Good to see that the Democratic Party is supposed to be the party "of the people" /rolls eyes/. That flyer is disgusting and I honestly cannot believe that someone of his stature would be actively involved with something such as that. It does make a heck of a tool to be used against him when he runs for re-election though.

That's a pretty bad press release. What is Mr. Fitzhugh's response and explanation?

Just sent to Drudge. If he picks it up, add another nail in the Kerry Koffin.

I normally have a pretty thick skin to this sort of stuff, but this one is so far beyond bad taste that I find myself sorely offended by it.

To that end, I've included contact information for the National Special Olympics organization as well as the Tennessee local office in this post. Please make them aware of this so they can publicly repudiate this waste of oxygen.

As the parent of a special needs child, this sort of thuggish behavior is really too much.

Allen Glosson

-------------
Special Olympics Tennessee
1900 12th Avenue South, Suite B
Nashville, TN 37203

Tennessee Special Olympics Organization

+1 (615) 329-1375
+1 (615) 327-1465 (Fax)

National Special Olympics Feedback Form

Gee wonder what our good unionized teacher friends, especilly those that work in special ed, think about this?

Oh that's right I forgot those evil Republicans probably cut all the funding.

Dave Dahl is sounding off at TeamGOP.com

http://www.teamgop.org/press_archivesb.htm

What will anyone's response to the reply: "Yeah, those posteres are disgusting, but they didn't come out of my office."

The sticking point is that they are being handed out at a Kerry/Edwards HQ. Imagine the uproar if it was a Bush/Cheney HQ that was mocking people with disabilities. There was an uproar in the media when a Swift Boat flyer was found in a random Bush/Cheney office, this is much worse.

Laughing at those with disabilities is, generally, not acceptable these days -- in public at least.

David Frum served as one of George Bush's speech-writers. Frum is generally credited with coining the term Axis of Evil.

In an television interview, while shilling his book on his former boss, he corrected the interviewer about his correct title within the Bush administration. The interviewer had introduced him as a former "Assistant to the President for mumble mumble Policy". Frum explained that he was only a "Special Assistant to the President for mumble mumble Policy".

Frum then explained that when he arrived in Washington he soon learned that the difference in prestige between being an "Assistant to the President" and being a "Special Assistant to the President" was like the difference between competing in the Olympics and competing in the Special Olympics.

So, we can find insensitivity on both sides of the political spectrum.

It's on Drudge right now with a graphic of the flyer and a link to TeamGOP

Yeah, George. That's totally comparable.

Sigh.

Methinks you've been had, Hobbs.
Anybody bother to check the Fitzhugh family track record on supporting citizens with disabilities? Pam Fitzhugh serves on the board of a developmental center for petesake.
This candidate hardly fits the profile for producing this sort of campaign poster.
Sounds an awful lot like dirty southern politics to me, and you're sure playing your part in it, Hobbs. But hey, why consider credibility, or check the facts, when you can stir up a ruckas on the internet, right? ;-)

That poster RULES! It might not be the kindest thing to the mentally challenged, but it's so true.

I reported that the poster was distributed in Fitzhugh's campaign office. That's true. I didn't say Fitzhugh created the poster. I would be he did not. But his campaign office allowed it to be distributed for, my sources insist, two weeks.

I didn't think the democrats would stup to such a low down trick. Its true we have such persons but we do not take advantage of them as this has.

I've seen that joke before. It was on some person's website from my Pennsylvania university - I forget why it was used - it wasn't anti-Bush, though - it was some other similar punchline.

Though I find this flyer disgusting, I also find it disturbing that your site would degrade an entire party because of the actions of one individual. I especially find your description of the Democrats as callous, unfeeling people who are unable to admit and apologize for their mistakes to be extremely ignorant. I know that you will probably dismiss this response, merely because it differs with your viewpoint. But why is it OK to attack someone for their idealogical differences. As for the flyer, it was distributed by a man who needs to no longer represent our nation in the government. But HE is the person who sent it. NOT KERRY. Ask yourself, if this flyer had a picture of Kerry, instead of Bush, would you really be that upset about it?

