Republicans invoke 9/11 in Murphy attack

The National Republican Congressional Committee is using the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in a new Web ad against Democrat Scott Murphy debuting days before a New York special election.

The ad includes images of the terrorists involved in the attacks and criticizes Murphy for stating that he opposes the death penalty, even for those who perpetrated the attacks…

… Murphy made the comment on a radio show hosted by Fred Dicker, who is also the New York Post’s chief writer at the state capitol in Albany. Asked if he is against the death penalty for terrorists, Murphy replied: “Yes.”

The ad shows 18 of the hijackers and concludes, as Murphy pauses between Dicker’s question and his reply, with a photo of Osama bin Laden.

Though Web advertisements rarely get attention outside a small circle of supporters, invoking the Sept. 11 attacks in a district in which families of the victims likely live is sure to touch off a firestorm of criticism.

The NRCC stood by the ad as accurate both in fact and in tone.

“This is one of the few questions Scott Murphy has been willing to answer during this campaign, so he should be willing to explain how he came to such a dangerously out-of-touch position,” said Paul Lindsay, an NRCC spokesman. “By opposing the death penalty for the terrorists who carried out the 9/11 attacks, it is abundantly clear that Murphy is unable or unwilling to empathize with the loss so many New York families faced on that tragic day.”…

… It’s not the first time the NRCC has used Sept. 11 as a political tool. In 2002, just six months after the attacks, the committee hosted a gala honoring former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) called a “Tribute to America’s Heroes.” The committee was criticized by some families of victims as exploitive of the tragedy.

Giuliani highlighted his leadership on Sept. 11 during his 2008 presidential campaign, a tactic that earned him scorn from families and near-constant attack from a national firefighters’ union.

President Bush used Sept. 11 in his own ads in 2004, which also sparked blowback from families of the victims. Bush’s ad, called “Safer, Stronger,” showed images of the ruins of the World Trade Center behind a flying flag.

The new NRCC ad comes a day after a poll from Siena University showed Murphy leading Tedisco, 47 percentage points to 43. The poll was conducted March 25-26 among 917 respondents who said they would likely vote in the March 31 special election.

Tedisco’s campaign has taken a different tack than the NRCC, choosing to focus on Murphy’s support for bailout legislation Republicans paint as having allowed huge bonuses for AIG executives.
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