Why Randall Terry’s Super Bowl Ad Will Never Air
Anti-abortion activist turned political campaign consultant Randall Terry is in the process of making a bold announcement — he will be challenging President Obama in a Democratic primary.
But Terry, who shows no signs of actually being a Democrat anymore than he shows signs of being a viable presidential candidate, isn’t really running to out the president. In fact, he’s running to exploit a loophole in FEC law that would potentially allow him to run a graphic anti-abortion ad during the Super Bowl - one of the most-watched television events of the year.
Terry’s ad, a prototype of which was run in D.C. in 2010 in the failed Missy Smith congressional campaign, is by no means a subtle political tool, but an attempt to garner headlines out of shock value. As the former founder of Operation Rescue, which has been accused repeatedly of instigating violence against abortion providers and clinics, Terry is no stranger to radical tactics.
But will the ad ever run? Frankly, I would be surprised. Terry may in fact have the law on his side, but I doubt he has the support of anyone else — including the activists and supporters in the anti-choice movement. Although a contingent of the pro-life movement can be seen protesting clinics (and doctors’ homes) with graphic signs, others believe shock tactics aren’t effective and simply blur the moral line.