Click here to watch "Middle Ground."

State House Speaker Jeff Merkley edged out Portland lawyer Steve Novick last week to become the Oregon Democratic Party's nominee for the Senate. Meanwhile, the incumbent, Sen. Gordon Smith (R), was already busy trying to set the tone of the general election.

Smith spent nearly half a million dollars (subscription) running attack ads (subscription) against both Democrats, but particularly targeting Merkley, before the primary race even wrapped up. And the senator went up with a new spot the day before Merkley captured the nomination, portraying himself as a middle-of-the-road candidate with wide support from both conservative and liberal Oregonians.

In "Middle Ground" (subscription), an announcer proclaims Smith to be "moderate, independent," and "bipartisan," while listing policy issues on which she claims Smith has worked with both Republicans and Democrats. "The Oregonian says 'Smith stands for beliefs on middle ground,'" the announcer proclaims, while also citing National Journal's 2007 Senate vote ratings, which placed Smith "at the center of the Senate." Smith appears on screen at the end of the spot to express his approval for "working together across party lines."

Continue reading "Moving To The Middle" »

Click here to watch "First."

Former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D) launched her debut ad last week in the New Hampshire Senate race -- a rematch with Sen. John Sununu (R), who defeated Shaheen by four points in 2002.

"First" (subscription) begins with a series of photos showing past white, male governors of the Granite State. "This is what New Hampshire governors used to look like," an announcer says. "Then came Jeanne Shaheen." In addition to listing Shaheen's accomplishments as governor, the ad also attempts to reintroduce her to voters, linking her upbringing and her family life to the fact that "she puts people first."

Shaheen faces no opposition in the September 9 Democratic primary.

Click here to watch "Squeezed -- Montana."

Barack Obama may post the more impressive fundraising totals, but there's still big money riding on Hillary Rodham Clinton's candidacy, as evidenced by the continued efforts of the American Leadership Project, a 527 group funded by donors and labor unions that have endorsed Clinton. The ALP has run ads on her behalf in several states since its first spot debuted during the Ohio primary campaign, and on Wednesday it demonstrated continuing support for the New York senator by launching new TV ads in Montana, South Dakota and Puerto Rico.

In "Squeezed" (subscription), slightly different versions of which are airing in Montana and South Dakota, local references bring home the ad's larger point that Clinton's economic policies will directly benefit voters in each state, particularly those in the middle class "squeezed" between rising gas and food prices. The ALP is also airing a Spanish-language ad in Puerto Rico touting Clinton's bona fides on improving health care. While the island territory votes June 1, Clinton has yet to run ads there herself, possibly because recent polling shows her up significantly over Obama.

Continue reading "That's What Friends Are For" »

Click here to view "Achieve."

Barack Obama is hoping to wrap up the Democratic nomination next Tuesday with wins in South Dakota and Montana. The Illinois senator is also reaching out to voters in Puerto Rico, who head to the polls Sunday, although Hillary Rodham Clinton is expected to win the island primary.

Obama continues his outreach to blue-collar voters with a new TV ad debuting this week in Montana. In "Achieve" (subscription), which features excerpts from a May 19 speech in Montana, Obama addresses the economic challenges facing working-class Americans and asserts that his candidacy is "about you and your struggles, and helping you achieve the American dream." Referencing the chance to seal his victory on Tuesday, Obama concludes by saying, "On June 3rd, we will not just win Montana -- we're going to change this country, and we're going to change the world."

In a "Message" (subscription) to Puerto Ricans (which was also recorded in Spanish), Obama empathizes with island residents and acknowledges that "Puerto Rico has suffered. You have a right to a better future." He lays out his plan for stimulating job growth, improving education and offering affordable health care options for the island's natives. "This is our moment," Obama says, speaking directly into the camera to deliver his final argument. "It would be an honor to have your vote and confidence."

Click here to watch "Responsibility."

Hoping a lucky break could still send the nomination her way, the Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign is pressing on with its ground efforts, promising "a Clinton in South Dakota every day" until the June 3 vote ends the string of Democratic primaries and caucuses that began five months ago. Coinciding with her last week of campaign events, Clinton has released two new ads in the state addressing now-familiar themes of her endgame messaging.

The first, a TV spot called "Responsibility" (subscription), addresses voters' economic anxieties, pledging that Clinton will "end $55 billion dollars in giveaways to corporate special interests, reduce the deficit and protect Social Security." As she has since her narrow win in Indiana, Clinton avoids direct attacks on Barack Obama, saving the vitriol for President Bush, whose policies are sending the economy "into a tailspin," according to the ad's announcer.

Continue reading "A Familiar Pitch In South Dakota" »

Click here to watch "Guts."

Missouri gubernatorial candidate Sarah Steelman (R) released her second ad on Friday. "Guts" (subscription) highlights Steelman's track record as state treasurer of "protecting taxpayer money" and "replacing illegal workers with new Missouri jobs." An announcer concludes the ad by asserting that Steelman has the "guts" and "Missouri experience" necessary to be governor.

"We're in the process of telling Sarah’s story to Missouri voters, reminding them of the things she has taken actions on," said campaign spokesman Spence Jackson. "And this is part of that process."

Steelman and her GOP rival, Rep. Kenny Hulshof, both released their debut ads earlier this month.

Click here to watch "Bush-McCain Challenge."

Who's taken a stronger stance on assault weapons, President Bush or John McCain? Which one said U.S. troops would be greeted as liberators in Iraq? Was it both?

These are questions MoveOn.org Political Action is asking voters in its new "Bush-McCain Challenge" ad campaign, the group's latest effort to tie the presumptive Republican nominee to his party's unpopular president. The push includes a new TV spot (subscription) launched yesterday, an online trivia game and more than 300 events across the country, all intended to draw parallels between the two Republicans' track records.

