By Warren Rojas

Posted August 2, 2012 at 12:51pm

Rep. Rick Berg (R-N.D.) and his advisers most likely expected the week-old “Again” ad to conjure Rockwellian nostalgia for neighborly intimacy and small-town straight talk.

How quaint.

</p> <p>Instead, the Republican challenging Democrat <a href="https://heidifornorthdakota.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Heidi Heitkamp</a> for the seat being vacated by soon-to-be-chartless budget wonk Sen. Kent Conrad (D) has been ridiculed and berated by Web surfers who found the campaign spot laughable.</p> <p>One played the gender card:</p><script id="5e2bd50d2be64735bd9c6970a280aeab">(new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=9484058d-cb86-4c6b-b476-f5e62bd11798&cid=69ef7590-f88b-4a7b-b1ad-bbee64894f4f'; cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "9484058d-cb86-4c6b-b476-f5e62bd11798" }).render("5e2bd50d2be64735bd9c6970a280aeab"); });</script></p> <div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.videos.rollcall.com/hoh/Screen-shot-2012-08-01-at-5.03.28-PM-445x55.png?w=1024" alt="Mary Clinton critique of Berg's "Again" ad" /><figcaption>(YouTube comments)</figcaption></figure></div> <p>Others eviscerated the “Mean Girls”-like chatter:</p> <div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.videos.rollcall.com/hoh/Screen-shot-2012-08-01-at-5.06.33-PM-445x266.png?w=1024" alt="Skewering Berg's scriptwriting" /><figcaption>(YouTube comments)</figcaption></figure></div> <p>Some took offense to Berg’s regional pandering:</p> <div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.videos.rollcall.com/hoh/Screen-shot-2012-08-01-at-5.04.01-PM-445x189.png?w=1024" alt="Slamming Berg's "North Dakota Way" line" /><figcaption>(YouTube comments)</figcaption></figure></div> <p>While a few chose to bask in the anticipated backlash:</p> <div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.videos.rollcall.com/hoh/Screen-shot-2012-08-01-at-5.04.40-PM-445x282.png?w=1024" alt="Questioning Berg's strategy" /><figcaption>(YouTube comments)</figcaption></figure></div> <p>A <a href="https://www.bergfornorthdakota.com/view/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Berg for Senate</a> aide declined to comment on the ad in question, stating only that North Dakota voters “are increasingly turned off” by personal attacks leveled against Berg by “Heidi, [Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid [D-Nev.] and their liberal allies.”</p> <p>May the best sound bite win.</p></body>

Bashing Berg ‘The North Dakota Way’

Recent Stories

Trump continues to play kingmaker in Republican primaries

Capitol Lens | Eagle eye

GOP attendance is a hot topic. Bob Latta is on a hot streak

Letlow launches primary challenge to Cassidy with Trump’s backing

Supreme Court sounds ready to rule against Hawaii gun law

Supreme Court to hear arguments on Trump firing of Fed member