WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: About Congressman Hayworth’s Career As An Infomercial Pitchman For “Free Government Money”

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:
About Congressman Hayworth’s Career As An Infomercial Pitchman For “Free Government Money”

Reporters And Pundits Agree That Hayworth’s Appearance In An Infomercial Promising “Hundreds Of Billions Of Dollars” In “Free Money” From The Government Is Hypocritical:




Politico: “J.D. Hayworth Fancies Himself A Fiscal Hawk, But In 2007 The Former Arizona GOP Congressman Appeared In An Infomercial Encouraging Americans To Apply For Government Grants That They Wouldn’t Have To Pay Back.”

“J.D. Hayworth fancies himself a fiscal hawk, but in 2007 the former Arizona GOP congressman appeared in an infomercial encouraging Americans to apply for government grants that they wouldn’t have to pay back. In the infomercial for the Florida-based National Grants Conferences, Hayworth tells viewers to ‘take advantage’ of government funds that are ‘real’ and ‘available.’ The infomercial, first highlighted by the Arizona Republic on Monday morning, starts with testimonials from people who received government grants and boast of ‘never’ having had to pay the money back.” (Andy Barr, “Hayworth Pitched 'Free Money' Grants,” Politico, 6/21/10)


The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank: “Seems That J.D. Hayworth Was For Government Handouts Before He Was Against Them.”

“Seems that J.D. Hayworth was for government handouts before he was against them. The conservative primary challenger to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz), Hayworth calls himself a ‘conservative steward of your tax dollars.’ But three years ago, he was part of a business venture that coached people how to squeeze ‘free money’ out of the government.” (Dana Milbank, “J.D. Hayworth's ‘Free Money’; Steve Cohen's Dorky Dancing; Mark Kirk's Great Escape; And Mike Huckabee's Affair With Helen Thomas,” The Washington Post, 6/22/10)


University Of Virginia’s Larry Sabato: “Hayworth Looks Like A First-Class Hypocrite.”

“Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, called the infomercial ‘very damaging’ to Hayworth's bid in Arizona's Aug. 24 GOP primary. ‘He was depending on the anti-government, anti-spending crowd to nominate him,’ Sabato said. ‘Now, here he is as a Matthew Lesko clone telling people how to get free money from the government. Hayworth looks like a first-class hypocrite.’” (By Dan Nowicki, “Hayworth '07 TV Ad Returns To Haunt Him,” The Arizona Republic, 6/22/10)


Hotline’s Reid Wilson: “Hayworth's Message Isn't Likely To Win A Lot Of Fans Among Conservative Voters Fed Up With Too Much Government Spending.”

“Ex-Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) is against excessive government spending, but apparently teaching individuals to take advantage of government programs with the promise of free money is okay. … Hayworth's message isn't likely to win a lot of fans among conservative voters fed up with too much government spending. And it plays into the narrative that Hayworth's primary opponent, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), has been driving since Hayworth got in the race -- that Hayworth, as a member of the Ways and Means panel, was no fiscal conservative.” (Reid Wilson, “Hayworth Hawked Government Grants,” Hotline, 7/21/10)


The American Spectator’s Philip Klein: “The Weakness Of Hayworth's Claim To Be A Small Government Conservative Was Brought Into Sharper Focus With The Release Of This 2007 Infomercial.”

“I understand why many Arizona Republicans would want to dump John McCain for a more conservative Senator, but I've never understood those who argue that J.D. Hayworth is the conservative who should replace McCain. Hayworth, after all, was a top recipent of donations linked to corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and was a reliable vote for President Bush's big government agenda. The weakness of Hayworth's claim to be a small government conservative was brought into sharper focus with the release of this 2007 infomercial that Hayworth recorded for the National Grants Conference, which offers seminars on how to people can get free money from government through grants.” (Philip Klein, “Big Government Hayworth,” The American Spectator, 6/21/10)


Klein: Hayworth “Disturbingly” Invokes Ronald Reagan To Justify A “Collectivist View Of Taxes.”