The music chosen for the ad -- the theme song of the 1960s "Patty Duke Show" -- makes sport of similar statements made by McCain and Bush, including downplaying the troubled economy. "They laugh alike, they walk alike, at times they even talk alike," goes the jingle, as viewers are directed to take MoveOn's online quiz comparing their policy positions. Between shots of the pair dancing and joking onstage, the ad includes footage from Bush's official endorsement of McCain at the White House in March.

The group's campaign is capitalizing on McCain's first public appearance with Bush since the endorsement, at a campaign stop held yesterday in Phoenix. Though the event was brief -- they were together in front of the cameras for less than a minute -- the two have been participating in private fundraisers throughout Arizona. But McCain has made an effort in recent speeches to counter claims that he will merely continue Bush's legacy, putting daylight between himself and the president on issues such as global warming and foreign policy.

Click here to watch "Change That's Working."

Former Rep. Jill Long Thompson pulled off a narrow win three weeks ago to cinch the Democratic nomination in Indiana's governor race, but the candidate now faces a tougher opponent in Republican incumbent Mitch Daniels. Long Thompson spent nearly all her campaign funds during the primary, while Daniels ran unopposed and has raised nearly $9 million.

Daniels has been as aggressive in his advertising strategy as in his fundraising, running 11 TV ads over the past several months, including one, "Change That's Working" (subscription), that launched the day Long Thompson officially became the Democratic nominee.

The spot is a departure from most of Daniels' advertising, which has so far been sunny and upbeat, if somewhat conventional. In the ad, no words are spoken; instead, striking orchestral music evocative of a summer blockbuster plays as statistics flash onscreen touting Daniels' accomplishments in office. "Just 3 Years. A World Of Change," reads one banner. The ad hits on a range of issues, from Indiana's "record breaking job creation" to a prescription drug plan initiated by Daniels. It closes by claiming, "We're just getting started."

Continue reading "Inundating Indiana" »

Click here to watch "Accountable."

Amid criticism for his stance against the 21st-century GI bill and his attempts at defending that position, as well as the continual veep questions, John McCain had his hands full over the long Memorial Day weekend. Now, McCain is attempting to refocus by setting his sights on two battleground states -- Pennsylvania and Michigan. An ad his campaign originally debuted in Iowa earlier this month will launch tomorrow in both states.

In a time of growing public discontent with the weakening economy, "Accountable" (subscription) attempts to soothe economic worries. "The great goal is to get the American economy running at full strength again -- creating the opportunities Americans expect and the jobs Americans need," McCain asserts in the ad.

An announcer contends that the presumptive GOP presidential nominee will revive the economy by simplifying taxes, making energy "cleaner, cheaper" and holding CEOs "accountable."

Oddly enough, a woman seen shaking hands with McCain in the video is wearing a Barack Obama shirt. Poor producing? Maybe. A subtle way to show McCain is all for bipartisanship? Perhaps. Regardless, though, it caught the attention of Politico blogger Ben Smith.

Click here to watch "Straight."

Although Barack Obama has largely turned his attention to the general election, campaigning this week in Western battleground states, three contests still remain in the Democratic primary race, and the campaign is seeking to ensure victory in a state largely considered safe for the Illinois senator -- South Dakota. Obama released two new TV ads in the Mount Rushmore State on Monday, including one featuring former Senate Majority Leader and campaign co-chairman Tom Daschle (D).

Daschle, one of Obama's most important surrogates, who is frequently mentioned as a top potential pick for vice president or chief of staff, makes an appeal to the rural and blue-collar voters who dominate South Dakota's demographic make-up in a new TV spot, "Straight" (subscription). He claims that Obama "understands the squeeze" being placed upon South Dakotans, who "are suffering with the cost of gas and groceries." Fighting back against charges of elitism that have dogged Obama in recent months, Daschle affirms that the Illinois senator is "rooted in the same values as most South Dakotans" and "has an understanding of America -- rural and urban alike." He touts the endorsements of fellow South Dakota Democrats Sen. Tim Johnson and Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, and he praises Obama's willingness to "talk straight" with the American people, something "we've needed... in this country for a long time."

Continue reading "Daschle's Devotion" »

Click here to watch "Steve Pearce: Wrong For New Mexico."

The GOP contenders vying for the open seat of retiring Sen. Pete Domenici (R) have continued their scathing attacks as the June 3 primary vote nears.

Last week, Rep. Heather Wilson (R) launched a new ad (subscription) chastising Rep. Steve Pearce (R) for voting in Congress to cut Social Security for widows and orphans, and to cut state hospital funding. "Steve Pearce: Cut Social Security. Cut New Mexico hospitals. Wrong for New Mexico," the announcer seethes. "With that record, he can't win in November."

The ad's hostile tone is similar to attack ads both candidates released in early May, which set the stage for the GOP battle. The Club for Growth has also run a series of ads in the state charging Wilson with being too liberal.

With the general election season just a week away, the Democratic candidate, Rep. Tom Udall, will likely benefit the most from these ad wars. He doesn't face any opposition in his party's primary, and he has more money than both Republicans.

Click here to watch "McCain On The GI Bill."

That's what a handful of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans asked John McCain and fellow GOP Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in two new ads VoteVets.org released this week to precede the Senate's consideration of the bipartisan 21st-century GI bill. The bill passed the Senate on Thursday as part of a larger war spending package that President Bush has threatened to veto.

The veterans in the ads claim that the bill, sponsored by Sens. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., offers them complete educational benefits, and they urge the senators to support it.

The ad targeting McCain and the one targeting Cornyn, who is facing a tough re-election challenge from Democrat Rick Noriega, are virtually identical, except the former contends that a substitute bill McCain has introduced would only provide partial benefits. "McCain thinks covering a fraction of our education is enough," one of the veterans says. "We didn't give a fraction in Iraq," says another. "We gave 100 percent."

