Click here to watch "Better Off."

Progressive Future, progressive advocacy group that is backing Barack Obama, is making a last-minute appeal to Reagan Democrats using none other than Ronald Reagan himself.

Their new TV spot, "Better Off" (subscription), uses footage of a famous moment in Reagan's 1980 presidential debate with Jimmy Carter to try to win over undecided voters. "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" Reagan asked in 1980. Plummeting stock prices and video footage of Osama bin Laden and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina play on screen as Reagan speaks about economic security and America's standing in the world. "If you don’t think that this course that we’ve been on for the last four years is what you would like to see us follow for the next four, then I could suggest another choice that you have," Reagan says as a photo of Obama fills the screen.

“With our economy in crisis and our soldiers still at war, Ronald Reagan’s question is as relevant today as it was in 1980,” said Progressive Future political director Brad Martin in a press release. The group cites data from Gallup that shows over 90 percent of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. In addition to running the TV ad in Ohio and Florida, Progressive Future will spend the last 96 hours of the election on volunteer mobilization and get-out-the-vote efforts.

Click here to watch "Meghan."

The Service Employees International Union is putting nearly a half million dollars behind an ad -- running in Ohio only -- that criticizes John McCain for supporting policies that it says resulted in American jobs going overseas.

"Meghan" (subscription), started running in this pivotal battleground state Thursday. The spot features Meghan Cofield, a Dayton factor worker who saw her job move to China. The group chides McCain for supporting the North American Free Trade Act, which the SEIU asserts allows companies to receive tax benefits for exporting jobs overseas.

While both candidates have led in Ohio over the last several months, the latest polling data compiled from Pollster.com shows Barack Obama's numbers going up while McCain's trending downward.

Click here to watch "Crist."

John McCain is largely absent from three of his latest ads, which instead star two popular members of his own party -- as well as his opponent, Barack Obama.

"Crist" (subscription), released Thursday, features Florida Gov. Charlie Crist touting his support for McCain. The ad stays positive, showering the Arizona senator with praise for being a reformer dedicated to bipartisanship. "Our next president will face enormous challenges. For me, the choice is clear," Crist says. "John McCain is an American hero."

Crist's endorsement couldn't come at a more crucial time. His state, which has leaned Obama since mid-September, has been the recipient of the most ad dollars by both campaigns and the Republican National Committee. According to a new report [PDF] by the Wisconsin Advertising Project, McCain and the RNC spent almost $1.5 million in the Sunshine State for the week of Oct. 21-28, while Obama doled out a whopping $4.6 million there.

A McCain/RNC radio ad released today in Virginia, "Cuts" (subscription), features Sen. John Warner, R-Va., asserting that McCain will protect Virginia's defense industry from "Obama's liberal colleagues in Congress," who he says plan to "cut defense spending by 25 percent." Virginia, another battleground state that started trending blue in mid-September, is also among the states drawing the most ad dollars, according to the Wisconsin Advertising Project.

In addition to Crist and Warner, even McCain's opponent is unwittingly enlisted for the cause in another new ad. "Obama Praises McCain" (subscription) airs footage of the Illinois senator in January 2007 hailing McCain's "outstanding leadership" on greenhouse gas legislation.

Other recent spots released by the McCain camp and the RNC have followed this pattern. Crist previously starred in another McCain/RNC spot, "Spreading The Wealth" (subscription), as did country music star Hank Williams Jr. (subscription).

Click here to watch "Something."

Ahead in the polls and confident about his ground game, Barack Obama is making a final push with two new TV ads that encapsulate his campaign's double-edged strategy of criticizing John McCain while also trying to inspire supporters. The ad buys for these final spots are also representative of the way the campaign is playing out, with Obama pushing further and further into red territory, even McCain's home state.

