Jeremiah Wright resurfaces in an ad, but the buy size is not clear

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright has reappeared, showing up in an ad that attacks Barack Obama. But its not clear how much the California Republicans who conceived and executed the spot are spending on it.

Conservative consultants Sal Russo and Joe Wierzbicki and former state Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian are the men behind the ad, which over 40 seconds or so rolls out a series of quick-hit attacks on Obama.

Contending that John McCain has not been aggressive enough, the trio have rented a bus that they intend to drive across the country with the goal of rallying voters against Obama in battleground states.

Wierzbicki estimated that they have raised $600,000 to $700,000 for their new political action committee, Our Country Deserves Better. But a Democratic source, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said word in political circles is that so far the amount of money spent to air the ad may be as little as $6,000.

The PAC's fundraising numbers could not be verified from Federal Election Commission filings. The group won’t have to file its initial disclosure until later this month.

The ad opens with a shot from 2007, as several of the Democrats then seeking the party's presidential nomination stand on an outdoor stage for the National Anthem. All have their hands over their hearts, except Obama, who stands at attention with his hands clasped in front of him.

“Barack Obama seems to have different values from most Americans,” the narrator intones.

After linking Obama with the militant Palestinian group Hamas, screens of Wright in the pulpit appear as the narrator says, “And who can forget these hateful sermons from Obama’s pastor of over 20 years.”

Said Wierzbicki: "Our contention in this election year is that for a Republican to win, you have to draw a contrast."

Kaloogian, who could not be reached for comment, won a San Diego-area Assembly seat in 1994 and served until 2000, when term limits forced him out of office. He and Russo helped push for the successful 2003 recall of Democratic Gov. Gray Davis. Since, then, Kaloogian has failed in a couple of efforts to restart his political career.

“Has Howard resurfaced?” asked former state Sen. Steve Peace, a Democrat who was part of the San Diego County delegation when Kaloogian served in the state Legislature. “Howard has always been ambitious.”

-- Dan Morain

Photo: Former California Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[There Is No Bottom]

John McCain and Sarah Palin have run such a vile and disgusting campaign that they have worked their supports up to the point that they are calling Sen. Obama a terrorist and to "KILL OBAMA". That is not nasty enough for some republicans. Seeing that John McCain is losing popularity with the majority of Americans, they have taken it upon themselves to move the campaign into the gutter.

I will NEVER vote Republican. This is a political party comprised of ethicaly corrupted and morally deficient members.

[BJ]

I hope they keep plugging away at Obama. He has gotten a free ride again because of the economic mess we're in, for which he and his ACORN pals are partly responsible for.

Keep reminding people who have such short memories, about WHO the real BARACK OBAMA IS!

Wright, Rezko, Ayers, Raines, ACORN.

Obama's campaign is PAYING Jewish youth, to go down to Florida to convince their parents and grandparents to vote for Obama... Jesse Jackson says that if Obama wins the presidency, the status that Israel has held with the US WILL CHANGE!

With the illegal donations his campaign has received, Obama intends to BUY and STEAL THIS ELECTION!

[steve rodriguez]

Barrack was brought up under a barrage of sermons that mention, "God D__m America!!!!" Rev. Wright is no great American!

[dmw]

For the very last time people: Hand on the heart for the pledge, not the anthem. The anthem is a song. Picture yourself singing a rousing song in that positoin and you realize its ridiculous. Does the person singing ever put hand on heart? Republicans are so desperately close-minded that they can't even get nativist jingoism correct.

[Freedom Eagle]

Clearly, this ad does not go far enough. It is a fact that B. Hussein did not just accept illegal money, but has fraternized, partied, and bathed with Palestinians in Occupied Israel. Disgraceful. Everyone knows B. Hussein will not win this election with the coming votes of Honor for Future-President McCain, but the very idea that this radical Terrorist was able to get a major party's nomination is an indication of how low the democrat Party has sunk.
freedombrothers.blogspot.com

[Alexandra]

Obama has my vote I love how he looks at the camera and John is not that should tell you something. The economy is down the toilet, if you want it to be flushed then vote for Mc.Cain

[steve rodriguez]

The list of the first White House guest:
Wright, Rezko, Ayers, Raines, ACORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ayn]

The "economy is down the tubes"--just who do you think put it there? Get your facts straight.

(1) The economy was doing just fine until the Democrats took over Congress in 2006;
(2) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were Democratic pawns (check donation records: biggest money getters Chris Dodd, BARACK OBAMA (even though in Senate only 3 years, still managed to be #2 to Dodd), Charles Shumer, and Barney Frank (whose boyfriend worked at FM). McCain tried to put the brakes on some of these loans to people who couldn't pay them back, but to no avail;
(3) Obama helped sue Citibank about a decade ago to force them to lend to people who couldn't pay the loans back.
(4) ACORN, known for voter registration fame but also in the "you must give loans to people who can't pay them back business": Obama campaign gave ACORN $832,000 in August for "stage and lighting" {Check Federal Election Commission records) but had to amend the disclosure later to acknowledge it was for "voter registration."
(5) Obama campaign sent letters to tv and radio stations 2 weeks ago in Ohio and Penn. telling them they could "lose their broadcasting" license if they run "false ads" like the NRA ads on Obama's gun voting record. Whatever happened to the 1st Amendment? Or does the 1st Amendment only apply if I agree with you?