Jon Soltz, an Iraq war veteran and chairman of VoteVets.org, continues to have high hopes for the Webb-Hagel bill.

"We'll consider any and all means we can to ensure that the president signs the bill, and if he doesn't, make sure that Congress knows that overriding a veto means supporting our troops," Soltz said. "It's that simple."

Click here to watch "Budget."

Club For Growth launched a new ad in New Mexico on Thursday, "Budget" (subscription), that criticizes Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) for what the group says is her liberal stance on fiscal issues. The ad contrasts Wilson's votes in the House unfavorably with those of her opponent in the New Mexico Senate primary, Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.). "When it comes to this year's budget, tell Wilson to vote like Pearce," an announcer concludes.

"Budget" comes on the heels of another ad Club For Growth ran in the state between May 9 and May 16, which focused on Wilson's vote in favor of expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program last year. "S-CHIP" (subscription) ties Wilson to Hillary Rodham Clinton and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who also voted for the measure, which an announcer contends is "one of the largest tax hikes, welfare expansions, and government-run health care plans in history."

"S-CHIP encompasses a lot of things that Republicans tend not to like," said Club For Growth spokeswoman Nachama Soloveichik. "We thought it was important for Republicans in the state to know how their Republicans were voting on these types of bills."

Click here to watch "McCain: Fire Charlie Black."

A new ad (subscription) launched nationwide today by MoveOn.org pressures John McCain to fire his chief campaign adviser, lobbyist Charlie Black. The ad comes on the heels of five McCain staff resignations in the past few weeks.

An announcer claims Black's firm has "made millions lobbying for the world's worst tyrants," including the Philippines' Ferdinand Marcos and Zaire's Mobutu Sese Seko, and concludes by imploring viewers, "Call John McCain, and tell him to fire Charlie Black."

Continue reading "McCain's Black Problem" »

Click here to watch "Values."

The two leading Republicans in the Missouri governor's race, which is wide open after Gov. Matt Blunt (R) announced in January he wasn't running for re-election, released their first ads last week, both focusing on traditional conservative values and faith-based issues.

Rep. Kenny Hulshof of Missouri's 9th District debuted with "Blessed" (subscription), which shows the congressman driving a pickup truck around rural parts of the state. "It takes faith to be a farmer, and a lot of hard work," Hulshof says. He talks about what he's learned "growing up in the Boot Hill" and concludes by emphasizing that "the basic moral strength of our people -- that's the foundation of our future."

State Treasurer Sarah Steelman also underscores conventional conservative values in her new ad, aptly titled "Values" (subscription). Steelman begins by asserting the importance of family, discussing her various roles as daughter, mother and wife. She then details her conservative credentials: "I worked to ban partial-birth abortion and wrote the amendment that protects marriage in Missouri."

Continue reading "Wanted: Values Voters" »

Following weeks of markedly mucky exchanges between Democratic presidential candidates, one lawmaker is bucking his party's trend by trying to set a positive tone for ads and asking independent groups to follow suit.

Rep. Tom Allen (D), who is running for Senate in Maine, said on Monday that he would denounce any third-party attack advertisements aimed at incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R), the Augusta Kennebec Journal reports.

"This would be a welcome departure from Congressman Allen's position last summer when his third-party allies ran nearly a million dollars worth of negative ads against Senator Collins," Collins' deputy campaign manager Felicia Knight said.

Republicans took Allen's proposal even further, saying they plan to ask the national party not to issue attack spots and called on Allen to do the same. Knight said that it would be a step toward "ensuring that the campaigns control the tone and the content of the television ads in this campaign."

In other advertising news:

Continue reading "Outside The Spotlight: Keeping The Peace In Maine" »

Even before the first ballots were cast in today's Kentucky and Oregon primaries, Hillary Rodham Clinton was already pressing on into new territory, releasing her first ad of the campaign in South Dakota -- one of the two last states to vote in the Democratic contest.

But if the market was new, the ad was not. Called "Falling Through" (subscription), it has been a staple of the Clinton campaign's ad lineup since it first aired in South Carolina four months ago. The spot compares "the Bush economy" to a trapdoor for middle-class families and promises that Clinton could be an able steward of the economy. Like the rest of Clinton's advertising since the Indiana and North Carolina primaries, it eschews attacks on Barack Obama in favor of promises to help working Americans.

As she has in so many recent primary contests, Clinton plans to keep the focus on economic concerns in her advertising and campaign stops in South Dakota, according to campaign spokesman Brendan Gilfillan. "She touched on it in her first rally when she came to Sioux Falls, and about the rural economy in her second stop," he said. "It's an important theme here in South Dakota."

And despite increased pressure for Clinton to exit the race, all signs point to her continuing the campaign until South Dakota and Montana cast the final ballots of the primary: Clinton's camp today released her "South Dakota Native-American agenda" and announced she would be returning for another visit to the state on Friday. "We've had a couple visits from Senator Clinton and a couple from President Clinton," Gilfillan said. "It's going to be full speed ahead in South Dakota."

Click here to watch "Just A Kid."

Democratic voters in Oregon are choosing today not only between Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, but also between attorney Steve Novick and state House Speaker Jeff Merkley, both seeking to take on Sen. Gordon Smith (R) in November. A plurality of Democrats reported being undecided (subscription) between Novick and Merkley with just over a week to go in the contest.

Novick, who is less than five feet tall and has a hook for a left hand, entered the race as an underdog. Merkley was the handpicked candidate of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. The DSCC has dedicated about $300,000 to TV ads for Merkley over the last several weeks, making this the first race the committee has jumped into during this election cycle. The Politico reports that, "If Novick wins the May 20 primary, it will mark the first time" that the DSCC "under Chairman Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has involved itself in a Democratic primary without seeing its favored candidate become the nominee."

