Appearance trumps reality in campaign ads as the GOP's war on the "war on coal" heats up.
"Remember Mitt Romney's Ohio campaign event, where a coal company forced a bunch of miners to take the day off and attend the rally without pay? Now Romney is featuring images of those miners in new TV ads (via Grist).
Of course, there seems to be no sense of irony in using images of men forced to take a day off work without pay to go to a rally in an ad claiming the Obama administration is taking away all the coal jobs. But Romney isn't the only person getting himself in trouble for his appropriation of coal miners. Down in Kentucky's 6th congressional district, Republican Andy Barr is also getting lambasted for a new ad that features Heath Lovell, a coal executive from western Kentucky, dressed up like a miner and accusing incumbent Democratic Rep. Ben Chandler of destroying the coal industry in Eastern Kentucky."
Kate Sheppard reports for Mother Jones September 19, 2012.
SEE ALSO:
"Fossil Fuel Industry Ads Dominate TV Campaign" (New York Times)
"New Romney Ad Features Miners Forced To Attend Pro-Romney Rally — Without Pay" (Grist)
"Miner's Union Criticizes Barr Ad Featuring Coal Exec Dressed in Miner's Garb" (Lexington Herald-Leader)
"GOP Says Coal Mine Closures Underscore Obama 'War on Coal'" (E2 Wire/The Hill)
"GOP 'War on Coal' Bill Gets Veto Threat" (E2 Wire/The Hill)
"Alpha Closing 8 Mines, Cutting 1,200 Jobs in All" (AP)
"GOP Intensifies 'War on Coal' Rhetoric" (Greenwire - Subscription Only)
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