2004 Racism Watch is an organization founded in January of 2004 that calls upon the 2004 Bush-Cheney campaign to change or pull a political ad they deem offensive. The ad in question contains a partial face shot of a man who could possibly be construed as "Middle Eastern".

Actor Ed Asner is a spokesman for the group and member of its advisory committee. Asner called the use of the picture "disturbing," comparing it to the Willie Horton ad that an independent political action committee funded by supporters of the Bush-Quayle campaign ran in 1988 criticizing the Massachusetts prison furlough system.

Other members of the group’s advisory committee are actors Ed Begley Jr., and Susan Sarandon; former U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga., author Noam Chomsky, feminist author Barbara Ehrenreich, Manning Marable, Elizabeth Martinez , Phil Tajitsu Nash , Ron Walters , Tim Wise and author Howard Zinn.

External link

• www.racismwatch.org/
• 2004 Racism Watch from commondreams.org