Like all of us in the fifth, I received a mailer from Susan Bitter-Smith today, alternating with the ones I am receiving from David Schweikert. I understand the race is at a minimum contentious, and at a maximum an outright battle, but this mailer goes over the edge like Thelma and Louise. In fact, it is about as over-the-top as Sproul’s piece on Russell Pierce. It looks like Bitter-Smith is betting it all on red, because red is what people are going to be seeing when they open their mailboxes tonight.
As an example, let me recount my internal stream of consciousness as I opened the mailbox tonight:
“hmmm…..water bill….valpak…..credit card bill… What the?”
“What the h*ll is…this?”
“Oh my God….”
“She didn’t. Oh boy. It’s gettin’ nasty.”
“Has she lost her mind????”
It is one thing entirely to incite derision, mockery and goading of office seekers and public figures. It is practically an enshrined habit of political americana to do so. But the tone of the front of the mailer lurks with an implied threat that Schweikert wants to harm you with that Beretta .40 right when you open your mailbox. That is just too much to stomach. If these two want to argue over whose record is the most conservative and who is a tax raiser and a tax cutter, that is fine. But the tone of this mailpiece from Susan Bitter-Smith is what turns everyone off. It only lends credibility to Schweikert’s claims that she is the one running negative. Frankly, it could have been a prize notification from Publisher’s Clearinghouse and I still couldn’t ever get past the taste it put in my mouth.
Rhetorically, how many people does she think aren’t going to find this mailer outrageous? Moreover, how many law abiding gun owners are going to cringe and see it as yet another example of the demonization of their cherished hobby? How many victims of a crime aren’t going to recoil when they see that? The idea of arguing about what she claims is a tax increase and he claims is a tax cut, is fair game. But the subtle intimidation of voters by the initial shock out of the mailbox is what is going to send them the other way – likely to one of the other lesser known candidates, but the other way nonetheless. This one has the creepy-meter pegged.
I know the primary grows close, but seriously, is Bitter-Smith coming unraveled?
Is your premise that she had her mind??
I’m still trying to figure out the connection between guns and gasoline prices. Guns don’t scare me and gas prices make me angry.
I don’t think either picture in this post is as scary as the picture you ran of her earlier
Harry must be sitting back and laughing his head off…
David can’t beat Harry. He is a younger, goofier Harry Mitchell. They both love to raise taxes, rally at anit-NAFTA rallies and enjoy lots of union endorsements. Susan is a RINO that can’t fool the electorate. Will the real conservative please stand up?
Wow. What a thought provoking, interesting post. Thank you, Bill. Good piece of analysis.
I’m voting Ogsbury, because he seems sane, both relatively and absolutely.
Is Bitter-Smith another “country-clubber”?
They seem to have gone nuts this year.
honesty, DSW. I don’t know jack sh@t about his voting record, but after that mailer, I have to ask the question why did he vote to raise our gas prices?
i realize that most likely, its hyperbole, but we do need an answer and his lack of an answer is a guilty plea in my book.
Sandy,
In typical Gutter Smith fashion she only tells part of the story. The bill the queen of mean mentions was a tax cut, she didn’t include the tax reduction portion of the bill in her gun mailer, but then again that would have taken away from the argument. Bitter Smith is not only a tax hiking liar but this mailer is about as offensive as you can get.
I wonder what NRA thinks about her using their symbol?
Since “Sandy” directed a comment at me, I’ll respond. On July 29th, the Schweikert Campaign responded to a post by “Publius” alleging that David Schweikert voted for a tax increase on diesel fuel. Sonoran Alliance posted the response.
In that response the campaign stated, “Publius “relies” on a Gazette article from 1993 claiming that the passage of HB 2239 would have resulted in an .08 tax increase on motor carriers by amending then existing A.R.S. 28-104. What this bill did was to REPEAL the existing road-use tax that was then driving industry out of Arizona and compelling other OTR operations to avoid Arizona entirely – thus resulting in a loss of revenue. HB 2239 did what it was designed to do and provided tax equity and revenue generation through a wholesale repeal of a tax.”
Anyone interested in what really happened can return to the original post and read for themselves.
And yes, SA did endorse David Schweikert for Congress and did approve this comment.
DSW- why are you and SA endorsing a RINO that was 2x endorsed by the AFL_CIO and attended an anti- NAFTA rally. He sd at the rally that he was the “token” Republican there.
Just because he has more money (most from uniformed out of staters) doesn’t mean he can win.
Atleast, you have beaten up the only shot the GOP has this year to beat Dirty Harry.
BTW, David Schweikert and his cronies have allready all their money and it hasnt given him a significant advantage at all. Way back in 2007 when DS got the endorsemsnt from the CFG, I said that all the exposure he would get would end up hurting him. I guaruntee you that I am right.
