A good deal of attention has been paid to the recent Republican National Committee ad targeting Harold Ford featuring a scantily clad white woman saying she met Ford at a “Playboy party” and urging him to give her a call.
The ad has been blasted by the NAACP, which said this sort of “racially charged political propaganda can be compared to the treatment of African American elected officials in D.W. Griffin’s 1915 film ‘Birth of a Nation.” The ad has likewise been denounced both by the Ford campaign and by his opponent, Bob Corker.
Getting less attention than the “Playboy” comment was another line in the ad that says: “Canada can take care of North Korea. They’re not busy.”
Canada, apparently, failed to see the humor
The Canadian government has lodged a complaint with the Bush administration over a Republican election ad that belittles Canada as a global freeloader.
Canada’s ambassador to Washington registered his displeasure over a Senate election ad from Tennessee that implied Canada doesn’t pull its weight in international matters.
Michael Wilson expressed Canada’s concerns in a phone call Wednesday to a White House official, said a Canadian government source.
…
Although the Conservative government enjoys a warm relationship with the Bush administration, a Canadian official wasn’t shy about condemning the ad.
“We would like to remind the Republicans that Canada is playing an important role in rebuilding Afghanistan,” the official said “(Wilson) reiterated that only with positive exchange can we rebuild a strong relationship.
“Insulting one another does nothing to improve it.”
…
“It’s unfortunate, it’s over the top,” said Scotty Greenwood, executive director of the Canadian American Business Council.
“I would turn their attention to Afghanistan if they don’t think Canada’s busy.”
In Washington, Canada has aggressively promoted its contribution in Afghanistan, where 43 Canadians have been killed since 2002 and more than 2,200 troops are stationed.
So in addition to offending Democrats and Republicans, the RNC also managed to anger the entire nation of Canada with this ad.
Nice going.
