POLITICAL ADVERTISING GOING OVER THE LINE

The Virginia governor's race has clearly gone below the belt with advertising invoking Hitler, Stalin, and Amin with it comes to one candidate's moral aversion to the death penalty.

CNN reports that ads supporting Republican Attorney General Jerry Kilgore have aired featuring the relatives of victims tearfully recounting the crimes which took their loved ones' lives and saying they do not trust the Democratic contender, Lieutenant Governor Tim Kaine, to administer the death penalty.

One of those ads feature a bit from a Richmond Times-Dispatch column which said that Kaine "suggested he would not favor sending even Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin or Idi Amin to the gallows." Another features Stanley Rosenbluth, whose son was murdered, speaking into the camera: "Tim Kaine says Adolf Hitler doesn't qualify for the death penalty. This was one of the worst mass murderers in modern times." (Click here to view the ad)

A Jewish rabbi from Arlington suggested that Kilgore deliberately ran the advertisments during Yom Kippur, when Jews could not respond because they were either in synagogue or at home reflecting.

Kaine is Roman Catholic and cites moral objections to the death penalty, but has said he would carry out executions "because it is the law". The Times Dispatch noted:

In an interview with Richmond Times-Dispatch reporters, Kaine, after stating his faith-based opposition to the death penalty, was asked whether at least Hitler, Josef Stalin or Idi Amin should have been executed.

While he said they deserve the death penalty, he said, "God grants life, and God should take it away."

"They deserve the death penalty. I just -- you know, I look at the world. Most nations have decided not to have a death penalty. And -- and many are very safe. I don't think -- I don't think it's needed to be safe."

Kaine and Kilgore are seeking to replace Republican incumbant Mark Warner, who is barred by term limits from running again.

That type of advertising is simply shameful. Let's hope we don't see this type of crap here in Florida before next year's general election, but considering a couple of the characters holding, don't hold your breath.