Hodes Exposed

Hodes Exposed

The public persona of Paul Hodes is what we see on television, in the press and of course, in his franking activities. What independent voters and Republicans do not always see are the messages going to Democratic party loyalists. In reality, Hodes plays into the MoveOn.org mentality of conspiracy and innuendo.

How do I know this? Because I was given access to one of those emails that are sent directly to the party loyal.  Now all candidate raise money from their constituents and I have received letters.  Most that I have received do not play as blatantly to innuendo and emotion as this on from Hodes.  You won't hear any of these statements on the campaign trail.

We all have struggle to understand facts from fiction in today's internet age. Fringe groups on both sides, disseminate information that is often not accurate as do politicians. There is nothing more distasteful than a politician demonizing one side while reaping the benefits of like groups on the other side, as they remain silent about the propaganda of those groups. We need to consider the source and determine if any fringe group, bloggers or message board's information is correct or not.

One of the challenges that I struggle with writing on this blog is determining whether facts and figures I research are accurate; often triple checking numbers that someone, ultimately attempt to disprove with opinion in the form of news from unreliable internet sites. If I have an opinion, I try to find back up to reinforce my position. In the end, informed citizens will spend the time to determine the truth. Politicians on both sides of the debate bristle when groups get it right and instantly brand them as "attack groups". I will say that in this election cycle the Left has the corner on disinformation. So what about groups on the Right?

Following is the body of that Hodes e-mail to Democrats and my response and comments and some quick research done on those "right wing attack groups" referred to in this correspondence :

Subject: Karl Rove is at it again

This is an email sent to me by a Democrat from Paul Hodes to the party loyal on Monday, June 20, 2008 at 5:18 PM

"Dear Friends:

Karl Rove and his friends aren't wasting any time. Right wing attack groups, including Freedom's Watch, Americans for Job Security, and the Center for Union Facts are flooding the airwaves and our phone lines with negative and misleading information about my record and our shared values. I need your help to make sure I have the resources to fight back.

The people of New Hampshire sent me to Congress in 2006, and I became part of an historic majority in Congress. It took a lot of hard work to get us where we are, and if we don’t work every day to keep what we have gained, we will inevitably slide backward. That’s why we can't take these attacks lying down. We can't allow these right wing smear groups to "swift boat" us and misrepresent my record or our beliefs.

We need to show the world that we are a country that elects leaders who appeal to our greatest aspirations instead of trying to manipulate our fears.

I appreciate your continued support.

Together, we can create the change we want and that our country needs.

Yours,

Paul

PS. Today is an important filing deadline. Please send a strong message about New Hampshire's commitment to change by making a contribution today.

There are some statements you probably won't hear or read on the campaign trail....unbelievable.

So I took a look at Freedom's Watch and they are exposing the facts on both Hodes and Shea-Porter's voting records, especially concerning energy.

I had never heard of American's for Job Security but after an exhaustive search for their website I finally landed there to find that they are no different and not as extreme as most progressive websites. The website talks about free market economics, taxes, transportation and infrastructure. There is an audio clip on Jeanne Shaheen but I saw nothing about Paul Hodes.

The Center for Union Facts is self explanatory; it reveals donations by unions to candidates. If I read it right, they report around $117,000 in union PAC money received by Hodes. The funny thing is that all three of these organizations that Hodes mentions in his mailings are much less vitriolic than more tasteless organizations like MoveOn.org or DailyKOS.

On none of the sites did I find a link or reference to Karl Rove, beyond references on Open Left and Mother Jones, both extreme Left leaning sites.

I would think in light of yesterday's stock market downturn that Hodes would be focusing on finding common ground and consensus. Instead, he focuses on things that won't drop the price of gasoline by even a penny, does nothing to ease the economic strain on the average American and continues to divide through innuendo versus reach out to find consensus.

So, Paul, let’s look at a few of the statements contained in this email:

Hodes wrote: “Right wing attack groups like……”.

