MoveOn.org and their allies have made Maine a primary target for 2008.
Help Susan Collins stand up to MoveOn.org
- In the summer of 2007, more than a year before the election, MoveOn.org joined with other groups to form Americans Against Escalation in Iraq. This group was responsible for running television ads in Maine attacking Senator Susan Collins, featuring images of children in fatigues forced to crawl under barbed wire.
- MoveOn.org and their allied groups ran a total of 9 attack ads in Maine in 2007, costing nearly $1 million.
- MoveOn.org solicited volunteers in Maine for its 'Iraq Summer' campaign, and instructed them to 'Bird Dog' Senator Collins at public events
- MoveOn.org's leadership has engaged in lowest-common-denominator politics in Maine, including circulating an insulting picture of Senator Collins on the internet, photoshopped to show her teeth blackened out
- MoveOn.org filed an unmerited 'trademark violation' complaint, after running their infamous 'General Betray-Us' ad in the New York Times, attempting to prohibit Senator Collins from using the phrase 'MoveOn.org' in internet advertisements. MoveOn.org retracted the claim after media reports made the public aware of it.
- MoveOn.org has funneled over $365,000 to Maine Democrat Tom Allen, who is running in a primary for the chance to face Senator Collins in November's election. This is more money than they've funneled to all other congressional candidates combined.
MoveOn.org and affiliated groups have been joined by former Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards, and are planning on pumping even more money into Maine
- Politico: "John Edwards joined an organized effort to oppose the war in Iraq Monday, indicating his intention to tie the cost of the war to the crumbling economy... The coalition includes MoveOn.org, as well as the powerful Service Employees International Union, anti-war veterans and other liberal activist groups. And organizers say they’ spend more than $20 million on the campaign."
- AP: "MoveOn.org, another anti-war group, says it will spend at least $5 million targeting congressional seats, including Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, John Sununu of New Hampshire, Norm Coleman of Minnesota and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky."
- The Hill: "VoteVets.org has already started airing a television ad in the Washington, D.C., market featuring an Iraq war veteran who appears with her infant daughter and criticizes McCain for supporting a war instead of measures to increase healthcare coverage. MoveOn.org will spend about $5 million in an effort to organize events on the anniversary of the start of the Iraq war next month and on voter mobilization efforts in states where Democrats are targeting GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), John Sununu (N.H.), Norm Coleman (Minn.) and Mitch McConnell (Ky.) in races this year."