Parties try to get one another to condemn presidential attacks, fail

The Democratic and Republican parties of Ohio are challenging one another’s senior members to denounce their respective nominee’s attacks.

The Ohio Democratic Party sent a press release earlier today wondering why U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, House Speaker Jon Husted or Rob Portman haven’t “stepped up and decried” attacks on Barack Obama like some Republicans have in other states.

In recent days Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) refused to say Obama is a socialist; U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) asked for McCain direct mail to be suspended and U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) condemned Democratic and Republican negative campaigning.

Ohio Republican Party communications director John McClelland said there’s nothing wrong with some attacks against Obama.

“It is not negative campaigning to call Barack Obama out on his partisan record, his failed judgment, or his questionable associations,” McClelland said. “We’re just wondering if Ohio Democrats condone the negative attacks on John McCain and obscene references to Sarah Palin from Obama and his surrogates and third party groups.”

ODP communications director Alex Goepfert demanded specific examples of negative attacks on McCain and “obscene references” to Palin.

“There have been many documented attacks,” McClellan said. “If he wants to feign ignorance, that’s fine. It just points out the childishness of their release.”

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