In "Both Ways" (subscription), the DSCC goes after Smith for a negative ad he ran attacking both Merkley and Novick -- refuting only the charges against Merkley, however. An announcer points out that while Smith has said in TV ads that he wants to avoid "partisan fighting," his "other ads attack Democratic opponents and smear Jeff Merkley." The announcer claims that, not only did Merkley not take money from state lobbyists during the legislative session as Smith claims, but that "Gordon Smith knows it."

Continue reading "DSCC Throws Weight Behind Merkley" »

Click here to watch "Leading."

John McCain's new ad, "Leading" (subscription), opens with a jab at the squabbles going on between Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, asserting that "John McCain leads" while the two Democrats "argue and fight with each other."

The ad, released in Iowa on May 16, goes on to describe the presumptive Republican nominee's various proposals on economic issues. An announcer says McCain will cut wasteful spending, ease financial woes at the pump with the gas tax holiday and create a "real" health care plan that includes $5,000 tax credits.

The announcer concludes by stating that McCain is all about "leadership, not politics."

Click here to watch "Stand."

The battle for the open Senate seat being vacated by GOP Sen. Wayne Allard in Colorado has officially commenced on TV screens across the state, with both the major candidates releasing their first ads within the past week.

Rep. Mark Udall offers a glimpse of his energy policy proposals in his debut ad, "Stand" (subscription). The ad describes the Democrat's position on a series of bipartisan measures, including calls for more renewable fuels and plans to stimulate a "new energy economy" with tax incentives.

Bob Schaffer (R), former congressman and current energy industry executive, also released his first ad last week, "Moving Forward" (subscription). In the spot, Schaffer describes his deep roots in the state and touches on a few traditional Republican issues, such as balancing budgets and growing a strong economy.

Continue reading "Debut Ads Released In Colorado Senate Race" »

Click here to watch "He Understands Us."

Barack Obama is making an on-air appeal to voters in Puerto Rico, who head to the polls on Sunday, June 1. "He Understands Us" (subscription), airing in both English and Spanish, portrays Obama as sympathetic to the needs of Puerto Ricans and highlights several tenets of "the Obama plan."

The spot begins with an announcer noting that Obama was himself "born on an island," and that he "understands the worries of parents on our island." The ad shows footage of an Obama speech in which he promises to "be a president who finally makes health care affordable" and "ends this war in Iraq and finally brings our troops home." But the policy issue hit hardest in the ad is education. "The time has come to reform our education system," Obama declares, as text on screen indicates that the candidate will fight for "Puerto Rico’s fair share of federal education dollars."

Obama is perceived as having trouble winning over Hispanic voters, but the vote in Puerto Rico represents an opportunity to make up some ground with this group. Michelle Obama campaigned on the island last week, though so far the Illinois senator has no plans to go there himself.

Click here to watch "Bruce 'The Mud Man' Lunsford."

With less than 24 hours to go before voters head to the polls in Kentucky, businessman Greg Fischer is firing a last shot at his opponent in the Democratic Senate primary, health care executive Bruce Lunsford, in an effort to stage a last-minute comeback. Fischer was the first to go negative in the race, and he and Lunsford have been engaged in a back-and-forth over the last several weeks.

In "The Lesson" (subscription), Fischer's daughter, Mary, asks him what "change" means. "It means different things to different people," he explains, as shots of Lunsford promising "change" appear onscreen. "To Bruce Lunsford, change meant deserting the Democratic Party," Fischer charges, referring to Lunsford's decision to endorse Republican Ernie Fletcher in the 2003 race for governor after losing the Democratic primary. The ad shows footage of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., thanking Lunsford and calling him a "change agent," as Mary proclaims: "Ew. We need change, change we can trust."

Lunsford shot back two days later with "Trust," in which an announcer says that while Fischer "attacks Democrats for crossing party lines," he "and his family have given thousands to Republicans like George Bush and Mitch McConnell." The announcer also claims that the businesses Fischer owns "were investigated and fined by the federal government for unsafe working conditions."

Fischer responded with one of the more humorous ads we have seen this election season. In "Bruce 'The Mud Man' Lunsford" (subscription), the Fischer camp portrays the primary campaign as a wrestling match between Lunsford and "the good people of Kentucky." "In this corner we have Bruce 'Mud Man' Lunsford," an announcer proclaims as black-and-white footage of mud wrestling is shown. "He spent millions dragging Ben 'Good Guy' Chandler through the mud" in the 2003 gubernatorial race, "only to be knocked out and then endorse Republican Ernie Fletcher." The announcer then assails Lunsford for donating $60,000 to Republican candidates and denying it in a recent debate (he later apologized and said that he misspoke). "On Tuesday, stand up, Kentucky. Throw Bruce 'Mud Man' Lunsford out of the ring," the announcer concludes.

Continue reading "Mud Wrestling In Kentucky" »

Click here to watch "Right Track."

Hillary Rodham Clinton has devoted much of her endgame advertising to touting her reputation for pugnacity, but with conventional wisdom coalescing behind Barack Obama, she's been forced to back off the harsh rhetoric of recent primaries in favor of blander, less divisive economic appeals. The shift is evident in a raft of new ads just released by Clinton and her allies in Oregon and Kentucky.

Clinton's Kentucky campaign office on Friday announced it would be airing two new spots in the state focusing on the economy. In the first of these, "Right Track" (subscription), Clinton pledges to "put America back on the right track" by shifting the tax burden off of the middle class and onto the wealthy. Her second Kentucky ad, actually a reworked version of an old spot (subscription), features Clinton supporters in Ohio and Indiana who say her economic policies will help make their lives better.