If the poster had Kerry on it instead of Bush, I would still be offended. The bottom line is that this type of propaganda is unacceptable behavior/humor, from whomever it comes.
I have a 12 yr. old nephew who has Downs Syndrome, and for this flyer to refer to him as "retarded" absolutely infuriates me. I am just as proud of his accomplishments as I am of those made by my 10 other nieces and nephews, and my own 4 children. There is nothing "retarded" about him.

Photos like this one reproduced without consent of child and/or parent is considered a criminal offense- that's why even teachers cannot take photos of children in their class without guardian persmission. Sure hope the owner of this got the right slip signed. Other than that- check your concience; what a dirty stunt to pull- regardless of party

Leah,

Edwards already told us that if we live in the US and vote for Bush, we're out of our minds. So Edwards says we're crazy and some Tennessee democrats say we're retarded. But I'm not supposed to infer anything from that about their party?

I don't THINK so.

This is dispicable. How dare these people bring down the mentaly handicapped... by comparing them to George Bush. It just doesn't get any lower.

This is dispicable. How dare these people bring down the mentally handicapped... by comparing them to George Bush. It just doesn't get any lower.

What a disgusting, offensive, and completely immoral poster! It simply wreaks of Rove. Take a close look....I do believe his fingerprints are all over it. Ya gotta hand it to him (if you have the stomach for it).....he knows what works!

It scares me that some of the commenters here actually vote.

leah, sean
Edwards--"out of your mind if you vote for Bush" Kerry-- disclose Mary Cheney as a lesbian to try to discourage the christian right from voting for Bush Teresa-- " your an idiot if you don't agree with kerry's health plan" sharpton/jackson--Condi Rice and Colin Powell are "house niggers"

Now I wonder why conservatives say "it's a democrat party thing"

There seems to be some evidence that the flyer was planted:

http://www.prospect.org/weblog/archives/2004/10/index.html#004459

I followed the links from the previous comment. The "evidence" the flyer was planted appears to be that democrats claim it was planted!

Makes sense to me. Rove's far too smart to waste this great trick in a close US Senate race in S. Dakota, Oklahoma or Alaska. Better to save it for a state house race (a rematch of a 60-40 race in 2002)in a state that Bush will win by 4 to 7 points.

I don't think it's fair the way some bloggers have implied that Fitzhugh was PERSONALLY responsible for the flier, but he could have put this thing to bed days ago by showing a little class and giving a very limited apology. Instead he starts up with the conspiracy crap.

Buzz,

Fair enough "some claims" would have been better than "some evidence." Still, if the flyers really were pulled out of a garbage can it implies that someone had realized pretty quickly that they were offensive and shouldn't be used.

George
Whatever, how can you compare the two. You can't!
My daughter has Down Syndrome. When I came across this poster I cried. It is horrible and discusting.
And Leah, I support Prsident Bush but I would be JUST AS OUTRAGED IF IT WAS MR KERRY ON IT! It is just wrong anyway you look at it.

Leah,

The interesting aspect to this flyer issue coming from Craig Fitzhugh's campaign headquarters is that it doubles as the Democrat's headquarters for the Kerry-Edwards campaign. And, since Fitzhugh is only an incumbent Democrat running to try to retain his state representative seat in the 82 House District of Tennessee, logic would lean a lot more heavily toward the Tennessee Democratic Party, the Democratic National Convention and/or the Kerry-Edwards campaign. This is how the "entire party" comes into play. It is not just "the actions of one individual". But, although Fitzhugh has his own race to run for a 'state' level position, he should still take responsibility for what comes out of his headquarters in Ripley, TN.

It is especially interesting that Rep. Fitzhugh's defense is that it didn't come from his office, because he says otherwise. Do you really think that he would own up to it now that such a fuss has been raised over it? Really!? You might like to look back at some of the very similar things that Al Gore and Maureen Dowd have said in similar instances. They have a recurring theme of referring to the "extra-chromosome conservatives". By the way, this is not obscure ranting from me but preserved fact in the media in both cases. How are those for attacks based on "ideological differences"? You know, that does make Democrats sound somewhat "callous" and "unfeeling". By the way, did you know about Al Gore's and Maureen Dowd's comments along these lines? Or, might you have jumped to a premature conclusion calling other "ignorant"?

