Tolbert: Good For Pryor And Cotton

Let me pause here to praise both the Democratic and Republican candidates running for Senate.

Over the next year, we will hear the differences between the two – and there are many – trumpeted loudly and repeatedly.  But this week both released a softer set of ads.  During Christmas time, candidates often pull back on the punches and release biographical ads instead.

Last week, Tom Cotton put out an ad with his mom talking about how proud she was of her son.  She highlighted how he followed his father’s footsteps and served his country to volunteer for the Army infantry. Nice ad.

Likewise, Mark Pryor released an ad on Wednesday that focused on his personal faith.

“I’m not ashamed to say that I believe in God and I believe in his word. The Bible teaches us no one has all the answers. Only God does,” says Pryor while holding a copy of the Bible. “And neither political party is always right. This is my compass. My North Star. It gives me comfort and guidance to do what’s best for Arkansas. I’m Mark Pryor, and I approve this message because this is who I am, and what I believe.”

Again, a nice ad.  Both are a break from the hard-hitting ads that we undoubtedly will soon grow tired of seeing.

But some politicos just can’t let a pitch go by without swinging.

Such was the case with the Brad Dayspring with the National Republican Senatorial Committee who quickly and inexplicably felt the need to respond to this ad.  In a NRSC press statement, Dayspring basically accused Pryor of flip-flopping on the Bible.  He pointed to an article from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette last year where Pryor spoke at a prayer breakfast, explaining that the intersection of faith and politics can be difficult to navigate and “the Bible is really not a rule book for political issues.”

Now I have some serious disagreements with Pryor on policy.  For one, he is pro-choice with a 20% rating by the National Right to Life. The Bible does have quite a bit to say on that subject.  He usually votes with President Obama and the Democratic Party with an occasional stray vote here and there.

However, I have never once doubted the sincerity of Pryor’s faith. In fact, I admire the way he stood up to atheist comedian Bill Maher when he tried to ridicule Pryor for his belief in the Bible.  He did not back down from his faith.  Good for him.

I will interject that we may have seen a different response from the left if a Republican had released the ad instead of Pryor.  Remember how they hyperventilated when State Sen. Jason Rapert said he listened to God above man.

But I digress. Anyway, kudos to Tom Cotton for separating himself from the NRSC strange response today.

“That is an incredibly bizarre and offensive email from the NRSC’s press secretary. We should all agree that America is better off when all our public officials in both parties have the humility to seek guidance from God,” Cotton campaign spokesman David Ray told The Hill.

The punches are coming.  We will hear the constant refrain from Cotton that Pryor loves ObamaCare/Obama and from Pryor that Cotton loves the Tea Party. (Pryor touched on that theme Wednesday at the Little Rock Political Animals Club.)  But it is nice that the campaigns have some civility at least on personal issues like this.