"Rearview Mirror" (subscription) brings home Obama's argument on the economy and on McCain's relationship with President Bush. The spot shows a man driving a truck down the road, as an announcer asks: "Wonder where John McCain would take the economy? Look behind you." An image of Bush pops up in the rearview mirror. Signs along the road detail how McCain's policies are a direct continuation of Bush's, according to the Obama camp. Finally, the driver looks back in the mirror to see images of Bush and McCain together, as the announcer repeats the now-familiar tagline: "We can't afford more of the same."

In "Something" (subscription), on the other hand, Obama seeks to inspire viewers to become part of the movement that he has created during the course of his campaign. "Something's happening in America -- in small towns and big cities," the announcer observes as the camera pans across large, diverse crowds of Obama supporters. "People from every walk of life uniting in common purpose." The ad touts some of Obama's biggest endorsements, from Warren Buffett and Colin Powell, before showing a clip of one of his characteristically rousing speeches. "We can choose hope over fear, and unity over division, the promise of change over the power of the status quo," he says to huge applause.

The Illinois senator is releasing his new ads in three states that voted overwhelmingly for Bush in 2004 and should have been safe territory for McCain -- Georgia, North Dakota and McCain's home state of Arizona. New data released by the Wisconsin Ad Project [PDF] shows that, during the week of October 21-28, three-quarters of Obama's and McCain's advertising dollars were spent in red states, demonstrating that McCain is, in fact, playing defense.

MoveOn.org is also purchasing time in Arizona to re-air "Obamacan" (subscription), the spot that won the group's "Obama in 30 Seconds" ad contest back in May. It 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 this year.

Pollster.com shows McCain up by an average of six points in Arizona, but Democrats clearly feel the race is close enough to warrant spending some resources there.

Click here to listen to the 30-second spot and here for the 60-second spot.

Quadrennial presidential candidate Ralph Nader hit the airwaves Tuesday with two new radio ads -- his first advertising buy of the election season -- to decry the financial bailout and offer himself as an alternative to the two major-party candidates.

"How much more political garbage will you take from the Republicans and Democrats?" the ad’s narrator asks. "On November 4, you have a choice: the bailout boys McCain and Obama, or Ralph Nader, the man who for more than 40 years has stood with you against Wall Street crime and Washington corruption."

The 30- and 60-second spots are running in 22 markets in 12 states -- including battlegrounds like Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. But Jason Kafoury, Nader’s national campaign coordinator, insisted that Nader is not trying to run as a spoiler.

The decision on where to run the ads was based on where the campaign has the strongest numbers. Kafoury pointed to a CNN/Time poll [PDF] released today that shows Nader with 3-4 percent support in Nevada, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

And Nader is siphoning most of those votes from John McCain, not Barack Obama, Kafoury added.

"Independents that would vote for McCain are breaking towards third-party candidates," Kafoury said.

Nader, 74, has run in four consecutive presidential elections. In 1996 and 2000, he was the Green Party's nominee; in 2004 and this year, he has run as an independent.

All ad summary pages are available to subscribers only.

Idaho Senate (tip sheet)

• Former Republican Gov. Jim Risch touts his executive record and his plans for turning the economy around in "Jim Risch Just Gets Things Done."

Kentucky Senate (tip sheet)

• In a new ad from Bruce Lunsford (D), a Kentucky man chases down Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) with "Hound Dogs" as the incumbent tries "running away from his record."

• And in "Hillary," Lunsford receives the endorsement of the New York senator.

Maine Senate (tip sheet)

• Republican Susan Collins, seeking to defend her seat, cites statistics to show she's been more effective in Washington than her opponent, Rep. Tom Allen (D), in "Scorecard."

• Allen goes after Collins for standing with Bush on major issues in "Right," while Maine voters discuss why they are switching their vote from Collins this year in "Voting Record."

Continue reading "The Week In Political Ads" »

Click here to watch "Surgeon."

After employing images of a "Chair" (subscription) and a "Storm" (subscription) to question Barack Obama's ability to lead in uncertain times, the Republican National Committee is once again using vivid symbolism to lambaste the Democrat, in a new ad released this morning.

