Freedom's Watch
Freedom's Watch is an advocacy group of many former Bush administration officials. [1] Its well funded campaign is aimed at dissuading supporters of withdrawal from Iraq. [2] A 501(c)(4) organization based in Washington D.C. On August 22, 2007 it announced a $15 million advertising and grass-roots campaign in 20 US states to maintain Republican support for President Bush's policies.
Principals
According to the Washington Post Freedom's Watch has the following members and donors, which shows a strong Bush administration pedigree.:[3]
- Bradley A. Blakeman (president, a former deputy assistant to George W. Bush).
- Ari Fleischer (board member, former Bush press secretary).
- Matthew Brooks (board member, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition).
- Mel Sembler (donor, former ambassador to Italy who helped finance the 2000 Florida recount battle).
- John Templeton Jr. (donor, board member of Templeton Growth Fund and financier of Let Freedom Ring).
- Sheldon G. Adelson, (donor, CEO Las Vegas Sands Corporation and the third-richest American in Forbes magazine's rankings last year).
- Kevin E. Moley (donor, former U.S. ambassador to international organizations in Geneva, and a senior adviser to Dick Cheney during the 2000 campaign).
- Howard Leach (donor, CEO Leach Capital and former ambassador to France who also helped fund the Florida Recount).
- Anthony Gioia (donor, head of Gioia Management and former ambassador to Malta).
- Richard Fox (donor, co-founder of the Republican Jewish Coalition).
- Gary Erlbaum (donor, owner of Greentree Properties).
Criticism
Freedom's Watch's advertising campaign emphasizes the sacrifice of U.S. troops and their families, and falsely implies a link between the September 11, 2001 attacks and the Iraq war.[4]