“Even more disturbingly, Hayworth invokes Ronald Reagan to justify it and argues that people deserve all of this government largesse because it's really their money. This takes a completely collectivist view of taxes and doesn't take into account how much any given individual actual pays to the federal government.” (Philip Klein, “Big Government Hayworth,” The American Spectator, 6/21/10)


True/Slant’s E.D. Kain: “He’s Basically Advocating Pork Barrel Welfare, And This Video Drives Home Everything His Critics Have Said About Him.”

“Tea Partiers may be against government spending in the abstract, but in a lot of ways that just makes this whole affair more damaging to Hayworth. He’s just telling us that we can get a bunch of free money from the government, bootstraps and rugged individualism be damned. There’s no policy here to defend. He’s basically advocating pork barrel welfare, and this video drives home everything his critics have said about him.” (E.D. Kain, “Death Of A Pork Barrel Salesman,” True/Slant, 6/21/10)


Kain: “If You Want A Better Understanding Of Hayworth’s Political Philosophy, Look No Further Than This Infomercial: Small Government For Thee, Free Money For Me.”

“Hayworth may talk the talk of the Tea Party movement, but when it comes to walking the walk he’s one of the biggest pork barrel spenders the Republicans have ever elected. … If you want a better understanding of Hayworth’s political philosophy, look no further than this infomercial: small government for thee, free money for me.” (E. D. Kain, “J.D. Hayworth: Pork Barrel Pusher,” The Washington Examiner, 6/21/10)


The Washington Post’s David Weigel: “It's... Embarrassing.”

“Dan Nowicki uncovers a 2007 infomercial that just-defeated former congressman J.D. Hayworth cut for the National Grants Conference, a flashy group that charges $1,000 or more to attend seminars on how to get your hands on government grants. It's... embarrassing.” (David Weigel, “J.D. Hayworth, Free-Money-From-The-Government Pitchman,” The Washington Post, 6/21/10)


Weigel: “J.D. Hayworth, Free-Money-From-The-Government Pitchman.”

(David Weigel, “J.D. Hayworth, Free-Money-From-The-Government Pitchman,” The Washington Post, 6/21/10)


Mediaite.com’s Colby Hall: “Perhaps Hayworth Should Rethink The Moniker Of ‘Consistent Conservative?’”

“J.D. Hayworth is a former conservative radio talk show host who is now running for U.S. Senate against Republican stalwart John McCain. On his own website, he refers to himself as the ‘consistent conservative’ and claims ‘no greater danger to the security of our nation than our national debt.’ Yet now it appears that Hayworth once participated in an infomercial promoting a conference designed purely for attendees to take advantage (get rich!) of government grants (quickly!) Perhaps Hayworth should rethink the moniker of ‘consistent conservative?’” (Colby Hall, “Get Rich Quick! J.D. Hayworth Once Peddled Pro-Government Grant Scheme,” Mediaite.com, 6/22/10)


Commentators Even Speculated The Infomercial Video Could Permanently End Hayworth’s Senate Hopes:


The Arizona Republic’s E.J. Montini: “McCain–Hayworth Race Is Over.” (E.J. Montini, “McCain–Hayworth Race Is Over,” The Arizona Republic, 6/22/10)


NBC’s Chuck Todd: “Forget Macaca, McCain Camp Unearths Clip Of J.D. Hayworth Participating In Get-Rich-Quick Infomercial Deal.” (Twitter, http://johnmccain.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a230171af2b572f00d2fa15f0&id=5c834fe7a9&e=bbbedba3f1, 6/21/10)
National Review’s Jim Geraghty: “It Appears The Senate Campaign Of J. D. Hayworth Has Hit A Bump In The Road. … Did I Say Bump? Maybe I Meant Ditch. Ten-Car Pile-Up? Spontaneous Campaign Combustion?” (Jim Geraghty, “J. D. Hayworth, Coming to an Infomercial Near You Soon,” National Review Online, 6/21/10)


The Weekly Standard’s John McCormack: “How Does Hayworth Survive This?”

“TPM's Eric Kleefeld posts a minute-long clip of J.D. Hayworth telling viewers in a 2007 infomercial how to get ‘free money’ from the government… How long until the McCain campaign photoshops Hayworth's head on Matthew Lesko's body? More importantly, how does Hayworth survive this?” (John McCormack, “The End Of The J.D. Hayworth Campaign?,” The Weekly Standard, 6/21/10)