Pete Ricketts: The Final Insult

"I never said most of the things I said."
-Yogi Berra

In a campaign full of half-truths, singing cartoons, and baseless accusations, it's not surprising at all to see Senate challenger Pete Ricketts is taking one last opportunity to insult the intelligence and integrity of Nebraska's voters.

Pete Ricketts' latest and last (THANK GOD!!!) ad of the campaign - featuring his endorsement by President Bush at Sunday's Grand Island rally - is, perhaps, not as outrageously dishonest as some of Ricketts others have been these last few months. But, it's deceptive on a whole new level because the ad - purporting to quote Bush's speech - is nothing more than an outright, computer-generated forgery.

Listen to the ad. Notice how it sounds kind of funny - how the volume and the crowd noise cut in and out with no rhyme or reason. That's because the entire ad is a batch of edited Bush soundbytes strung together to put words in the President's mouth that he never said.

Besides the first time Bush praises Ricketts for being a "small businessman" (nothing like a Fortune 400, multi-billionaire SMALL businessesman burning $12 million on a campaign...oh, those crazy Republicans), every other remark heard in the ad is a lab-created counterfeit.

Read Bush's real speech. Watch Bush's real speech. (on Wednesday - there are better ways to spend 40 minutes today). What Bush actually said just doesn't match-up - at all - with Ricketts' latest ad.

At no point in Bush's 40 minute speech did he ever say “vote Pete Ricketts for the United States Senate.” Yet, by the magic of modern technology, that little line is repeated four times in Ricketts' one minute radio spot. When talking about keeping taxes low, the death tax, and the role of judges, Bush never even said Ricketts' name. Yet, in this pieced together monstrosity, Ricketts has inserted his name all over the place.

And, it should be noted that half the time Pete Ricketts was mentioned, Bush actually mispronounced his last name as either "Rickerts" or "Recketts." Yet, if you listen to the ad, you'll hear that the overpaid sound engineers on Ricketts' million dollar payroll decided not to use those somewhat embarrassing quotes that demonstrate just how little respect Ricketts has earned.

Of course, Bush did endorse Ricketts. Maybe that gives the Ricketts campaign the implied okay from Karl Rove and company to play whatever games they want with Bush's statements. So, I'm not offended on Bush's behalf. But, I am offended by the outright fraud of constructing a false, politically convenient version of what Ricketts wishes Bush had said and then presenting that lie to the public as if it were the real thing.

Just one more deception. Just one more distortion. Just one more betrayal of the public's trust and one more demonstration of what happens when a candidate without a message and - seemingly - without principles runs a campaign built on nothing more than his family's riches and his being a Republican.

After today, let me just say for the people of Nebraska, "Goodbye Mr. Ricketts. And, good riddance!"