One St. Louis, if you want it
* *
*Jeff Smith On 11th Hour Smear Attacks*
*Says His Campaign Will Not Respond in Kind*
(St. Louis) — When I announced my candidacy for the state Senate, I wrote in a letter to supporters:
"Too often, St. Louis's people are better than its politics....[But] in this campaign, I will not play on anyone's fears; I will appeal to our hopes and aspirations. This campaign will be about the future of the City, a City that will live or die as one. It is about One St. Louis, and win or lose, I will work to move our City's politics toward a healthier place....[because] we need a strong voice dedicated above all to the City's health – rather than to one neighborhood or another."
Those words ring true today.
Our campaign has been based on serious proposals to improve the quality of teaching in Missouri; to reverse Matt Blunt's draconian Medicaid cuts and offer health insurance to all Missourians; and, to provide equal rights and full citizenship for all.
Two of my opponents, regrettably, have taken a different tack. Instead of substantive dialogue, they have offered malicious innuendo, smear tactics, and race-baiting. At a time when so many are working so hard to unite this city, they have chosen to pit one neighborhood against another for their personal political gain.
Often, we wonder why so few people seem to be engaged in the political process. The recent conduct of two of my opponents is precisely what turns people off about politics.
This campaign provides a clear choice. These opponents offer anonymous smear attacks in automated phone calls, while we knock on thousands of doors to hear people's concerns. They spread disgusting rumors and make wild accusations about my character and personal life, while we espouse a vision for the city and state and discuss honest differences on the important issues at stake. They view City politics through the tired prism of North Side versus South Side, while we do everything in our power to unify this district by campaigning door-to-door in every precinct with our progressive message.
As I said, the choice is clear: unity versus divisiveness, hope versus fear—the new politics versus the old.
That is why we will not respond in kind to our opponents' smear. We will continue, in these last 24 hours, to knock on as many doors as possible so we can hear your hopes and dreams for this district and this state.
Good response-Candidates have the right to make any charge they want against an opponent but its gutless to do it annoymously.
Unfortunately these robo calls may make the difference in this race (pun intended).
Posted by Norman Pressman on Mon., Aug 7, 2006 at 3:38 PMI am very proud to be associated with a guy like Jeff Smith who actually has principles and sticks to them. It easy to say you are for campaign finance reform like Derio, and then take the dirty money he previously attacked. It is easy to take the low road in a campaign like the El Amins and their band of goons (unreported polls, robo calls, fanning the flames of racism, and campaign finance violations too numerous to list).
Standing by your principles during tough times can be very difficult. The easy answer for Jeff would have been to say that others attacks justify him doing the same. The fact that he did not proves Jeff's integrity by his actions.
Words come cheap. If you want to know what a person is truly made of, watch how they act when times get tough.
We can see El Amin's and Gambarro's true character now and the picture is not pretty.
Posted by Mike on Mon., Aug 7, 2006 at 4:52 PMAmen Brother Norman! Amen Brother Mike! Perhaps the reason so much smear and smack is being run against Jeff not just by Derio and his campaign, but also, obviously, by Republicans from Sinquefeldgate to the appeal by Derio's cohorts to get Republicans to crossover in the primary (won't work too many Republican votes needed in the auditor primary) to Mrs. Gambaro writing a letter for her husband (I sympathize with the survival, my dad is a survivor, I lost my mother and grandma to cancer) is because they are all afraid of Jeff's new vision, work ethic, real ideas for progressive change, and spreading that message like Harry Truman, face to face, one voter at a time. I know the smart, intelligent, big box thinking voters in the 4th District understand that Jeff is campaigning the right way and will represent ALL of our interests in the entire region! Vote Jeff Smith for our community's future!
Posted by Bubba on Mon., Aug 7, 2006 at 5:39 PMI support the Smith campaign 100% and want him to win; but politics is a blood sport and idealism should not come in the way of the ultimate goal which should be victory and many times the person that is willing to be the toughest will win and the one who wants to take the high road will be crying in ther drinks on election night.
Posted by Umar on Mon., Aug 7, 2006 at 5:45 PMI have been concerned this entire campaign that the Smith campaign has not been willing to strike back at the slanders from El Amin and Gambaro but you know what.... I think Smith is going to do it his way and win this thing. Smith is an unusual politician at the right moment. He does things a bit different and I think he's going to have a big day tomorrow. The contrast between the campaign he has conducted and the other candidates says all that needs to be said.
Posted by prediction on Mon., Aug 7, 2006 at 11:34 PM
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