You mean the equivalent to MoveOn.org, Thinkprogress.org , common dreams or Daily KOS on the progressive side of the attack? None of the "right wing sites" that I researched have run ads equivalent to the General Betrayus and others similar to those on Move On.

Hodes wrote: “It took a lot of hard work to get us where we are”.

Are you referring to the point of failure that the Pelosi led House reached with $4.00 per gallon gasoline and a refusal to allow us to become energy self sufficient? Are you referring to the attempt by the Pelosi House to increase taxes and focus on the negative rather than work on the economy? Are you referring to your vested interest vote in favor of trial lawyers to sue phone companies and undermining our safety and security at home?

Hodes wrote: “We can't allow these right wing smear groups to "swift boat" us and misrepresent my record or our beliefs.”

Nice sentiment, Paul, as your own party (Wesley Clark, a prima donna military man compared to McCain) tries to “swift boat” John McCain. The day to day attacks by Left wing bloggers talking about McCain's age and military service illustrate the hypocrisy of your party. More troubling is that the demeanor of your letter is similar to these far Left groups with the same conspiracy theories and innuendo! Shouldn't you, instead be focusing on the economy, energy and the welfare of your constituents?

Hodes wrote: “We need to show the world that we are a country that elects leaders who appeal to our greatest aspirations instead of trying to manipulate our fears.”

Are you referring to "fear" as in the text of your email to the party loyal?

Are you referring to the kind of fear that you and your party has capitalized on with an economy that had 7 years of positive growth and is now going through a downturn due to the failure of your party to allow oil exploration, holding hearings that point blame at the so called "evil" oil companies? You know, the hearings where certain members of your party want to nationalize the oil companies.

Are you referring to the fear that your party has created that we can not win in Iraq and that we should cut and run?

Are you referring to the fear that Democrats have created around global warming? Are you referring to the fear that your party has created around the immigration debate? The supposed lack of oil supply that can be developed?

Well, Paul, I am fearful that leaders like yourself will weaken our defense in a dangerous world.

I am fearful that you will bankrupt this country with socialized medicine and cradle to grave entitlements.

I am fearful that the lawyers in Washington, a club in which you are a charter member, will not allow tort reform, supporting frivolous lawsuits that line the wallets of attorneys but does little beyond cause havoc in the business world.

I am fearful that you will take away the right to free speech and in your letter it is apparent that you do little to champion that free speech; instead demonizing it. Unless of course it is speech that agrees with you. But remember, that the same kind of groups that reveal your record exist on the Left in a form far more poisonous and parrot many of the same political views as yourself.

On a side note, Paul, New Hampshire sent you to Washington, not to be part of history or to institute hard Left partisan change; they sent you there to represent ALL New Hampshire citizens. Too often too many in your party have complained about the fact that you felt Republicans have not represented ALL of the citizens.

Now it is your turn and if your first term is any indication, you have taken a road, one lane south of those whom you criticized. You have proven that hypocrisy is the cornerstone of your governance.

You promised to “take your backbone” to Washington and instead voted 98% with the Pelosi failed leadership. You have spent $235,000 franking the citizens of New Hampshire; money taken from their wallets to make you appear as if you care and have done a great job representing them.

Those two things alone speak to your character as you shamelessly offend about half of the citizens which you represent. Your victory margin, as Democrats pointed out about the 2000 and 2004 presidential election, was not a 'mandate' enough to govern from the far Left; your ideas in your fund raising letter suggests that you are either pandering or really believe in that brand of politics.

If you are elected again, I hope that you will find a conscience, ethics and dignity, representing New Hampshire from a more moderate position. Hopefully, New Hampshire residents will wake up and realize that we need to govern from the middle, not the far Left.

Let the letter that you sent to Democrats speak for itself and illustrate that you apparently have no interest in consensus but do have an agenda that represents your personal political view. It appears to be a ploy to do 'anything to win'. With that kind of partisanship...ALL of the residents of New Hampshire lose!