Mar 5, 2004
September 11 Families, Firefighters
Rebuke Bush for 9/11 Images in Political Ads
The families of those who died in the September 11 attacks blasted
President Bush for including images of the tragedy in campaign ads. The
political spots include pictures of a flag-draped coffin and firefighters
at Ground Zero.
Monica Gabrielle, whose husband died in the attacks on the World Trade
Center, said of the ads, "It's a slap in the face of the murders of
3,000 people. It is unconscionable."
The Bush/Cheney campaign responded by sending out surrogates to defend
the use of the 9/11 images in a political ad. Karen Hughes, Bush's
longtime adviser, said the ads were "tasteful" and said there
was no debate about whether to use the images in the campaign.
Hughes also accused the families of September 11 victims of playing
partisan politics, saying, "I can understand why some Democrats might
not want the American people to remember the great leadership and strength
the president and first lady Laura Bush brought to our country in the
aftermath of that."
But Republican Wright Salisbury, whose son-in-law died in the attacks,
disagrees. "I was a Republican up until I voted for Bush," said
Salisbury. "I will still vote for a good Republican, but not for
Bush. To say this is Democrats doing this is another damn lie."
Firefighters also blasted President Bush for his ad. The International
Association of Firefighters passed a resolution calling on President Bush
to pull the ads and apologize to the families of firefighters killed on
September 11. [Salon.com, 3/5/04; Newsday, 3/4/04; IAFF Resolution,
3/4/04]
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