And, "if this flyer had a picture of Kerry, instead of Bush," I would still be upset. There is no justification for any party, Democrat, Republican or Independent to demean the mentally handicapped, period. But, the Democrats are the ones always taughting their position as the "party of the people", whilst trying to make the Republicans look like the uncaring and harsh bad guys.

Respectfully,
BGF

You have to love these form e-mail responses, like I got from Rep. Craig Fitzhugh on the flyer being distributed from the Fitzhugh/Kerry-Edwards campaign headquarters in Ripley, TN.......

"Thank you for your email. Rep. Fitzhugh has stated in several articles, "It is totally, unequivocally, completely a lie. I am completely disgusted by the accusation, by the distribution, by everything abou it."

That settles it! Craig Fitzhugh said he is "completely disgusted" with the whole thing. Case closed! Boy, I'm glad that is over.

But, the least they could have done was type a standard response with all of the characters in it and just copy and paste it from e-mail to e-mail, because you know I couldn't have been the only one that they got from a Tennessean. Then again, maybe this gave it that 'personal touch'. ;-)

BGF

OMG. You people make such a big deal out of something like this? It was wrong to compare the handicap to Bush I mean he is in a league of his own. Face it you rights are hypocrites. You people fight for pro-life and fight for the death penalty... You rights are angry because you are a minority face it AMERICA AND THE WORLD ARE LIBERAL!!!!!!! Abortion is something between a woman ,God ,and her doctor. If your mad at this poster then you should be mad about that one guy who said Iraq has WMDs. This poster might hurt feelings ,but one man's greed has killed 1,000s.

James - Thanks for the timely reminder in your last sentence about the menace Saddam Hussein was.

Oh, and your handlers are looking for you. They are concerned you are off your meds again.

James,

I don't think I can concur on the liberalism aspect of America, as you believe, at least not yet. But, I could probably buy into most of the world being that way, at least if you narrow your view of "the world" to France, Germany, Canada, et al, as your obvious hero, John "Flip-Flop" Kerry. By the way, just for the record, if you are going to refer to us as "rights", you should do it with a capital "R", as you are using it as a proper noun. And, they call us conservative types uneducated and ignorant. *sigh*

BGF

Face it you rights are hypocrites. You people fight for pro-life and fight for the death penalty

Abortion isn't really a hot button issue for me, but doesn't it make more sense to protect innocent, unborn children and kill convicted murderers than it does to kill innocent, unborn children and protect convicted murderers?

But what does this have to do with the topic at hand? And why did I respond?

Bill, I've recently moved to TN and I vow to help out against the Dems :-)

It always is best to get the facts before you accuse someone of such a tragic deed.I have personally known Craig Fitzhugh for over 30 years.I also had the opportunity to coach with him for 10 years in girls softball as our children grew up.Anyone who really knows Craig would know he is incapable of such garbage.He is responsive and active in the needs of not only children but adults also.I personally remember an occasion during his first year as a state representative when I took a group of girls to the state tournament outside of Nashville.Craig did not have a child playing on this team, but he took off work and he and his wife, Pam, drove all the way to help me coach.He then pulled money out of his pocket for me to feed the girls after the game that night.I could go on and on about Craig's love for youth whether physically handicapped or healthy.I am neither a democrat or a republican.I vote for whomever I think will make the best elected official.I will be voting for Craig and I will also be voting for President Bush.We try to teach our children to be open minded and find out all the facts before they make a decision.It was a sad day for Ripley and a sad day for whomever is responsible for the production and distribution of the flyers.We are all praying that the person responsible will be brought to justice.I think everyone should consider how they might feel and react if the same had happened to them.I do know that Craig Fitzhugh is a good person and I am certainly glad that I had the opportunity to work along with him in my lifetime.
Martha Jackson Drumwright-Ripley,TN

"But his campaign office allowed it to be distributed for, my sources insist, two weeks"

What would be really interesting would be if you could share some details of that. Currently, this seems to be mainly another case of "he did this" - "no I didn't", which isn't all that solid as information goes.