Linda Daves, chairwoman of the N.C. Republican Party, says she will not bow to pressure from the Republican National Committee or John McCain to pull a new ad the state party has prepared linking Democratic gubernatorial candidates Beverly Perdue and Richard Moore to Barack Obama's controversial preacher.
"This is not about the RNC," Daves said, reports David Ingram. "It is about North Carolina, our values and two Democrat candidates who are out of synch with the values of North Carolina."
Caroline Valand, executive director of the N.C. Democratic Party, said the ad represents a return to the Republican Party's "Southern strategy" of using race to appeal to white voters.
"They don't have the money to put behind it," Valand said, "so they're using old, Southern, racial politics."
Daves said the ad is not race-baiting.
"The accusation of race-baiting is one of the oldest-used tools to try to drive a wedge between the people of North Carolina," she said.
Perdue's campaign issued a statement calling the ad "gutter politics that voters will see right through."
Update: Moore's campaign issued a statement — "Richard Moore stands by his endorsement of Sen. Obama and believes Sen. McCain's rebuke of the NCGOP's ad is on target."
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Re: Daves: I won't bow to national GOP
While I may have questions about spending media dollars now during the primary, I have no problem with highlighting the poor judgment of Perdue and Moore, and I strongly support the NCGOP's efforts to expose this poor judgment to North Carolina voters.
If Perdue and Moore honestly believe that Barack Obama is really the most qualified person to be our president and commander in chief, that level of judgment needs to be nowhere near our governor's mansion.
The governor needs to be surrounded by highly qualified people to provide advice, counsel and guidance. The poor judgment Perdue and Moore have demonstrated in endorsing Obama raises serious questions about their management experience. A qualification necessary to be the chief executive of our state.