Dole Ad Attacking Hagan Christian Faith Called Fabricated, Pathetic

Republican Candidate Elizabeth Dole's last-minute commercial called a pathetic, desperate lie.

Kay Hagan: "The North Carolina I was raised in would NEVER condone this kind of personal slander."

GREENSBORO, NC - Kay Hagan, her three children and husband, her pastor of 17 years, Dr. Joe Mullin, members of Greensboro´s faith community and supporters gathered this morning in front of the First Presbyterian Church to share her thoughts on Elizabeth Dole´s atrocious ad attacking Kay´s Christian faith and announce that the Hagan Campaign has proceeded with a cease and desist order ordering the Dole Campaign to take the ad off the air within 24 hours or legal proceedings will be started.

The Fayetteville Observer recently editorialized about Dole´s despicable tactics, saying Dole is "ratcheting up her rhetoric, and probably winning the honor, so far, of fielding the nastiest, most misleading, negative ad of the campaign. We understand Dole´s desperation. The polls show she´s trailing Hagan, and she´s dipping into her own pocket to support her campaign. But jumping into the deep end of the slime pool is no way to catch up."

Kay´s pastor for 17 years, Dr. Joe Mullin, recently recorded a radio ad on behalf of Kay, speaking about his long relationship with Kay and spoke to her faith. "Hello, this is Reverend Joe Mullin. I was Kay Hagan´s minister for 17 years at First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro. Kay´s a dedicated Sunday school teacher, an elder in the Church where the Hagan family has belonged for over 100 years. And no one is more active in local community work than Kay Hagan. You know, on Christmas mornings Kay, her husband Chip, and their three children cook breakfast at a local home for the disabled. So I agree when the Fayetteville newspaper says these recent attacks on Kay´s Christian faith by Senator Dole are desperate. The paper even says Dole "jumped into the deep end of the slime pool" with these shameful, personal attacks on Kay´s Christian faith. So, take it from me, Reverend Joe Mullin, no one is more dedicated to her family, her church, or North Carolina than my friend Kay Hagan."

Kay Hagan's remarks as prepared are below.

State Senator and U.S. Senate Candidate Kay Hagan
October 29, 2008 press conference

Thank you for coming today. I know this was called at short notice, and I appreciate you being here for this.

Let´s get right to it. Elizabeth Dole should absolutely be ashamed of herself.

I don´t know what things were like when she grew up in North Carolina, but the North Carolina I was raised in would NEVER condone this kind of personal slander.

I can´t begin to tell you how upset I am that she has attacked my Christian faith.

She´s been in Washington for too long, gotten too close to George Bush and the special interests and this is what she´s become.

I am appalled at these tactics. This is politics of the worst kind, and it´s been rejected by North Carolinians at every level. This is so unbecoming of the woman she claims to be.

I have taught Sunday school. I´m an elder in this church, where the Hagan family has attended for over 100 years. I go on mission trips. I was raised going to Sunday school and church every week. And I raised my children that way.

On Christmas Eve, we attend the 11:00 evening service, then early on Christmas mornings, my children and husband and I go to the Bell House and cook breakfast for the residents there. My family, my community and my church are the anchors of my life.

If Senator Dole wants to pass judgment on my faith, that´s her right – but it´s not what my faith teaches.

This is a fabricated, pathetic ad.

I am outraged…That is not my voice at the end of the ad, and I do not share their beliefs.

This was an event with nearly 40 hosts, including an ambassador and a sitting U.S. Senator (John Kerry).

We have already contacted our lawyers and are proceeding with a cease and desist order sent to Elizabeth Dole.

This kind of politics should not be tolerated.

The politics of George Bush won´t create one new job, lower the cost of health care, or do one lick of good for North Carolina.

At their core, Americans aren´t Democrat or Republican, red or blue – they´re Americans, plain and simple. We ALL love our country, and we all value the role of faith in American life.

Shame on anyone who says differently.

Congress just had to bailout Wall Street, workers´ retirement savings are out the window, people are genuinely concerned about keeping their job in this tough economic climate, and Elizabeth Dole is trying to talk about ANYTHING but the issues.

This attack speaks volumes about her personally and politically, but more importantly, it speaks to the lack of leadership she´s shown on behalf of North Carolinians. At this critical point in American history, why isn´t Elizabeth Dole talking about what she´s done for North Carolinians and what she´s planning to do if re-elected?

This is exactly why people in North Carolina are supporting me – I have real, concrete proposals to help fix what´s broken in Washington and advocate on behalf of working families. I´ve been talking about the issues and ensuring North Carolinians know what real leadership looks like.

Elizabeth Dole is just relying on the same old, tired rhetoric that divides people instead of bringing them together, and that´s the last thing people in North Carolina want right now.