Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images Midway through Thursday night’s Democratic debate on ABC, the channel aired a startling ad from a Republican political action committee. The ad, purchased by the New Faces PAC, starts out with a with a still of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s official congressional portrait — then sets it on fire:
The next scene shows a heap of skulls, and then cuts to Elizabeth Heng, a failed Republican candidate for California’s 16th congressional district. In ominous tones, Heng, the daughter of a Cambodian dissident, recalls the violence of the Khmer Rouge regime and warns against socialism in the U.S. The implication is clear: Ocasio-Cortez, a democratic socialist, represents a real and serious threat to the U.S., and if she and other leftists grow their power, mass murder is inevitable.
It’s a uniquely odious example of an old conservative habit. But that habit isn’t merely obnoxious — it puts the congresswoman at risk, too. Ocasio-Cortez, along with other members of her left-leaning congressional “squad,” already receives a high number of death threats; by allowing this PAC to air an ad that links her to genocidal violence in Cambodia, ABC grants undeserved legitimacy to ideas that make her a target.
Further complicating matters, the Freedom From Religion Foundation — a legal advocacy group that promotes separation of church and state — claims the channel rejected two of its proposed ads for the same night. And later in its broadcast, ABC aired an ad funded by NumbersUSA, an anti-immigration organization.
On Twitter, Ocasio-Cortez has already responded, noting the irony of a Republican PAC doing outreach to minorities by smearing a woman of color:The PAC’s ad was ostensibly meant to counter the argument that the GOP is a racist political party. But they’ll need to do more than put Elizabeth Heng in front of camera to make that argument. If they’re truly concerned about the party’s image, they haven’t exactly done their cause any favors.
New Faces PAC is likely filled with the same old faces that brought this country to the despotic doorstep we are crossing.
Does anyone believe if a Democratic organization has released an Ad of Donald Trump in the same scenario; they wouldnt be called deranged and calling for violence?
They do know that all of the other socialist parties in the area turned against the Khmer Rouge to stop the genocide...right? All the while the KR received military support from the US. Read your history, people.
Where was your outrage over this?
This type of propaganda can start a civil war. ABC should be fined heavily. Unfortunately this is just the beginning. It’s getting really ugly. Outspoken progressive women in the Dem party will need security. ABC is targeting AOC. Scary times.
WTH ABCPolitics ABC ABCNetwork?! This not-so-veiled threat is disgraceful. Why agree to air it ANYTIME, especially during DemDebate? CPDAction & ABC owe aoc an apology. Stop the propaganda. MAGA VoteBlueNoMatterWho THIS IS DemocraticSocialism 🔽
Love it 🔥🔥🔥
Excellent!
It’s a political ad, ffs. Wasn’t there some sort of mock assassination of Trump in NYC Shakespeare in the Park. No one cared then. No one cares now. Geeeezh.
No respect with the party go take care of the United states.
They can't talk about CLIMATE COLLAPSE (they deny there's even climate change--their fossil fuel donors won't allow that). Trump pulled out of the Paris Accords, and his private attorney general is suing car companies which want lower emission standards. So they do this sh*t.
This is totally unacceptable. Violence Against Women in the United States: Statistics
Gross
You don't expect Republicans to brag about their trillion dollar tax cuts for the richest one percent (which were DEMANDED by their mega-donors), or Trump's trade wars, or wrecking our alliances, or damaging the federal agencies (let alone the rule of law).
Why was this allowed?
O.K. gloves off. Free speech. Someone knock this ad off with Trump's face. Hurry up please...
What else from today's Republicans? They're going to set new records for disgusting imagery--they're that desperate, and that bankrupt. They can't defend Trump's sorry record, the obstructionism of their Senators, or their overriding corruption. Dirt and slime from here on.
Hey ABC more interested in making a buck than you are the safely of an elected official?!
and they will be THRILLED with the free advertising you're giving them right now.
Jesus. This is awful.
Jesus Christ way to glom on to the ‘woman of color’ angle... She’s a socialist. Socialism kills. That is the message of the ad. YouGuysNeverLearn Comprehension SlaveToClicks
Absolutely disgusting
I guarantee you won't see a similar ad done on Trump. We know the corporatemedia is not on our side. AOC represents the 99percent. And that's anathema to the 1 percent.
ShameOnABC ShameOnABC ShameOnABC
Revolting
She's a white girl from Westchester in blackface.
The image is offensive and threatening but good for clicks I guess ?
Smearing? Endangering!
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