The ad only reflects the truth about O'Malley's failed leadership record and is not an attack on Baltimore City. It clearly shows why O'Malley doesn't deserve a promotion over an incumbent Governor who has done a fine job bringing the state from a spending deficit to a budget surplus.

Democrats weren't crying foul with The Maryland Fund 527 ads. What's different about these?

...Don't forget that Glendenning also accepted contributions from Gould during his tenure.

Don't like the current campaign finance structure and the unending flow of lobbyist cash in politics? Then cast your vote for someone that wants change-Michael Steele. Not Ben "give me your money" Cardin.

Its a direct attack on Baltimore City and its residents. The ad is already backfiring. I have no doubt O'Malley will receive 80% in Baltimore City. 85% isnt out of the question considering Ehrlich's endless bashing of the proud citizens of Baltimore.

You know what they say, though, desperate people do desperate things in desperate times.

Bob's on the ropes and will do whatever it takes. Too bad for him, because its too late.

Governor-elect O'Malley... take it to the bank.

Baltimore bashing? Whether it is or not is almost irrelevent. Do you want YOUR city to be like Baltimore? Seriously, if your hometown had the schools and crime that Baltimore had would you be satisfied? And yet we are supposed to accept that level of disfunction because of what? Because the citizens are predominately black? Poor? HOW CONDESCENDING. We don't expect blacks or poor people to do any better, so we'll let Martin O'Malley slide on all the problems in the city. That is the most racist, condescending attitude I have ever heard.

It's not Baltimore bashing to say the city has gone to hell and needs to improve and O'Malley has done NOTHING to fix it and certainly doesn't deserve to be Governor based on his "results" there.

JMP, I would love to see real conservative leadership in MD. Governor Ehrlich had a chance to bring this to Md, instead he raised 3 billion in taxes( flush tax, tuition tax, property tax, road tax, car registration tax). The ads showing dead bodies are a new low for our party, and by all polls ineffective.

For Bobby to feign election year interest in an urban area is disingenous, and you know it. Rembember GOP President killed the COPS program that put police on the street in all areas, our GOP Guv failed in his promise to send police to Bmore, failed to reform juvenile justice, failed to pass a bill ending parole for violent criminals, failed to improve the DOC and actually cut the BPD budget by 3 million. His record on crime is nonexistent; in contrast O'Malley and the BPD lowered murders from avg of 320 in 90's to 263 since he took over in 2000, thats 420 lives.

The Guv has ignored Bmore for 4 years knowing to assist it would help a rival and he would get very few votes from BMore any way. This kinda of partisan governance is why the national GOP is sinking to new lows. Defending ads that show dead bodies, being proud of a campaign that stands for nothing other than "I am not as bad as the other guy," shows the true desperation of a candidate destined to lose, as the past 23 polls demonstrate.

GK if you're a Republican than Newt Gingrich is a Democrat.

The bottom line is that you criticize Ehrlich for raising fees (not taxes, persay) but you know damn well that you and the Democrat controlled General Assembly are just licking your chops at the idea of unchecked tax increases. The flush tax that everyones seems to be lamenting during election season was warmly welcomed when it was passed. As for attack ads, it seems that O'Malley, Cardin and Co. are quite guilty themselves. I've seen way more attacks coming from the other side than from Ehrlich's camp. You see, that's O'Malley strategy, attack while deceiving people on his own lack-luster record while saying the all-important "I hate Bush" a few times. Does that make him qualified to be Governor? Ehrlich inherited a mess and has put this state back on the path to success. One party rule in this state has already proven disasterous.

GK is right. The structural deficit remains the same as it was in 02. Fee is a three letter word for tax; its money from my pocket to the government. No one buys that fee is different than tax drivel. Explain away the property tax increase? BE has raised 3 billion in new taxes, more than Glendening, Willie Don combined.

O'M has the toughest job in Maryland, managing an old urban center, made tougher by a disinterested Governor. No one denies Baltimore is better now than it was in 99, they just quible over how much better. That is what makes him qualified.