"Surgeon" (subscription), the final installment of what RNC spokesman Brad Todd says is the party's "closing argument," begins with an announcer asking, in a grave tone: "Would you get on a plane with a pilot who has never flown? Would you trust your child with someone who has never cared for children? Would you go under with a surgeon who has never operated?" The ad then draws a parallel between these scenarios and the prospect of an Obama presidency, citing a quote from the Irish Sunday Independent: "Can you hand your nation to a man who has 'never been in charge of anything?' Can you wait while he learns?"

The original quote, published in mid-September, was actually targeted at Joe Biden: "Obama chose a charisma-free windbag who is the archetypal Washington insider and -- like Hillary [Rodham Clinton] and Obama himself -- has never been in charge of anything."

"Surgeon" is running in Ohio, Indiana, Florida and Virginia, which are among the same handful of battlegrounds where John McCain is focusing his ad dollars as well.

The RNC also released a Spanish version of "Storm" today in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., markets. This pivotal state, which was lining up solidly in the McCain column until mid-September, is now leaning toward Obama by at least a handful of percentage points in various national polls, according to Pollster.com.

The RNC is wrapping up its on-air efforts in Colorado, Pennsylvania and the once-solid red states of West Virginia, Montana and North Carolina as well. According to a press release, the party is in the process of spending more than $25 million in the last two weeks leading up to Nov. 4.

Updated Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008.

Barack Obama's 30-minute infomercial -- estimated to cost $3.5-4 million -- is getting mostly rave reviews from the commentariat. But what do the voters think?

According to Nielson's ratings, they at least tuned in. Overall, 21.7 percent of households watching TV at 8 p.m. on Wednesday night were tuned to one of the six networks that aired the extended ad. Ross Perot, the last presidential candidate to run this type of longer pitch, garnered 16.8 percent of viewers with a spot on Election Day in 1992. The first presidential debate between Obama and John McCain received a 34.7 percent rating and the final debate 38.3 percent.

As for McCain's complaints that Obama was delaying the start of the World Series game, Phillies and Rays fans didn't seem to hold it against him -- the Philadelphia and West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, Fla., markets ranked second and third highest in the ratings, coming in just behind Baltimore.

UPDATE: Nielsen has reported that that 21.7 percent of households translates to 33.5 million viewers for Obama's ad. On an average Wednesday night, the networks on which the spot aired attract a combined 30.3 million viewers.

Click here to watch "Dictators Mock Obama's Ignorance."

In the closing days of the presidential race, John McCain and the GOP are returning to a theme that was previously a centerpiece of their campaign against Barack Obama but faded during the past several months: that electing a president with as little foreign policy experience as Obama is dangerous during this uncertain time.

Our Country Deserves Better PAC is also seizing on the experience mantra in a humorous new ad (subscription) released on national cable and on broadcast TV in several targeted states, including Michigan, on Wednesday. Actors playing world leaders hostile to America, including Kim Jong Il of North Korea, Fidel Castro of Cuba and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, are shown sitting around a conference table under a banner that reads: "The League Of Rogue Nations." The phone rings and is answered by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "Obama wants to meet," he tells his colleagues. "No preconditions!" Castro cheers.

Given the option of choosing the time and place, Ahmadinejad goes on to dismiss the person on the other end of the line. "Tuesday is no good. Thursday we enrich uranium. I mean, we have our bowling league," he says. Insisting that they are busy "all week," he tells the imaginary Obama representative: "We’ll get back to you." An announcer chimes in, concluding that Obama is "no match for America’s enemies."

"We wanted to cut through the clutter of so many political ads with something that was funny and different," said PAC coordinator Joe Wierzbicki, adding that the group is putting at least $150,000 behind the new spot. "We think this will be an effective means by which to remind people that Obama has almost zero foreign policy experience, and has already provoked controversy over remarks he has made in the realms of foreign policy and national defense."

