A campaign ad for Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro in his bid to become the Republican nominee for governor has come under fire for its extreme depiction of a conservative Republican, and how such a person would put Christian values back into Ohio politics. Blatantly focusing on the religious dogma of conservatism - abortion, gay rights and the Bible - the ad seems to be just propaganda aimed at soliciting popular support for Petro, disregarding any actual legislative views and goals of the candidate. Although Petro's unabashed manipulation of the system goes against the spirit of the democratic process, it unfortunately might be just the questionable practice that can win support in this stage of the game and allow him to defeat ultra-conservative J. Kenneth Blackwell, Ohio's Secretary of State, and Betty Montgomery, Ohio's auditor, for the nomination.
The television ad, titled From the Heart
stops at nothing to illustrate a soundly Christian family man to alter Petro's political image. Petro and his wife are shown holding photos of their children, birth certificates and a Bible while preaching about the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman along with the protection of life. Petro's strategy is an obvious attempt to gain the support of the religious right and forget about the real issues facing Ohio - like economic disarray.
Although a stance on gay rights and abortion are criteria the American public has grown accustomed to demanding from its candidates, using a yes-or-no response while at the same time guarding actual bearings on both these issues and others is a backhanded - although generally accepted - way of gaining support.
Surprisingly enough, Petro could be a more moderate candidate than he is letting on because his permeating image - which could gain him popular support - shadows his history. Petro appeared at an abortion-rights event in 1998, and while seeking his second term as Ohio state auditor, was endorsed by the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League of Ohio. Only two years later, he officially declared his switch on the position by supporting a ban on first-term abortions in 2000. It can either be assumed that this ad is an attempt to overshadow his lapse in conviction or that it is simply telling the Republican voters what they want to hear. The bottom line is that in either scenario, voters are lacking a clear picture of what Petro really stands for.
However, in the midst of this stage of the electoral process, one thing can be said for Petro and his questionable tactics - he might be working the system, but he is certainly no fool. 17
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