Ethicist: GOP mailer 'wrong'
2006-10-12
Source: Knoxville News Sentinel
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rss feedThe use of a "dark, distorted picture" of Harold Ford Jr. in a Republican fund-raising appeal had racial overtones even if it was not intentionally altered, a Baptist ethics leader said.
An editorial criticizing the mailer was posted Wednesday by Robert Parham, executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics in Nashville, on the center's Web site, www.ethicsdaily.com.
Parham said he discussed the issue with both Republican and Democratic party officials after seeing a News Sentinel story last week on the questioned photo and fund-raising letter.
Those discussions, he said, left some ambiguity about alterations.
Democratic officials, including state Chairman Bob Tuke, say the picture was obviously altered to darken Ford's complexion and the letter included racial "code words."
Tuke said Tuesday that with the mailing, Republicans are "appealing to the basest insticts among some of their constituencies" in soliciting funds.
Chris Devaney, executive director of the state Republican party, renewed his defense of the fund-raising appeal and said it was "irresponsible, baseless and reckless" for Democrats to try making an issue of it.
Ford himself, in response to a question about the fund-raising appeal, said he did not want to "dignify it with a response." But Ford said he expects Republicans "to get deeper and deeper into the gutter" because GOP U.S. Senate nominee Bob Corker is "a confused candidate."
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