Besides promoting her policy credentials in a state that has seen its share of economic troubles, the media buy is a signal from the Clinton camp that she intends to stay in the race, even as the ads' sunnier tone signals an acknowledgment that the rules of engagement have changed. And while polling and demographic data suggest tomorrow's vote could produce a Clinton blowout, her campaign may consider the advertising worthwhile -- despite the operation's outstanding $20 million debt -- because the Democratic Party's proportional allotment of delegates rewards running up big wins.

Continue reading "Playing Nice In Oregon & Kentucky" »

As the first presidential primary of the YouTube era nears its end, wonks may wonder which Web spots -- from both candidates and third parties -- have had the most impact on voters. The influence of online videos can be difficult to measure, but some independent developers have created tools that aim to contextualize Web video-watching trends and compare the resonance of different releases.

One such application, TimeTube, sorts YouTube videos based on a particular search term and charts them onto a timeline according to viewership. The more times the video has been watched, the larger its thumbnail appears onscreen.

Querying the three presidential candidates reveals that many of the most-watched videos are attack ads and embarrassing clips. For example, a satirical song criticizing John McCain's statements on Iraq and Iran is given prominence on his timeline because of its more than 1.6 million views. (His campaign's most-watched official Web release -- a 16-second clip of Bill Clinton praising McCain -- garnered fewer than a quarter as many hits.)

Searching for other politicians yields similarly negative results. "I'm particularly fond of Eliot Spitzer's TimeTube, which provides a nice contrast between his cheery political ads and the infamous Client Number 9 debacle," Jason Kincaid wrote at TechCrunch. While Kincaid questions the value of indexing videos based on when they were uploaded -- rather than the actual date of the footage -- TimeTube's system has the advantage of showing how old video clips are sometimes resurrected during a campaign, as when CBS excavated footage in response to Hillary Rodham Clinton's inaccurate recollection of a 1996 visit to Bosnia.

Continue reading "Putting Web Video Into Perspective" »

With questions persisting about Barack Obama's ability to win over working-class voters, particularly whites, Obama has embarked on a campaign this week to reach out to blue-collar Americans, re-donning the all-important American flag lapel pin and, as the New York Times points out, "sprinkling his speeches with references to God and country" to "reassure Democratic voters about his values." Obama is also up with two new radio ads in Kentucky -- home to many of the voters in question -- in which local Democratic leaders specifically reference Obama's Christian faith and love for his country.

Kentucky Rep. Ben Chandler (subscription) and Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo (subscription) star in the new spots, launched Wednesday, portraying Obama as someone Kentucky voters can relate to. "Once you get to know him, he’ll be like family to us," Mongiardo says in his ad. Both men talk about Obama's upbringing -- raised by a single mom, his grandfather who "served in Patton's army," and his grandmother who worked in a bomber factory" during World War II. "They didn't have much money, but they gave Barack a thirst for education, an abiding love for America, and a belief that we all have a stake in each other," Chandler says.

Both men stress the fact that Obama is a "strong Christian" who began his professional life working with churches "helping communities left behind when local plants closed." And they both touch on his economic plan, which calls for ending tax breaks for companies that outsource and providing tax breaks for the middle class.

Continue reading "Gimme That Old-Time Religion" »

Click here to watch "Fighting For New Mexico."

The Republican contest to hold onto the seat of retiring New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici still has three weeks to go before the primary vote, but already Reps. Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce have struck a contentious note, with a rash of negative TV ads earlier this month. That tone looks unlikely to change after Wilson began airing an ad this weekend criticizing Pearce for votes to shutter a local Air Force base and cut funding to government labs such as the one at Los Alamos.

"Pearce voted four times to slash lab funding that would have cost New Mexico thousands of jobs and put America's security at risk," the ad (subscription) warns. "Heather Wilson fought for New Mexico every time." Most of the attacks traded by the two campaigns in their paid media have revolved around their respective voting records in Congress.

The ad is Wilson's second of the race. Like her first, it concludes by labeling her a "common-sense conservative" -- setting her up as a more pragmatic, centrist alternative to Pearce, whose advertising has emphasized his ideological purity, calling him the "one conservative running for Senate."

Click here to watch "Believe."

Just six days out from a closely contested Democratic Senate primary vote in Oregon, state House Speaker Jeff Merkley and attorney Steve Novick are taking different approaches with their advertising strategies. While Merkley is fighting back against negative ads from Republican incumbent Gordon Smith and going after Novick with an attack ad, Novick has pledged to stay positive for the remainder of the race.

In Merkley's first TV ad of the month, "Places" (subscription), he highlights his working-class background, claiming that "Gordon Smith and I come from two very different places." An announcer then outlines Merkley's plans to help working-class families who are feeling the pinch from a slow economy.

Merkley was also quick to respond to a negative ad (subscription) released on May 2 by Smith, firing back just two days later with "Kidding" (subscription), which accuses Smith of hypocrisy and of "falsely" attacking Merkley. "Gordon Smith. Who is he kidding?" an announcer asks. Responding to Smith's claim that Merkley violated fundraising rules, the announcer insists that "Merkley enacted the toughest ethics reforms in Oregon's history," whereas it's "Smith who's taken a quarter of a million dollars from Big Oil and voted to give them billions in special tax breaks." Seeking to counter Smith's claim that he is a candidate of change, the ad labels him "just another special-interest senator."

Continue reading "Oregon Dems Duke It Out" »

Click here to watch "Change?"

After several months of sitting back and letting Democrats Steve Novick and Jeff Merkley go after each other, Republican incumbent Gordon Smith has jumped into the fray in the Oregon Senate race, launching attacks on both of his potential Democratic challengers, but saving special censure for Merkley.

