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GOP finally raises Lewinsky scandal in adsClinton says he can be trusted and is trying to atoneWASHINGTON (AllPolitics, October 28) -- In the final week of the 1998 campaign, Republicans have shifted gears and begun pummeling the Democrats in TV ads about Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. The ads are part of a nearly $10 million ad buy for the final week of the mid-term election campaign, covering a total of 56 congressional districts, according to Todd Harris, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). None of the ads mention Lewinsky or the prospect of impeachment directly, but some do allude to the president's lying to the American public. 
"For seven months, he lied to us," one woman tells another in one of the ads, which began airing nationally Tuesday night. The ads represent a dramatic shift of strategy by the national party. With polls showing most Americans opposed to impeachment, Republicans had feared a voter backlash if they tried to make the 1998 midterm elections a referendum on Clinton's affair and its aftermath. But according to the New York Times, that first reported the story, officials at the National Republican Congressional Committee decided that surveying shows the scandal still weighs heavily on voters' minds and the ads might prod Republican-leaning voters to go to the polls Tuesday. Turnout is expected to be crucial to the outcome next week. "These ads spell out very clearly for the public what the differences are between Republicans and Democrats in terms of what direction we want to lead the country," NRCC spokeswoman Mary Crawford said. One of the national ads opens with a conversation between two women, one of whom says, "For seven months, he lied to us." The spot doesn't directly mention the Lewinsky issue, but the women talk about how difficult it is to discuss it with their children. The ad then moves to a discussion about what Republican lawmakers accomplished amid the scandal, including work on the budget, welfare and Social Security. "Republican are the balance we need," one of the women says. Another ad accuses Clinton of waffling about balancing the budget and ends with the now-famous videotape -- though without sound -- of a stern Clinton wagging his finger at cameras back in January, denying he had sexual relations with Lewinsky. In mid-August Clinton admitted he had misled the nation and his wife, but denied allegations of perjury and obstruction of justice. "America needs balance," the ad's narrator says. "Remember, it's your choice. For balance, vote Republican." Another blunter ad is running in three Democratic-held congressional districts in the South where Republicans believe they have a chance Tuesday. The districts are South Carolina's 5th, Georgia's 2nd and North Carolina's 2nd. The ad says, "This year, the question is: Should we reward Bill Clinton? Should we make the Democrats more powerful?" The TV spot accuses the Democrats of being for big government and against welfare reform, then asks, "Should we reward not telling the truth? That is the question of this election: Reward Bill Clinton. Or, vote Republican." Clinton was prepared with a quick response to the latest Republican ads asking whether he can be trusted. "I hope the American people have seen in me over these last few weeks a real commitment to doing what I told them I would do from the beginning -- trying to atone to them for what happened and to try to redouble my efforts to be a good president," Clinton said at a news conference with Colombia's President Andres Pastrana Wednesday afternoon. During that news conference Clinton was peppered with questions about those ads, including what parents should tell their children about his relationship with Lewinsky. "I think what people ought to say to their children is that when someone makes a mistake, they should admit it and try to rectify," Clinton said. Earlier Wednesday, Vice President Al Gore lashed out at the Republicans -- accusing them of being desperate. "Attacking the president and investigating the president has apparently become an obsession with the Republicans. That's what they want to do instead of talking about the issues," Gore said. Democrats are preparing their own ad in response. "It's clear that the Republican party has finally put their cards on the table. In the last few days of this election, they have admitted they do not have an agenda," DNC Chairman Roy Romer says. But what worries the Democrats a lot more than the latest batch of ads is this: the sheer amount of money the Republicans are pumping into various campaigns during these final days before the election. CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Brooks Jackson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.MORE STORIES:Wednesday, October 28, 1998
• Tycoon withdraws $1 million offer in Jones case • Salsa music spices up White House • Susan McDougal takes stand in embezzlement case • Judiciary Committee Democrat asks Starr to justify probe • Starr rejects Democratic request for data • Clinton seeks defamation case delay • Ex-Nixon panel chief says don't impeach Clinton • Washington welcomes Colombia leader
• Clinton: Democratic agenda best bet for voters on election day • Nice guy looks to finish first in Maine governor's race • Trouble in paradise for Democrats • GOP finally raises Lewinsky scandal in ads • Supporters rally for hospitalized L.A. sheriff • D'Amato endorsement sparks protests • Some GOP candidates ride coattails • Poll: Hispanics back Davis in California • Friend: Looper says he's innocent • Pollsters back off Bronco ban • Donors asked for last-minute money • Democrats must battle history • GOP continues to out-raise Democrats • Candidate accused of lewd behavior • Faircloth, Edwards in tight race • Colorado to vote on school choice • Illinois gubernatorial candidate trying to raise money |