Our Country Deserves Better PAC wrapped up a 15-day "Stop Obama" road trip in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, after hitting battleground states Nevada, Colorado, Michigan and Ohio, among others.

The latest ad coverage from CongressDaily reports Democrats are pouring even more money into House races nationwide -- and increasingly tapping into anti-trade sentiment. All stories are available for subscribers only.

• "The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reported making another $10 million in independent expenditures this week, including more than $929,000 for a TV ad linking Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., to President Bush on the economy," Darren Goode reports.

• "Free-trade advocates could face a lonely 111th Congress if the Democrats' campaign rhetoric is any indication," reports Peter Cohn. "References to 'job-killing trade deals,' outsourcing and anti-China sentiment abound, with more than 100 trade-related advertisements and counting."

• "Maine Democratic Rep. Tom Allen is denouncing GOP Sen. Susan Collins over campaign ads noting he has missed 157 votes," CongressDaily staff report. "Many of the missed votes occurred as his wife fought breast cancer and his parents were dying, Allen said Tuesday."

Click here to watch "Gianna Responds."

Gianna Jessen, an abortion survivor who was featured in a September TV ad by the anti-abortion group BornAliveTruth.org, is speaking out in a new spot (subscription) against what she calls personal attacks by Barack Obama.

"Seen this ad? In it, Senator Obama personally attacks me," Jessen says of an Obama campaign spot that called her previous ad with the 527 group a "despicable lie." Jessen assures viewers that she's "dealt with worse. I’ve survived an abortion." She then reiterates the message from her first ad, that Obama has voted repeatedly against providing medical care for infants who survive abortions. She also recounts Obama's comment during a forum at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in August that determining when babies are endowed with human rights is "above his pay grade."

BornAliveTruth.org is spending about $90,000 to run the new spot in Cleveland between now and Election Day. The group has also gotten some help from Focus on the Family Action, James Dobson's Colorado-based organization that advocates for family issues, which has agreed to spend $500,000 airing a radio version of Jessen's first TV ad on Colorado stations.

"We want to make sure voters are aware of Barack Obama’s extreme stance on abortion," BornAliveTruth.org Executive Director Jill Stanek said in a press release.

Click here to view "An Outlaw's Worst Nightmare."

John McCain says he's a maverick, but the National Rifle Association would prefer a ranger. A Texas Ranger, to be precise.

The NRA began airing a 45-second TV spot (subscription) Tuesday featuring martial arts icon Chuck Norris, a familiar face in Republican politics this election cycle.

"If some thug breaks into my home, I can use my roundhouse kick, but I’d prefer he look down the barrel of my gun," Norris says in the ad, which is heavy on rattlesnake shakes and has a soundtrack befitting a high-noon duel.

Continue reading "Chuck Norris Throws Down For The NRA" »

Click here to watch "Not This Time."

Millions of Americans are bound for the ballot box in less than a week and many more have taken advantage of early voting, so it's no surprise that the community advocacy group ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is in the spotlight.

John McCain's campaign and other Republicans charge that the group has created phony forms to register ineligible people and even fictitious characters like Mickey Mouse. The camp has also called for federal investigations into Barack Obama's ties to the group, claiming that the Democrat has given more than $800,000 in the last year to an organization that is a subsidiary for ACORN.

In response, ACORN today released an ad, "Not This Time" (subscription), that claims these allegations are just the latest in a string of efforts over the years to keep people from voting. Accompanied by the image of a black man getting older from frame to frame, an announcer laments that "it happened to him in 1960. In 1965. And again in 2000. He was intimidated so he wouldn't vote."

While most, if not all, third-party ads in this election have focused on attacking candidates on some issue or another, this spot differs in that it's an attempt by the group to defend itself from claims made against it. This is illustrated most clearly in the ad's closing line: "ACORN. Voting is your right. Protecting it is our job."