Smith made his TV debut with "Get It" (subscription), a positive ad touting his record in the Senate as an "independent." Seated in a wood-paneled office with soothing music playing in the background, Gordon tries to separate himself from the "partisan fighting, gridlock" of the nation's capital. "That's Washington’s answer to your problems, not mine. I get it," he insists. "No matter who our next president is -- him or her -- I'll find common ground for the change we need." The ad closes with the tagline, "Common ground for the common good."

This tone of niceness didn't last long, however. Just days after "Get It" went on the air, Smith released an ad attacking both Merkley and Novick. "Change? " (subscription) challenges the notion that either Democrat will be a "candidate of change." An announcer accuses Merkley of breaking fundraising rules which he helped set and cites an article from the Oregonian calling Novick the "liberal champion of government spending."

Along with attacking his would-be opponents, Smith also attempts to do something in this ad that it may be difficult to pull off -- usurp the "change" label despite having 12 years of Washington experience. Merkley and Novick represent "more of the same when it's time for a change," the announcer concludes.

Continue reading "Smith Lashes Out At Oregon Dems" »

Click here to watch "Obamacan."

MoveOn.org, which has endorsed Barack Obama, announced the winner of its "Obama In 30 Seconds" ad contest on Monday. The liberal group will spend $200,000 airing the winning ad, "Obamacan" (subscription), on national cable stations and on network TV in Cincinnati, Milwaukee and Denver, all expected to be important markets in the general election. MoveOn says it will roll out the ad tomorrow, and that it will run for one week after that.

MoveOn put out the call for average citizens to create a 30-second spot about Obama and submit it for a vote by the organization's members, as well as a panel of 24 celebrity judges -- including actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, musician Moby, director Oliver Stone and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. According to the group, there were over 1,100 entries.

MoveOn spokeswoman Ilyse Hogue said that once the organization began to see a groundswell of support for Obama, they decided to give their members a way to participate directly in the campaign. She added, "We believe ads made by real people appeal to voters across the country as much, if not more than, ads made by paid political consultants."

The winning ad features Air Force veteran John Weiler, who says that although he's "been a Republican since before I could actually vote," he's supporting Obama. "We need somebody in the White House that is strong," Weiler says, as patriotic music plays and military medals are shown on screen. "We need somebody that’s going to represent the Left and the Right, the Democrat and the Republican -- everybody."

Continue reading "And The Winner Is..." »

Click here to watch "Strongest Plan."

Dismissing calls for her exit -- and setting aside for the moment her $20 million debt -- Hillary Rodham Clinton this weekend pressed ahead with her campaign in West Virginia and Oregon, expanding her ad buy in both states. Breaking the mold of previous Democratic primary contests, both she and Barack Obama have so far refrained from negative advertising in the run-up to votes in both states -- reflecting a larger shift in tone from Clinton's camp.

In a new spot (subscription) released Friday in Oregon, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson and his wife, outed CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson, say they support Clinton because she can best end the war in Iraq. "She has been a leader in pushing the administration for a serious exit strategy," Plame says. "She'll get the job done," agrees her husband. Equally positive is a second endorsement spot (subscription), which aired in Oregon on Mother's Day, featuring Chelsea Clinton discussing how her mother's values would be an asset to her as the first female president.

Clinton was no less active in West Virginia, where voters head to the polls today, releasing a slightly updated version of a populist economic spot (subscription) that ran previously in Texas. She also put out a last-minute radio ad to counter pundits who have written off the Mountain State as an easy Clinton win. "In Washington, some people say the presidential primary in West Virginia doesn't much matter," an announcer says. "But you know what? Tuesday we can show them." He goes on to remind listeners that "no president has been elected president without winning West Virginia for almost 100 years," and he praises Clinton's economic policies.

Click here to watch "Proven. Tested. Trusted."

As his Democratic opponents continue to challenge each other for their party's nomination, this Republican candidate with years of experience in Washington has begun running general election advertising before officially receiving the nod in order to maintain a presence in the race and define his candidacy before others can.

John McCain? No, Mike Johanns, former secretary of Agriculture, former Nebraska governor and current candidate for Senate in the state's uncrowded Republican field. Both parties hold their primaries on Tuesday, and Johanns is all but assured of the nomination.

Johanns recently released his first ad of the race, a bio spot replete with images of cowboys and hay-bailing that depicts him as the embodiment of "Nebraska values." In "Proven. Tested. Trusted." (subscription), an announcer claims that Johanns "led us out of a post-9/11 recession" as governor and "changed business as usual at the Department of Agriculture."

Johanns' focus on his experience in President Bush's Cabinet -- as well as his unlikely reference to the Sept. 11 attacks -- suggests that he won't try to distance himself from the past eight years of Republican leadership. Rather, the spot heavily emphasizes experience and nostalgia in an election cycle that Johanns' Democratic opponents are both betting will hinge on change.

Continue reading "Johanns Looks Past The Primary" »

Click here to watch "A Better Way."

For weeks now, Oregon voters have been the target of campaign events and political advertisements from both Democratic candidates. In an effort to remind Oregonians that there's another candidate in the race, John McCain will today reach out to the Beaver State with his first TV spot there.

"A Better Way" (subscription) spotlights McCain's determination to alleviate global warming without expansive government programs. Framing climate change as "a national security issue," McCain urges a third way between those who think "high taxes and crippling regulation is the solution" and another side that "denies the problem even exists." Throughout, the ad features images of rising gas prices and natural disasters to underline the urgency of the issue and our "obligation to future generations to take action and fix it," as McCain says.

The McCain camp has so far made a concerted effort to amplify the message of his issue-oriented campaign tours with ads on health care and the economy. "A Better Way" comes as McCain embarks on a campaign swing intended to promote his commitment to the environment and, in the process, further separate himself from the policies of the Bush administration. The spot is an implicit reaction to ads from Democrats and third-party groups that have tried to chip away at McCain's image and portray him as little better than President Bush on the environment.

