New Lunsford response ad to Fischer attacks

Taking their response to opponent Greg Fischer's recent attack ad direct to the airwaves, the campaign of Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford launched a new television spot today.

As originally reported by Polwatchers, Lunsford's new 30-second spot first highlights an April 29 Paducah Sun editorial that denounces Fischer's ad as "unfair and inaccurate."

Still from Bruce Lunsford's Response Ad

The Lunsford ad also references a Courier-Journal article identifying the woman who denounces Lunsford in Fischer's ad as an "actress."

Rapidly transferring from a black screen with an ominous backing drone to bright video clips accompanied by guitar picking, Lunsford's new ad goes on to defend the frontrunner and his business record - the specific target of Fischer's attacks.

Fischer's earlier ad - and other campaign efforts - aim at Lunsford's history as founder of Vencor, a nursing home chain. Vencor agreed to a 2001 settlement with the government for $104.5 million in part due to "failure of care claims" and "overbilling."

The Lunsford campaign says their candidate agreed to that settlement and no wrongdoing was ever conceded by Vencor or Lunsford.

The new Lunsford ad cites a May 2007 issue of Kentucky Roll Call that called Vencor "one of the greatest successes in the history of business in Kentucky."

"I'm Bruce Lunsford and I approve this message because misleading attacks won't change Washingto," says Lunsford at the close of the ad. "Only working together will."

The response ad from the Lunsford campaign is just the latest prong of its defense against Fischer's charges. Earlier, the campaign circulated a letter from former Governor John Y. Brown, Jr. denouncing the attacks. The Lunsford campaign's lawyers also dispatched letters to television stations running Fischer's ad, objecting to what they argue were insufficient disclaimers.