By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

Yesterday, Linda McMahon made national and local headlines in Connecticut after her campaign released a new TV ad pitching the idea that McMahon previously held a "regular job" as WWE CEO.

During previous campaign ads, McMahon remained vague on her WWE background. Most publications picked up on the interesting timing of McMahon changing course with a WWE-heavy TV ad.

The ad was released mere days after a comprehensive newspaper report on WWE's history of health issues under McMahon's watch and Martha Hart, the widow of deceased WWE wrestler Owen Hart, filing suit against WWE and Linda McMahon.

The ad is a clear attempt by McMahon to throw water on the hot-button WWE-related issues that have brought scrutiny and criticism to her campaign. In the ad, McMahon uses a very broad brushstroke to paint everything WWE-related as "family entertainment" that "isn't real."

A spokesperson for Richard Blumenthal, who is McMahon's potential Democratic opponent in the U.S. Senate race, criticized the ad for being "misleading" on McMahon's background.

"While Linda McMahon made millions in profits marketing steroid-fueled violence and sex to kids, Dick Blumenthal was standing up for consumers taking on big energy, big tobacco, big drug companies, scam artists and crooks. There's a clear choice here," said a Blumenthal spokesperson.

Connecticut Democrats added in a statement: "McMahon is kidding herself if she thinks she can portray the very real impact of pervasive steroid abuse, violence-fueled programming, and abusive treatment of women -- all of which she marketed to children -- as an illusion."

McMahon's campaign is defending the ad against expected criticism. They claim potential voters in Connecticut are more concerned with McMahon's politics and are not as concerned with her WWE background.

"Linda's opponents are focused on wrestling and political attacks, but voters in the state are looking for a Senator who understands we need to end out-of-control Washington spending and put people back to work. This ad shows Linda gets it," said a spokesperson for McMahon.

Caldwell's Analysis: One thing that has been consistently humorous throughout McMahon's campaign have been comments from McMahon's people suggesting voters are not concerned with her WWE background. Most voters in Connecticut likely don't know much about her background and McMahon's campaign has spent millions of dollars to make sure it stays that way. And when McMahon has acknowledged her WWE background, it's been with surface-level comments that wouldn't pass a true vetting process.

The objective of the pre-election screening process should be laying out the key issues before decision-makers so they can make an accurate decision on whether a candidate is qualified to run for a political position. McMahon's campaign has spent millions of dollars to shield voters from the key issues with half-truths, spin, fallacies, selective memory, and intimidation.

McMahon tries to use a very broad brushstroke in her latest TV ad to suggest everything voters hear about WWE is "fake" - a real death is the same as a limo explosion you see on TV. Without a true vetting process, McMahon has been able to reach this stage in her campaign without being held accountable for her role as WWE CEO that has funded her entire campaign. Without money from WWE, she wouldn't be running for Senator. As a result, closer, more intelligent scrutiny of her WWE background should be a basic requirement.

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