McCain's advisers have indicated that they hope to put Oregon into play in the general election. By investing in airtime now, he not only competes with ads currently airing from Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, he also attempts to build post-partisan credibility while explicitly assuaging the concerns of conservatives opposed to the "high taxes and crippling regulation" his ad warns against.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is going on the offensive against Freedom's Watch, alleging that the conservative group is illegally coordinating with the National Republican Congressional Committee and violating its tax-exempt status.

With Republicans facing a dire situation -- a slew of open congressional seats combined with lackluster fundraising for the NRCC -- Freedom's Watch has stepped in to fill a hole, running negative ads against Democratic candidates Don Cazayoux in Louisiana and Travis Childers in Mississippi.

Ads run against Cazayoux in Louisiana's 6th District special election campaign attempted to tie the candidate to Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, and to portray Cazayoux as a tax-and-spend liberal. (Despite these efforts, Cazayoux won the election last week.)

Continue reading "DCCC vs. Freedom's Watch" »

Click here to watch "Johnny's Mom."

The winter holiday season brought with it a wave of questionable holiday-themed campaign spots (subscription), and now at least one candidate is doing the same for Mother's Day. John McCain's camp announced today it would run a new spot this Sunday featuring the candidate's mother, Roberta, reminiscing about his birth and upbringing.

Over an unusually cheery soundtrack for a political advertisement, Roberta trades playful banter with her son and says "he'll make a wonderful president." By spotlighting McCain's 96-year-old mother, the campaign hopes to appeal to female voters, who polls show currently favor Barack Obama, while also reminding viewers concerned about his age that his mother is still sharp as she nears her centennial. The buy will be limited to cable channels that cater primarily to female audiences, such as Lifetime, Oxygen and the Hallmark Channel.

In a larger sense, the ad is of a piece with the campaign's strategy of using earned media to blunt the Democrats' fundraising advantage. Assuming the cutesy spot gets picked up on the Internet and cable news channels, the campaign could greatly amplify the reach of what is really a limited buy on a handful of niche channels.

Click here to watch "Say No To Lunsford."

Businessman Greg Fischer fired the first salvo against health care executive Bruce Lunsford late last month, in what has become an increasingly tense race for the Kentucky Democratic Senate nomination.

Fischer's attack ad features actress Dale Carter Cooper making accusations about Lunsford's tenure at a nursing home business, Vencor. "He's the last person in the world I'd want in the Senate," Cooper says of Lunsford, charging that "his business practices are totally unethical." She accuses Lunsford of "evicting elderly people from nursing homes," leaving them "out in the cold" with "no place to go, no person to appeal to." The ad ends with this definitive message appearing on screen: "Say no to Bruce Lunsford."

Continue reading "Kentucky Ad Derby" »

Even before the Indiana and North Carolina results were in, Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton were looking ahead to the five states and one territory yet to vote in the protracted nomination contest. Putting his fundraising advantage to work (Clinton announced today that she has lent her campaign $6.4 million over the past month, while Obama continues to report strong numbers), the Illinois senator beat his rival to the airwaves in all six contests, going up with TV spots in West Virginia, Oregon, Kentucky, Puerto Rico, South Dakota and Montana by April 26.

West Virginia is the next to vote, on May 13, and Clinton is considered the favorite. But Obama is focusing on economic issues in hopes of attracting some of the blue-collar voters that make up a huge percentage of the state's electorate. A topic that dominated the debate in Indiana is spilling over into West Virginia -- what to do about gas prices. In "Nothing's Changed," a spot that debuted in Pennsylvania, Obama goes after oil companies for gouging customers at the pump and promises to change the system if elected.

Continue reading "Six To Go" »

Members of Hezbollah are borrowing tricks from U.S. advertising for an upcoming campaign commemorating the eighth anniversary of the Israeli military withdrawal from Southern Lebanon after a 17-year occupation.

Artists and writers designing the slick billboards, leaflets and television spots used U.S. advertising yearbooks as source material, the International Herald Tribune reports. The group's brightly colored promotional materials, which are reminiscent of promotions for energy drinks and MP3 players, are just one part of a sophisticated program of public relations and branding that takes its cues from Madison Avenue.

"The dominant style is American," graphic-design professor Zeina Maasri told the Herald Tribune. "It's a kind of communication you can't escape. [Americans] sell politics as a commodity."

In other advertising news:

Continue reading "Outside The Spotlight: 'Politics As A Commodity'" »

Click here to watch "Consistent Conservative."

After both faced negative advertising from a third-party group, the two Republican members of Congress vying to replace Sen. Pete Domenici (R) have each released negative ads of their own -- against each other.

Two weeks ago, Rep. Steve Pearce released a TV ad, "Consistent Conservative," claiming the conservative mantle for himself and implying that his primary opponent, Rep. Heather Wilson, is too liberal for New Mexico. "There's only one: only one conservative in the race for Senate," the ad says, crediting Pearce for being "the only New Mexico congressman to oppose a disastrous government-run socialized-medicine scheme" (a reference to the State Children's Health Insurance program, which Wilson supported).

The attacks became more explicit a week later, when Pearce's campaign released a second ad alleging that Wilson missed important votes in order to film negative campaign commercials. "Wilson missed doing the people's work, because she put her political ambition first," an announcer claims. For good measure, the ad's tagline -- "liberal values, liberal votes" -- adds the charge of liberalism to its accusations of congressional truancy.