The spot also capitalizes on a series of voter intimidation lawsuits, particularly one against New Mexico Republicans, that ACORN is advocating for. The lawsuits, as well as the ad, were announced this morning at a press conference in Washington that was followed up by a conference call with reporters. These events, coupled with the ad's limited release (initial buy of $50,000 in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and D.C.), suggest that this spot is aimed primarily at the media and not voters themselves.

Indeed, in ACORN's conference call, Executive Director Steve Kest said the spot is running in those markets "because we’re trying to reach opinion leaders and policy makers who we would like see call on the McCain campaign to stop these efforts." He added, however, that as the group raises more money, it will look to run the ad in "more contested states." He also downplayed questions about Obama's involvement with the group, saying ACORN has "no relationship with the campaign whatsoever."

Before ACORN's press conference, the Republican National Committee released a statement by chief counsel Sean Cairncross that brushed off the lawsuits as "yet another attempt by this questionable organization to waste valuable taxpayer money and cloud their own record of voter registration fraud." The statement further asserts that Obama's ties to the ACORN subsidiary should "be scrutinized closely and both organizations should be denounced widely for implementing such low-brow tactics, which compromise the integrity of our nation’s electoral process."

Click here to watch "His Choice."

Barack Obama is set to air a 30-minute infomercial/campaign ad on network TV at 8 p.m. tonight. But that does not mean his campaign is letting up on its more traditional 30-second spots. Obama has released several new ads in "key states" this week, attacking John McCain on economic issues and touting his own proposals.

In "Tested" (subscription), the Obama camp responds to the controversy over comments by vice presidential candidate Joe Biden at a recent campaign fundraiser, in which he suggested that America's foes would initiate some kind of crisis to "test" Obama within his first six months of office.

"An economic meltdown. Two wars. And John McCain’s playing with audio tapes," an announcer charges, accusing McCain of distorting Biden's message in "Ladies And Gentlemen" (subscription), released last week. The announcer acknowledges that the "next president" will, in fact, "be tested" (implying that it is irrelevant whether Obama or McCain is elected), but he then introduces another part of Biden's comments left out of the McCain ad, in which the Delaware senator says that those who do "test" Obama will "find out this guy’s got steel in his spine."

Citing quotes from several newspaper editorials, the spot goes on to compare Obama's and McCain's reactions to the economic crisis, saying Obama has shown a "steady hand" while McCain has been "erratic." The real "risk" the country faces, the announcer concludes, is electing a president whose "policies follow in [President] Bush’s footsteps."

"His Choice" (subscription) also portrays McCain as inadequate to the task of fixing the economy, but goes a step further with a swipe at the GOP candidate's running mate, Sarah Palin. In this ad, text of three different McCain quotes appears on screen. ""The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should," reads one. The next says: "I might have to rely on a vice president that I select" for expertise on economic issues. Footage of Palin winking into the TV camera at the vice presidential debate appears, with the words "His choice?" superimposed.

Finally, "Better Off" catalogs the myriad economic challenges -- foreclosures, rising unemployment, falling wages -- facing Americans right now. "For too many, the American dream is fading," Obama chimes in, seeking to identify with working- and middle-class voters. "We need a new direction. Now. And that's why I'm running for president," he says directly into the camera.

Obama plans to use his half-hour spot tonight to make a "closing argument" to the American people, and such messages, focused on helping the middle class and changing the direction of the country, are sure to be at the heart of the address.

Click here to watch "TV Special."

John McCain is going for his David-and-Goliath moment. Cash-poor and trailing in the polls, the Arizona senator is launching a preemptive strike against Barack Obama's 30-minute prime-time TV address tonight with "TV Special" (subscription).

The ad opens by tweaking Obama with the terms of celebrity rhetoric that McCain used this summer: "Behind the fancy speeches, grand promises and TV specials lies the truth," an announcer says. The spot contrasts pictures of Obama speaking, including his infamous Berlin address, with others that embody the hot-button issues of the election. Images of soldiers, foreclosure signs and rows of cars flash across the screen while an announcer asserts that Obama "lacks the experience America needs. And it shows. His response to our economic crisis is to spend and tax our economy deeper into recession."

