A few day ago I received an "URGENT WARNING! Please read!" ad in my snail-mail. Opening it, the ad was titled, "Who is Cecil Bothwell?" Could it be a "Get to know your City Council Candidate" flier? No, it turned out instead to be an attack ad prattling on and on, spouting misquotes and misinformation, using as its source The Prince of War, by Cecil Bothwell. The ad, not signed, shows "Paid for by: Common Sense in government, Cecil Cantrell, Treasurer" in a tiny font at the bottom of the ad. A look-up on Google — and voila! Loads of interesting information! Well, Cecil Cantrell, since your moronic attack ad left no return address, I see no recourse but to write back to you in a public forum.
First, remove me from your mailing list!
Second, I not only know Cecil Bothwell, but I like him and voted for him in the primary, and will vote for him in the City Council election. I like what he stands for and his politics. I also like his ability to research and accurately report events and activities. Maybe ask your good buddy, the former Sheriff Bobby Medford, who is in prison and who you supported in 2006, about Cecil Bothwell's research and writing abilities.
Third, your tactics are well known. In 2003, a "VOTER ALERT" attack ad targeting Brownie Newman was verified as being authored by you. In that ad, "Environmental extremists bring gridlock to Asheville. … Delay The Widening Of Over-Crowded I-26!! … Extremists and Obstructionists have no place on our City Council." Wow! Cecil Bothwell got off only being labeled as "a radical extremist," a character assassinator and a "religion basher."
Fourth, keep it up! As in 2003, your sleazy attacks are going to backfire and actually help Cecil Bothwell win!
— Carlton Whatley
Asheville
Who gives a crap what Bothwell wrote about Billy Graham; the issue is how would he govern. Isn’t development policy, homeless policy, tax policy, energy policy, etc. more important than a candidate’s opinions on a preacher?
Other sleazy attacks this election season: anonymous broadcast email attack on Kelly Miller just before the primary. Also, anonymous “Progressive Research Group” website slamming Miller, Carl Mumpower, and Esther Manheimer. That website was put up by one of Cecil Bothwell’s largest contributors, and the creator popped up to defend it in an online discussion. He abandoned the discussion when someone pointed out that he was serving up half-truths and misleading statements. Cecil Bothwell appeared on the same thread to declare that he “cannot speak for his supporters” and declined to distance himself from the anonymous website.
So, sorry, I got no tears for Bothwell on this one.
The Asheville Tribune published the VOTER ALERT in their newspaper and wrote a hand-wringing companion hit piece, authored by the paper’s owner David Morgan.
That issue will be replaced Thurs.
Here’s the mailer: http://snipr.com/sln4n
Hey, the guy is entitled to his opinion and he is entitled to send that opinion out as he sees fit. Isn’t your puff piece here nothing but the same thing you are accusing him of? Your personal attack against the man is as big a turd as what you object to on his part. Two turds in a bag, I say.