huge salary. Don’t you think CEO’s behaving that way is what messed up our economy in the first place? I’m Dan Malloy and I approve this message.
Fact: The decline in Lamont Digital’s work force resulted mostly from the company’s decision to sell off some pieces of the company in the early 2000′s. Lamont personally worked to ensure that every employee affected was taken care of. Many employees kept their jobs, joining the new owners of the cable system they worked for, some took compensation packages, and others started their own businesses with Lamont’s help.
Joe Lieberman made exactly the same false claim in 2006, and the Hartford Courant debunked his attack, saying Lieberman played “loose with the facts in a commercial attacking Lamont’s business ethics.”
That’s it for me – I will no longer try to be even-handed in my coverage on this blog – Dan Malloy has crossed the line.
Oh come one Jonathon. Ned HAS refused to debate… he can’t offer one good reason for not appearing and hasn’t gotten a doctor’s note. So the charge is not false at all. You’ve just drunk the Lamont Kool Aid and are buying into the more pleasant spin that “he’s already debated, so how could you possibly say he’s refused?” The plain fact of the matter is that he prefers the “forums” because it allows him to kind of hide behind the Republicans. He’s appearing at one tonight or tomorrow I believe… so why not go mano a mano with Dan on statewide TV?
And for you to say that Malloy “named” two of the Stamford perps “employees of the month” is a falsehood itself, or at least a distortion of the truth. When someone in the Department of Environmental Protection is named “employee of the month,” do you think it’s because they survived a brutally competitive selection process that was personally overseen by Jodi Rell herself? Let’s see… fourteen years as mayor times twelve employees of the month per year equals roughly 168 employees of the month. All hand selected by Dan according to you and Ned Lamont? Give me a break.
And just so we can be clear, yes, unemployment numbers are tough to gauge, especially when you’re town’s economy is so reliant on a financial sector facing a ruinous recession the likes we’ve never seen… a recession completely out of your hands. But here’s a shocking newsflash: BEING GOVERNOR IS MORE THAN BEING JOB CREATOR IN CHIEF (see Cheshire murders for an example of other things a governor needs to worry about).
So tell me Jon, how much experience does Ned have with prosecuting crimes? How knowledgeable is he about our criminal justice system? What, besides running a cable company, makes him qualified to run for governor?
Comment by Fuzzy Dunlop — July 27th, 2010 @ 8:24 am
Actually, the Governor has almost nothing to do with criminal justice in Connecticut – and can’t even issue pardons as most other Governors can. And while I can quibble with you on your debate and city employee points, the real issue to me is knowingly distorting Ned’s employment figures.
Also see my post here on further transgressions by the Malloy campaign, but as to drinking the Lamont Kool Aid, see my comment here, where I wash my hands of both campaigns.
Comment by Jonathan Kantrowitz — July 27th, 2010 @ 8:42 am
The Democratic Party has a big tent, but the penchant to look like a circus to outsiders. For this reason, Jonathan Pelto, who was the Democratic Party pollster in days of Camelot, during the last Democratic administration of Governor Bill O’Neil, recently warned candidates to avoid publicly smearing each other with negative ads as family feud primary comes down to the wire. The fear is very real as Independents watch from the sideline absorbing the mudslinging in the deciding the next election, so the Democratic candidate might win the battle, but emerged maimed and lost the war. This might not be so tragic, except both Malloy and Lamont are bright and capable candidates in a time when the public needs a hero to lead us out of this stifling disparity and depression.
Comment by Lee Samowitz — July 30th, 2010 @ 2:24 pm
>>> The Governor has almost nothing to do with criminal justice in Connecticut
You’re kidding, right? Let’s review a few things a governor does that have to do with criminal justice: (1) Appoint superior court and appellate court judges as well as Supreme Court justices, who all play a critical role in developing laws relating to constitutional law and criminal procedure as well as administering our justice system (2) sign into law or veto public acts that become part of our penal code, (3) appoint commissioners of things like, oh, say the Department of Public Safety, AKA the State Police.
