Wow, the feedback from Nancy Johnson latest ad has been horrible...and I mean HORRIBLE.

Johnson's ad, in which she uses an actor to impersonate Murphy, completely distorts and lies about his voting record is getting killed in the media and blogs. To make matters worse, the Johnson campaign has already admitted that their claims in the ad are misleading.

Here's what bloggers are saying about the ad.

The Corner Report:

Cornwall residents responded to a posting on the town's Web bulletin board seeking comments on Johnson’s new ad. All of the residents disapporved of the ad, and only one said Murphy's ads were equally bad.

Cornwall was one of the first towns in the Northwest Corner to endorse Murphy's bid to oust the 12-term congresswoman from the 5th Congressional District seat.

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John Miller of Cornwall Bridge was clearly put off by the Murphy impersonator ad.

"Granny Nancy (Johnson) without question runs the dirtiest, most loathsome ads I've ever (EVER) seen on television. I sometimes wonder how all those people in Kent that have Nancy Johnson lawn signs would feel if they saw those ads," Miller said.

Like Miller, Jane Bean was unequivocal.

"Whenever I see political ads as heinous as the ones Nancy Johnson has been showing, and actually taking credit for, I automatically wonder what they are running from. I also, in most circumstances, would vote for the other candidate just to keep a person (Johnson) of that kind of immoral ilk from being in a political, powerful position in my Congress," Bean said.

Scoville Soule, a regular writer of letters to the editors of various newspapers, wasn't sure whether the ad was a spoof.

"I've just seen it once, but I thought it was some kind of a comic take-off. The lady smashing up a bouquet of flowers couldn't be serious?" Soule said.

"If it's not some sort of a put-on it shows a profound lack of class in Johnson circles and gives me another reason to vote for Murphy. Of course if Nancy's looking for a laugh here I might change my mind. I've never suspected her of a sense of humor before," Soule said.

Feedback from Connecticut Local Politics:

Shadow said...

This is an example of the kind of negative ad that can really hurt the candidate who puts it on the air.

First, of all, it's offensive in the same way as the Corker ad in TN about Harold Ford was (well, minus the racism), because it trots out all these negative images that conservatives have had enough of seeing on TV PERIOD; whether it's mockery or not, social conservatives certainly don't want Republican candidates putting the concerns of the drug constituency on TV, or showing some hooker that says "Call me" to the camera (as in the TN example).

Having the candidate approval the message at the end is also a huge liability with these counterproductive kinds of negative ads. In the case of Johnson's end of ad approval, she appears to look up from having just been watching the drug skit on a TV, forms a huge grin on her face, and says she approves the message; it looks like she's reveling in the dirty ad and gushingly proud of it, and that Nurse Ratchet style of empathy just doesn't look good to moderates. Also, believe it or not, Johnson's mockery of pot smokers may actually hurt her among moderates in CT more than help her, considering the high percentage of state residents that smoke marijuana one or more times per month, particularly in the suburbs.

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Anonymous said...

I couldn't believe this ad when I saw it on TV yesterday- it's utterly repulsive and dripping with desperation...I am embarassed for Nancy Johnson when her face shows up at the end saying how she approved this message. (Proudly I might add.)

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Anonymous said...

I cannot believe Nancy Johnson ran this ad - it's a true measure of her character, or lack thereof. How could she possibly believe that her smarmy "And I approve this message" at the end isn't going to turn off voters. She will definitely win the limbo contest this year because no one else could possibly go this low. It's unbelievable to me that having served in Congress for as long as she has that she has to resort to this type of ad. Apparently, she has no accomplishments to highlight - except the convoluted Medicare Plan she foisted on us. Time for Nancy to retire...

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Anonymous said...

Some people think fart jokes are funny too - but that doesn't mean they are appropriate for a political ad. This ad demonstrates to me that Nancy Johnson has absolutely no integrity.

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Anonymous said...

It's rather sad that a 71 year old woman can't articulate her position on issues, so instead approves ads that deliberatley falsify her opponents positions.

Maybe Chris Murphy is right, and being in Washington too long does change people.....

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Anonymous said...

This ad by Nancy Johnson is the sleaziest I have ever seen and the people of the 5th CD should vote her out of office.This must of been another David Boomer and Brian Schubert Production Two typical GOP Sleazebags and Im sure that punk a** State Rep from Watertown Sean Williams had a hand in this ad too Because he wants to succeed Nancy one day in Congress.

The Johnson Campaign makes the Lamont Campaign look like a bunch of choir boys.

This shows how desperate and sleazy Nancy Johnson is and can be I think a lot of people who know Chris Murphy know this is a GOP Propaganda Ministry Manuever and I am very turned off by Johnson and her GOP Sleazeoids.

Chris Murphy will win on November 7th and those jacka**es like Boomer, Schubert and Williams can take a hike. I think to use an imposter Chris Murphy in one of her ads is reason enough to send this desperate, frail old lady into retirement and back to New Britain.

It is time for a CHANGE!!!!!!!

My Left Nutmeg:

The smallness of this slur on Murphy's moral fiber is so low that it merits no mention other than as a representation on how scared Republicans are of their Democratic challengers this election cycle. No insult is too false, no attack too uncouth.

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Boomer and Johnson's brand of lying is of that special type that knows fully well what the truth is and isn't concerned by the disconnect. There are books that have been written about this. Johnson's ad reeks of fear and desperation and Boomer's loyalty to the fabrication that has become a planck of the Johnson campaign is truly startling. Caught in a lie and accepting it, Boomer continues to lie.

If Nancy Johnson wins reelection it will be on the back of her and her campaign managers dutiful willingness to lie, smear, and generally shit on the truth in their effort to scare voters away from Chris Murphy. Maybe they're comfortable with that, but I sure am not.

Johnson is even getting ripped to shreds inpolitical cartoons like this gem from the Hartford Courant:

While Nancy is getting whacked, Murphy is taking the high road in his new ad. His message is right to the point: Nancy Johnson isn't a bad person, she's just part of the problem.



Simple, honest, classy and effective, when you place this ad up against Johnson's idiotic piece, it's no contest.