4 years ago College tuition was 40 percent cheaper, crime Statewide was lower, we paid less road tolls, less property tax and Bush, who Ehrlich/Steele promoted when his appoval rating was above 30 percent, wasn't sending so many Marylanders to a war the country doesn't believe in. Ehrlich inherited one of the wealthiest states in the country and has regressed, much like his tax policies. That's why conservative think tanks say he gets a C- for his fiscal management, he is a tax, fee and spend conservative.

As for attack ads, this is politics...however Ehrlich's ads don't seem to be working as he hasn't gained ground in any polling entities serial polls. He is running his campaign like he has run this state, poorly.

How has Ehrlich failed to show interest in Baltimore? The state has had to assume payment for almost all city functions - from bus service to the zoo - that they do not pay for any other municipality in the state. Ehrlich tried to provide additional law enforcement support with state police to the city but was told "no thanks, we're doing great on crime control here." Ehrlich offered to help with special education and was told no - until finally a federal court said O'Malley's leadership on the issue was SO bad it was unconstitutional and removed the city from oversight. And, obviously, most recently, the Gov wanted to provide assistance to the 11 worst of the worst schools in the city and was told no. Ehrlich has also increased state funding to the schools by almost 40% and Baltimore receives almost twice as much per student from the state as any other jurisdiction. O'Malley's increase? Less than 1% in the same time frame.

This notion that Ehrlich only cares about the city in an election year is garbage - he has been trying to fix it for years and O'Malley's pride or ambition or ignorance or some combination has prevented it.

On education funding, Ehrlich has done the minimum, he has complied with the STATE FUNDING MANDATE in Thornton, a bill he called irresponsible. No credit for folowing the law. He has refused to fund Geographic cost index and has cut school building funds, this is a poor record to stand on.

Your facts are wrong on providing Cops, check the Examiner this year or Sun or WBAL archives. In February after he was elected, the City formally asked for help in 6 or 7 units, Ehrlich ignored the request. There is no report anywhere that supports your claim of assistance. Infact, he stood quietly when Bush cut the COPS program which brught federal funds to local law enforcement. No leadership here.

State has always funded zoo and buslines.
Ehrlich never offered to assist with special ed; he offered a loan in return for tearing up system's union contracts when he and the state have been in contmept of a Court Order for the past 7 years regarding school funding (see Bradford decision). Mayor funded it and restored fiscal controls, not our tax, fee and spend Guv.

School takeover plan was a joke, curing ills of an urban school system by provatizing 11 schools in the 07-08 school year (while tearing up Union contracts) was not urgent, innovative or serious effort to assist Bmore. No funding note, just an election year stunt that GOP members even voted against. Finally, Governor and Mayor have under law equal power to impact the schools, there is a legislative State Partnership. The current school board was appointed by the Governor and Mayor, they run the system, not City Government.
Your facts are just plain wrong, your guy has just plain failed to help the State's biggest City.

"Taxedtoomuch"

Are you seriously implying that O'Malley won't raise taxes? Let's be honest and tell everyone here the truth (although I know it's hard to be honest this time of year). The real truth is that Democrats have never met a tax they didn't like. If fees raised under Ehrlich are so hated by Democrats, I guess your candidate intends to roll those fees back?-yeah right. The difference is that if O'Malley is Governor, no one will stand between the General Assembly and your wallet...and you know it.

If you have your way and O'Malley is elected, you'll have to change your name to "taxedtodeath".

Your argument on O'Malley's "acheivements" doesn't wash either. Drive to downtown B-more (2 blocks in either direction away from the Inner Harbor) and take a look. Or, if you dare, park at the Inner Harbor and take a walk to Fells Point. If that's what O'Malley's proud of he's either A.)Delusional, B.)Stupid, C.) Lying, or D.) All of the Above.

The Inner Harbor area was being revitalized before O'Malley's tenure. This doesn't reflect any personal acheivement for O'Malley. It's the inner city infrastructure that needs leadership. Not weak murder rate decline goals and skewed statistics. Under his current political guise, he claims to be in support of the everyday working people. If that's true, let's here more about what he's done for them rather than how nice the Inner Harbor looks.

IgnoredinBmore:

"...he [Ehrlich] has complied with the STATE FUNDING MANDATE in Thornton..." Thanks for confirming.

