A recent mailing sent to Minnesotans has set the bar for using the politics of fear in campaigns. It is very difficult as a parent to read the words of David Wheeler, whose 6-year old son Ben was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. It is one of the most powerful political advertisements I have ever seen.
The mailing is from Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC, headed by former U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head in early 2011 while having a public meeting with her constituents in Arizona. The mailing is an independent expenditure in support of Franken's candidacy, but it was not authorized by his campaign. I have combined the four pages of the mailing into one image for this post.
I cannot image the pain and grief of losing a child. Mr. Wheeler's message is blunt: if you want to prevent another school shooting like Sandy Hook, vote to re-elect Al Franken to the U.S. Senate. Do you think this mailing is effective? Does it go too far? Please leave a comment on this post.
