TPM “Election Central” wants you to know!

“Rudy’s new political ad attacking Hillary Clinton features multiple pictures of General Petraeus in uniform — but now the Pentagon says that the General “has not condoned” the use of his image in Rudy’s ad or any other political ads, adding that it was done “without his consent.”

Rudy’s Web ad — launched yesterday — features images of a uniformed Petraeus as a narrator’s voice in the background accuses Clinton of slandering the General. In the ad, the Giulilani campaign also faults Clinton for not forcefully condemning a MoveOn ad in The Times that also features a picture of Petraeus.

Giuliani’s ad, in addition to featuring multiple pictures of Petraeus in uniform, also features photos of uniformed American soldiers in Iraq that are “shown as Mrs. Clinton is accused of turning her back on them,” as today’s New York Times piece on the ad puts it. You can view the ad here, on Giuliani’s campaign Web site.

Defense Department regulations prohibit uniformed personnel from appearing in political ads. And while these are stock photos, meaning that neither Petraeus nor the other military personnel actively moved to appear in Giuliani’s ad, their use in this ad makes the question of whether Petraeus or the Defense Department condone the use of images of him or other military uniformed personnel a fair one.”

So where was poster “Greg Sergeant” when Moveon.org showed General Patreaus in uniform in a full page ad in the New York Times calling him a liar?

Exactly. The hypocrisy of the left is so hilarious it’s almost incredible. They have no problem when leftist soldiers in uniform - whether they fake or not - speaking out against the war or of their own commander and chief. But let the roles be reversed and they cry foul.

By the way for information purposes the use of a likeness of General Patreaus isn’t the same as an endorsement of a candidate. The appearance of soldiers in uniform appearing in ads in itself is not against the prohibition. Both President Clinton and Bush took photos of themselves with the troops during election campaigns. Unless the General has a “Giuliani for President” T-shirt on, it’s all legit.

If the DOD has an issue with the use of the photos they’re ask Guilliani to take them down.