Claims Dept: Perdue's 'Copier' ad

A new ad by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue argues that Republican Pat McCrory is a "copy" of President Bush.

What the ad says: Perdue speaks: "I'm Bev Perdue. I'm running for governor and I sponsored this ad." The ad then shows images of an office copy machine, with pictures of McCrory going in and Bush coming out. Narrator: "Want to know where Pat McCrory would take us? Just look at who he’d copy. George Bush. McCrory is the only candidate for governor in the country who Bush is campaigning for. McCrory called Bush 'a great president.' And McCrory backs Bush's economic plan all the way that's devastated the middle class, raised gas prices and sent our jobs overseas. On the economy, Pat McCrory is a copy of George Bush."

The background: In 2000, McCrory was elected president of Republican Mayors and Local Officials, a Washington-based advocacy group.

In May of 2003, the group issued a press release quoting McCrory praising a proposal to cut dividends and capital gains taxes being pushed by President Bush.

"What the President's tax cuts will do is enable entrepreneurs and local people to make the best decisions about creating jobs and making needed investments," McCrory said in the release.

The bill was signed into law later that month.

At the 2004 Republican national convention in New York City, McCrory spoke on behalf of Republican Mayors and Local Officials, praising the tax cuts, programs to increase homeownership, brownfields legislation and the war on terrorism.

"We have witnessed leadership in the toughest of times from a great Republican mayor right here in New York City and from a great president during the past four years," he said.

In late July, Bush attended a high-dollar fundraiser at the home of a Raleigh developer to benefit McCrory's campaign, although the two did not appear in public together.

Bloomberg News reported in late September that McCrory was the only one out of 11 gubernatorial candidates that Bush has campaigned with this year.

However, as the ad was released, a Missouri newspaper reported that Bush would also campaign for a Republican gubernatorial candidate there.

Is it accurate? For the most part, yes. McCrory called Bush a "great president" and praised his economic plan. But it's a stretch to say that McCrory "backs Bush's economic plan all the way" based on his support of the 2003 tax cuts.

— Ryan Teague Beckwith