After reading all the bull malarky from both candidates, we’re voting for Laura Knaperek who has done a great job the 10 years she was in the Legislature. Bitter Smith has screwed over the lower income residents of Scottsdale by forcing them out of their apartments only to have hundreds of the units sit vacant. Thanks Susan for nothing. Go find somewhere else to live… try Chicago where they deal in your type of politics.
What could be scarier than this? How about being disarmed and defenseless against it? There is nothing in that picture related to taxes or spending. It looks like an ad from Sarah Brady.
You are not alone, Pioneer.
Laura may not have raised, or borrowed, the most money but she does have quality character and credibility.
Some things even money can’t buy!
After Schweikert’s three hit pieces, I’m glad to see Smith throw a punch back. It’s sad to see Schweikert and his crowd squeal like a stuck pig and whine like a bunch of babies. If Schweikert wins the primary what’s he going to do when the Dem’s come after him, curl up in the closet and cry some more? And, if tradition holds, the Club money dries up in the general.
AZRED5…
The Dems are already coming after him… Susan is the farthest thing from a Reagan Republican or even a Republican for that matter…
Furthermore… You a despicable individual to condone this… or you are just another part of the uneducated electorate… take your pick…
Susan’s problem is the only thing scarier than a loaded semi-automatic isn’t a gas nozzle… its a vacuum nozzle…
Lastly… Bitter-Smith knows these attacks to be falsehoods and distortions… Schweikert’s comparison pieces were all true…
She is pro-choice, pro-illegal immigrant, anti-FISA, tax-hiking, career lobbyist RINO! Tell me what’s not true?
Yes, Susan has lost her mind. She is running a dirty campaign, just like the one she helped Arpaio run.
This is one race I do know something about. I know each of the candidates and like them all personally. I will support the winner, no matter who that should be.
Having said that, I am going with Jimmy O, the walking man. Mark Anderson, Laura Knaperek and Jimmy O have all stood above the fray. The rank and file voters are fed up with the hit pieces and phone calls. Shoot (no pun intended) I am active in CD5 and I’m fed up. DS and SBS will have effectively knocked each other out. It is a shame really.
There is a growing discontent with the level of negativity this cycle. You are right nightcrawler, it is a shame.
It is fair to say however… That this race was civil and about issues until Bitter-Smith got in…
History does repeat itself….
Roger Maris*,
Your pal Schweikert threw the first 3 punches. Are you suggesting Smith should sit on the sidelines and enjoy the beating? It’s hard to tell what Schweikert is talking about in his mailpieces since he documents nothing. Raised taxes — wrong!!! And what is this babble about terrorists? To use your boy’s fave expression — INSANE! You gotta document this kind of stuff and there is NONE on Schweikert’s hit pieces.
I know he thinks raising a fuel tax by 8 cents isn’t a tax increase. And since all the conservatives voted for it, it must have been the right thing to do (just like Alt Fuels). But that kind of logic is INSANE!
AZRED5…
Again… SA has spoonfed fed you the information to make a informed conclusion regarding the gas tax LIE… and you either refuse to make an educated conclusion or your inept to do so?
It is well documented that she does not support FISA as it could adversly affect her telecom clients… She has raised taxes in every position she’s held…
and she is pro-choice!
tell me what is incorrect here?
I never understood why Bitter-Smith even entered this race, what real support does she have? Then when she does enter, things go negative. I too am supporting Laura Knaperek, she has always done a good job and you know what she stands for.
I received a political “hit” piece in the mail today that highlights the dirty politics seemingly running rampant today. It not so cleverly shows the first sentence of a cover letter to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors attached to an April 2007 audit report. What it doesn’t show is the second paragraph, conveniently covered up, which reads in its entirety “For the Period reviewed, we found the Treasurer’s portfolio to be in compliance (emphasis added) with State Statutes and with Treasurer’s Office policy. We also found that the interest is apportioned in compliance (emphasis added) with authoritative guidelines.”
Is this “hit piece” the kind of misleading information we want from our leaders? Misleading, cowardly personal attacks cannot be tolerated by voters. We should elect candidates with the highest integrity to represent us. Don’t give your vote to candidates stooping to this level. It’s up to all voters to put a stop this despicable tactic.
Royce Flora, Chairman
Legislative District 8 Republican Committee
Could it be that this hit piece backfired… Susan is having to spend more of her money to lie about Schweikert…
What’s that now… $275,000 of her money to spin the web of deception…
That make two loans within the last 4 days… funny how those loans became necessary once she went negative…
http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/dcdev/forms/C00450262/359407/f65
These are not errors either. They are outright lies. Is she working for Harry Mitchell?