Baldwin, Thompson spar with 9/11-themed ads
Allegations questioning patriotism come from both sides
MADISON, Wis. — Democratic Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin is fighting back against her Republican challenger Tommy Thompson with a new television ad in response to a Thompson spot related to the Sept. 11 attacks.
Baldwin released the ad Wednesday, less than 24 hours after Thompson’s spot that questions Baldwin’s patriotism for voting against a resolution in 2006 honoring victims of the terrorist attacks.
Baldwin voted for similar resolutions nine times, but didn’t in 2006 because the resolution contained endorsements of other Republican policies that Baldwin opposed.
Baldwin’s campaign spokesman John Kraus said she voted against the 2006 resolution because it included “divisive, political provisions right before the 2006 elections.”
Kraus called the ad a dishonest attack and said Thompson is trying to “use human tragedy for his own political gain.” He said the ad questions Baldwin’s patriotism and is “offensive and disgusting.”
The Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin defended Baldwin and called the ad dishonorable.
But speaking on behalf of the Thompson campaign, former New York Gov. George Pataki said there was nothing controversial about the 2006 resolution.
“It is a disgrace that five years after those horrible attacks, (Baldwin) could not find it in her heart to again commemorate and stand with those who died and stand with the families of those who were suffering and the responders who acted so courageously,” Pataki said.
Baldwin’s response ad begins with a narrator calling Thompson’s ad a disgrace. It then attacks Thompson for making $3 million from Logistics Health, a company he led that was criticized for how it handled reimbursements to 9/11 responders under a government contract it won.
The ad says Thompson failed and didn’t provide care the 9/11 responders were promised, and Thompson profited from it.
“Quite simply, (the ad) is a disgrace. Gov. Thompson, Secretary Thompson, stood with us day in — every day — weeks, months after those attacks,” Pataki said.