So then, why has O'Malley tried to deceive voters in both televised debates by saying that Ehrlich HASN'T funded Thornton?

If O'Malley is so qualified, why must he deceive voters on Ehrlich's record?

The crime reduction is real, the only quibble is how much. This is why investment is up in the city, why the city's coffers have a surplus for 3 straight years. It has to do with confidence of investors. That helps working families bc construction jobs are created, service jobs are created, property taxes have been lowered.

As for shape of City, come see. Two blocks from innerharbor, new convention center hotel being built. 4 blocks, westside revitalization taking place, center piece the restored hippodrome. All the way out Edmonson, new market rate housing project on site of the Uplands to begin. Headed east from harbor, new homes north of little italy, condos starting at 500k, new restraunts, new shops. Heading to Fells point, crains, condos, revitalization all the way through Canton and north though Patterson park, which was cleaned and restored by Mayor. North into Druid hill park, Resovoir hill is selling homes over 200k, park has been cleaned up. Around Hopkins, Barnes and Noble, Safeway, beautiful new YMCA, shops and restraunts. Northeast Bmore, staying stable, property values jumping- restored Belvedere Market at the hub. Baltimore is in vastly improving shape, just come to the city and see the skyline, your rhetoric is ill informed, trite at best, deliberately misleading at worst. Your spewing of fear igonres the reality of an urban area making great progress, none of which the Guv claims credit or has participated in.

Infrastructure management, call 311 with a concern...it will be fixed or you will have a reference number and live person to press the issue with, can you do that at state level? No.

Mayor won't need to raise taxes, Guv did it for him with property tax increase, road tax, car registration tax, flush tax, tuition increase of 40 percent and toll t
tax. 3 BILLION DOLLARS WORTH! What is worse, the Guv PROMISED not to raise taxes, lied and now has the gall to promise it again. Tax or fee=lie.

Don't forget EBDI's expansion in Hopkins area! Mayor has been great for Baltimore, which is why he wins by such big margins here. What I find interesting is Glendening built three new stadiums, road improvements, kept taxes lower than Governor yet what can BE point to? 3 ground breakings of ICC without a single inch of ground paved? Botched Bay Bridge project? What development project is he touting? WHy isnt he putting forth a record of achievement instead of pointing fingers at Baltimore, his State's only major league City?

Well anyone who says that Bmore hasn't improved two blocks past the inner harbor hasn't been there. Even the pro-O'Malley blogger noted houses in Reservoir Hill going for 200k--wrong, they're 500k. 200k is a one-bedroom condo needing work. Baltimore has DRAMATICALLY improved under O'Malley. Note its not all because of him, as most cities have dramatically improved, but it does take a mayor with good policies to encourage improvement.

What is more noteworthy is that Bmore never jumped on the renovation bandwagon of NYC, Boston, Phila, DC, and others UNTIL O'Malley came into office. Yes Bmore is probably still the worst, but it was one of the worst to begin with, and it began regentrification years behind other cities. I began looking at Bmore three years ago, and the turnaround in that time is unbelievable.

So far as raising taxes, Republicans and Democrats both raise and lower taxes. The difference is democrats raise them on wealthier people's incomes, and republicans raise them on user and other more hidden fees (i.e. auto-registration taxes that you don't pay frequently enough to know they've gone up), which affect the poor more than they do the rich. Democrats lower taxation-type fees, sometimes by eliminating them, and republicans lower income taxes, which predominantly go to those with higher incomes. Bush's tax cuts gave me $13 a month more on a 45k income. My share of the ntl deficit went up more than that. Saying O'Malley will raise taxes is another scare tactic--probably another Karl Rove strategy, since it is being reiterated across the country even against anti-tax democrats like Webb.

BG from PG: Kindly explain how a governor can raise taxes.

I just heard Mayor O'Malley on Kojo's show today at Noon - WAMU FM 88.5. )The DC suburbs public radio station.) Wow, he was impressive. I liked his record but I hadn't had a chance to hear him speak in depth on so many issues. He's intelligent, sharp, and forward thinking. I was really impressed. If you missed it, go to www.wamu.org and listen in. It helped make my mind up. O'Malley will have my vote.