When Liberals Fight Each Other: Ed Rendell Rips Fellow Democrat Over Racially Charged Attack Ad Against...Another Democrat

Story by the Associated Press; curated by Dave Urbanski

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell held a press conference Saturday to criticize a TV ad run by fellow Democrat Rob McCord in his campaign for governor.

Rendell, who has not endorsed any candidate in the primary, said the ad that makes racially-charged accusations against apparent front-runner Tom Wolf is misleading and "one of the worst I’ve seen in politics," according to KYW-TV in Philadelphia.

McCord "should pull it down, it's not worthy of him. He knows in his heart that Tom Wolf is not racially insensitive," the former governor said.

Here's the ad:

McCord held a Saturday news conference on the "issue of race and leadership" in the gubernatorial race. According to a spokesman, McCord said at the news conference that he respects Rendell "but he and I strongly disagree" over the ad. McCord said that Rendell "will not be driving my campaign strategy."

Rendell also said that such attacks aren't good for voters or the Democratic Party, which he said should be focused on winning the fall election against Republican incumbent Tom Corbett.

"If Wolf returns fire, whoever wins will be weakened in the fall," Rendell said.

He noted that McCord accepted a $20,000 campaign donation from Wolf in 2008, and said he now wonders if McCord will return the money.

Other Democrats are criticizing McCord, too. Lebanon County Democratic Chairman Chris Tarsa said in a news release Saturday that he has withdrawn his support of McCord over the ad and is now backing Wolf.

Wolf began airing his own ad Friday to respond to McCord's efforts to tie him to a former York mayor who was acquitted of a murder charge in the city's 1969 race riots.

The primary is May 20. Former state environmental protection secretary Katie McGinty and U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz are also seeking the nomination. Republican Gov. Tom Corbett has no opponent in his bid for re-election.

Featured image: KYW-TV