That list is not exhaustive. Basically, saying that the Governor has nothing to do with criminal justice is like saying the President of the United States has nothing to do with prosecuting wars because he appoints a Secretary of Defense to handle all of that, or has nothing to do with criminal justice because he appoints an Attorney General.
If you honestly think the governor has “almost nothing to do” with criminal justice in Connecticut, then your readers should question how much you really know about the office, and how credible you are when evaluating candidates.
Comment by Fuzzy Dunlop — August 4th, 2010 @ 12:07 pm
You’re right – I meant he’s not directly involved in the administration of criminal justice- but your points are well-taken.
Comment by Jonathan Kantrowitz — August 4th, 2010 @ 12:11 pm
Jonathan,
You mentioned Malloy’s attack ad, but what about Lamont’s attack ad concerning Malloy’s home renovation. The ad was proven COMPLETELY false. Malloy was not convicted on any charges and it was said that there wasn’t even close to enough evidence.
What about this ad? Just as negative. And completely false. Yet Lamont still plays it.
Also, I’ve heard the same claim about Lamont’s job reduction being a factor of selling part of the company from both you and Lamont. You both say that the employees were taken care of. Lamont even goes so far to say, ‘You can ask any of them…”
Well if that’s the case, then why haven’t we heard anything from these people. Lamont’s word just isn’t going to cut it. We need fact. We need testimony.
Now I think both candidates should stop using the negative ads, but your one-sided criticism of Malloy is biased, uncalled-for, and unreliable. I’m disappointed…
Personally, I support Malloy because in all honesty, they both have great ideas. Either of them could help the state. The difference is…Malloy has DONE it already. He knows what it takes. Now Ned’s ideas would make him a great Junior Senator for CT…but when you look for a Governor, you need someone who can lead the state… who can take command…who KNOWS how to deal with bureaucracy, interest groups, and citizens…not someone who’s naive enough to say that government is like a business…that’s RIDICULOUS. Businesses are in it for the profit. They focus on payment and making a living for their employees.A government has an absolute responsibility to the people – ALL of the people, including the average man – someone who Lamont isn’t quite familiar with. He’s a wealthy POLITICIAN trying to maneuver and campaign his way into power, without getting on his hands and knees and doing the work to work his way through the ranks. He’s a rich Greenwich CEO, who inherited a fortune and went to prep schools.
Malloy has the experience. He was mayor of Stamford for 14 years. He reduced crime by 63%, which, as Fuzzy said, IS important. And though the job market fluctuated, and unemployment rose with the recession, he still brought 5,000 NEW JOBS to Stamford that had never been there before. He created the first city-wide pre-school program. He is a man of the people, growing up in Stamford to a middle income family with 7 children, he became fascinated by our government at an early age and overcame severe learning disabilities to come back and serve the people.
Finally, Ned’s campaign is ridiculous. He uses political correctness as his sole weapon, accusing Malloy of being a “career politician,” another word for experience, something he doesn’t have.
Lamont is also spending MILLIONS of dollars of Wall Street earned money on his campaign, while Malloy has created a humble, inspiring campaign from the ground up, getting small donations from the PEOPLE OF CONNECTICUT, and beng the first candidate in state history to qualify for the clean elections program. He’s running a different kind of campaign. He’ll be a different kind of Governor.
And a recently released Quinnipiac poll shows that Lamont’s millions aren’t helping him, as Malloy is gaining ground rapidly and is now the more likely candidate to defeat Tom Foley in the general election.
I STAND WITH DAN.
Comment by Mike H. — August 5th, 2010 @ 5:00 pm
You’re right, Lamont’s ads have crossed the line as well – I have washed my hands of this ugly race and have not written one word about it since this post. I still support Ned, but cannot condone how he has campaigned.
Comment by Jonathan Kantrowitz — August 5th, 2010 @ 5:08 pm
Maybe one will be the first to break the cycle and state what their positions are.
Comment by Sue — August 6th, 2010 @ 7:29 am
I don’t think Dan could manage a hot dog cart, much less a state government. By the way, how big is HIS house? I’ve asked this before, but still haven’t got an answer.
Comment by M. J. Madel — October 31st, 2010 @ 7:10 pm