ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 28 (UPI) -- A Florida congressman is being accused of taking his opponent's words out of context for use in a campaign ad.
U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., released an attack ad Saturday calling Republican Dan Webster "Taliban Dan" and editing Webster's statements from a speech to make it appear he was advocating women should be subservient to their husbands.
The Orlando Sentinel reported extended comments released by Webster's campaign show he was urging men to skip such biblical passages regarding spousal relationships.
Brian Graham, Webster's campaign manager, said the ad was another instance of Grayson straying from the facts.
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"Time and time again, Alan Grayson has shown that he cannot be truthful," Graham said.
The 30-second TV spot shows Webster saying " … wives submit yourself to your own husband … " and "she should submit to me. That's in the Bible… ."
In the longer version provided by Webster's campaign, the candidate is heard talking to husbands at a gathering of a religious organization about biblical passages to choose when praying for loved ones. He says:
"Don't pick the ones that say, um, she should submit to me. That's in the Bible, but pick the ones that you're supposed to do. So instead, love your wife, even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, as opposed to wives submit yourself to your own husband. She can pray that if she wants to, but don't you pray it."
Susannah Randolph, Grayson's campaign manager, defended the ad.
"He is speaking at a group that teaches that women should be submissive to men," Randolph said. "He's always pushed an agenda that is anti-woman."