Continue reading "When New Mexico Reps Attack" »

Just days after expanding her paid media effort into Oregon, Hillary Rodham Clinton is on the air in West Virginia with a slightly tweaked version of a populist economic spot (subscription) that first aired in South Carolina. In "Falling Through," Clinton speaks to voters' sense of economic anxiety, comparing the Bush economy to a trapdoor and promising "to be a president who stands up for all of you."

"Falling Through" joins advertising from Barack Obama already on air in West Virginia, where Democratic voters will head to the polls on May 13. What limited statewide polling is available shows signs that Clinton already enjoys a sizable lead in the Mountain State, but given the proportional allotment of delegates under Democratic Party rules -- not to mention the volatility of the race so far -- it's been in both candidates' interests to invest even in states they could be assumed to safely carry.

Click here to watch "Minute."

Hoosiers and Tar Heels head to the polls today with the same mix of messages voters in other hotly contested primary states received from Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton: positive ads followed by several days of back-and-forth attacks, ending with closing arguments that make only veiled references to the opponent.

Since Friday, Obama has released four new ads in the two states set to vote today, with slightly different versions of some running in Indiana and North Carolina. Three of the four are contrast spots slamming Clinton for negative campaigning, and for supporting John McCain's gas tax holiday proposal.

"Pennies," released Friday, repeats Obama's accusation that Clinton's support for the gas tax holiday represents "political pandering." "It's an election-year gimmick saving Hoosiers just pennies a day," the Indiana version states, citing newspaper articles and data from Americans For Transportation Mobility. "Boost" takes up the same topic, arguing in the North Carolina version that Clinton's strongest surrogate in the state, Gov. Mike Easley, disagrees with the proposal. Referencing a Washington Post article, an announcer also claims that even Clinton's aides "admit it won't do much for you -- but would help her politically." "Here's the choice" as these ads lay it out: "Clinton gimmicks that help big oil, or Barack Obama -- a real energy plan and a $1,000 middle-class tax cut to help families truly pay the bills."

Continue reading "Closing The Case" »

Click here to watch "Determined."

Though her media team is already looking ahead to the upcoming Oregon primary, Hillary Rodham Clinton hasn't forgotten Indiana or North Carolina just yet. Since Thursday, her campaign has debuted four TV ads in those two states: an attack ad targeting Barack Obama, a new endorsement spot, an ad on kitchen-table issues in Indiana and a reworked version of an older ad contrasting Clinton's economic plans with those of President Bush.

The campaign's new attack ad running in both states takes issue with Obama's opposition to the proposed suspension of the gas tax, which Clinton says she would fund by diverting subsidies away from oil companies. "What has happened to Barack Obama?" an announcer asks. "He is attacking Hillary's plan to give you a break on gas prices because he doesn't have one." Reinforcing one of the key elements of Clinton's campaign, the announcer portrays her as more in touch with working people, claiming, "Hillary's the one who gets it."

Continue reading "Endgame In North Carolina & Indiana" »

Click here to watch "Turn."

After being beaten to the airwaves by Barack Obama in Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Indiana, Hillary Rodham Clinton has once again followed closely behind her opponent with a new ad buy in Oregon -- her first advertising in the state.

The move has symbolic importance given the ongoing calls for Clinton to concede the nomination to Obama; by investing in Oregon before Indiana or North Carolina have voted, she signals her commitment to fight on in the Beaver State's May 20 primary regardless of the outcome in those two states tomorrow.

"Turn" represents something of a scrapbook of past Clinton advertising, mixing together footage and policy proposals from several previous ads. It's clearly tailored for Oregon Democrats, however, opening with Clinton addressing the state's voters directly and going on to tout her pledges to withdraw troops from Iraq within 60 days and create more green jobs. "It's going to take a fighter to meet these challenges," Clinton concludes, reminding voters once again of the talking point that has become her candidacy's raison d'etre.

Click here to watch "Health Solutions."

While his two Democratic opponents have talked mostly about the struggling economy in their recent paid media, John McCain continues to focus on health care, releasing his second ad on the subject in a week.

"Health Solutions," which debuted across Ohio on Friday, ticks off McCain's health proposals, from allowing importation of prescription drugs to ending "junk lawsuits that tax consumers." Like his previous spot on the subject, "Health Solutions" is heavy on specific policy plans -- a departure from McCain's earlier biographical ads.

The ad opens boldly with the words "President McCain" appearing onscreen with a slow-motion shot of the Arizona senator striding confidently, segueing into an announcer listing McCain's "bold solutions" over a jittery, futuristic-looking background. By playing up his health care plans with phrases like "bold solutions" and "straight talk," the ad injects some energy into what could be a dry laundry list of wonky details.

Continue reading "McCain Tries To Liven Up Health Care Debate" »

Click here to watch "Truth."

A legitimate policy debate has arisen between the two Democratic presidential candidates this week: whether or not to support John McCain's plan for a gas tax holiday this summer. While Hillary Rodham Clinton has jumped on the Straight Talk Express for this particular issue, Barack Obama is the only candidate to reject the proposal, calling it a "Washington gimmick."

Today the Obama camp is out with a new TV ad, a response to Clinton's "Trouble" ad that launched yesterday, in which she jabs Obama for his opposition to her foreclosure freeze and the gas tax plan. Showing footage of a stump speech given by Obama in North Carolina this week, "Truth" suggests that the McCain/Clinton proposal is "typical of how Washington works" and a "short-term quick fix," while he is the candidate who will bring long-term change to the country's oil addiction.

"I'm here to tell you the truth," Obama declares in the ad, airing in Indiana and North Carolina. "We could suspend the gas tax for six months," but individuals would only save about $25, "or half a tank of gas." He proposes "going after oil companies" for "price gouging," while focusing on the larger problem of the nation's overall oil consumption. "That's the real honest answer to how we're going to solve this problem," not political posturing, he says.

Continue reading "Fact Check On Fuel" »