The controversial ads targeting Assemblyman Ronald Canestrari, D-Cohoes, have moved from radio to television, notes Capitol Confidential. The group Parents for Public Charter Schools is hammering Canestrari for blocking the creation of more quality public charter schools.

Not everyone loves the ads, however. Times Union's Fred LeBrun, who constantly worries that people who run bad schools' feelings will be hurt if we talk about it in public, believes the political attack ads are... political. He also thinks charter school supporters are big, fat meanies. "It's bullying," LeBrun charges.

Upstate Blog has a different take:

The ads are indeed tough, and debate on this issue has been fractious. And, as we've noted in the past, we find ourselves in disagreement, for the most part, with Fred on the value of charter schools and of the way they are financed.

But we are a bit surprised to see criticism of the ads themselves, which the columnist calls "bullying." Some perspective on issue-oriented TV ads is in order, we respectfully submit. Many other advocacy groups--the teachers' unions and hospital interests, to name the two most obvious examples--have saturated the air waves for years with ads designed to terrify New Yorkers with imaginary fears of essential institutions closing, babies dying, sick grannies being discarded in the snow, and dear old Mr. Holland reduced to busking.

We recall none of those campaigns arousing criticism from anyone at the Albany Times Union.