The last line of the ad is a notable change from McCain's other spots on the experience theme: "The fact is, Barack Obama's not ready yet." The word "yet" may appeal to those voters who are wary of the Democrat's lack of experience but still like the idea of him in the White House. By ending on that word, McCain is effectively saying that he's the safer bet now without entirely dismissing Obama.

Click here to watch "Gambling."

What do Paris Hilton and Britney Spears have in common with John McCain? According to a new ad (subscription) from a campaign finance advocacy group, it's their fondness for gambling. Campaign Money Watch takes it one step further, however, contending that the Republican nominee is not only "betting at casinos," he's also "gambling with their lobbyists."

The ad claims that gaming interests have contributed more than $1 million to McCain and the Arizona senator has become "gambling's go-to guy." The spot concludes by urging McCain to "walk away from special interests' money" and support the Fair Elections Now Act. The bill's Senate co-sponsors in 2007 included Barack Obama and Wisconsin Democrat Russell Feingold, who also co-sponsored McCain's own campaign finance reform legislation [PDF].

David Donnelly, executive director of Campaign Money Watch, said that Obama's withdrawal from the public finance system for the election only reiterates the notion that the current system is broken, and that new legislation, such as the Fair Elections Now Act, is a step toward fixing it. "We’re not going to hold a Republican or Democrat accountable for opting in or opting out of the system," he said. Instead, he said, the "barometer of where a candidate stands on public finance" should be whether they support this kind of reform.

Donnelly says the references to Spears and Hilton and the scrutiny of McCain's links to lobbyists are meant to be emblematic of the issues that have come up in the election. The group previously attacked McCain in June with an ad that questioned his involvement, by way of lobbyist connections, in an Air Force contract that went to Airbus, a French company, instead of the American company Boeing.

Click here to watch "El Sueno Americano."

Barack Obama is capping off what his campaign claims is "the most aggressive Spanish-language media effort in presidential campaign history" with a series of new TV and radio ads released Monday. In addition, Obama announced that, along with his purchase of 30 minutes of prime-time TV on CBS, NBC and Fox News, he will also run a half-hour spot on Univision at 8 p.m. Wednesday night.

Obama's final advertising push for Hispanic voters centers around "El Sueno Americano" -- or "The American Dream" -- (subscription), a TV spot in which the Democratic candidate speaks directly to viewers in Spanish. The ad is running in battleground states Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico and Virginia.

"We share a dream," Obama says, going on to detail what the American dream means to him: reward for hard work, quality health care and educational opportunity. Obama makes a direct appeal to voters: "I ask for your vote -- not just for me and the Democrats, but to keep this dream alive for you and your children."

Continue reading "Hispanic Vote Targeted In Obama's Final Push" »

Capitalizing on a report in the Israeli press today suggesting that French President Nicholas Sarkozy thinks Barack Obama's stance on Iran is "utterly immature," John McCain is re-releasing an ad that highlights comments the Democrat made in May -- calling the country "tiny" (compared to the former Soviet Union) -- to argue that he is "dangerously unprepared" for the presidency.

For the cash-strapped McCain camp, the re-release of this ad is a cost-effective means of political recycling; jumping on the news peg of Sarkozy's comments (per an anonymous Israeli government source), the campaign can convey a strong message without producing a new ad.

The ad, "Tiny," originally released in "key states" during the Democratic convention, is now running only in "key Florida markets." This is one of the smaller ad buys that the campaign has officially disclosed -- further evidence that McCain is now targeting an ever-smaller list of battleground states he thinks he can win. While Florida was projected to fall into McCain's column earlier in the race, the polling data shows a strong shift toward Obama as of mid- to late September, and he is now besting his GOP opponent in almost all surveys.

NationalJournal.com's Mary Gilbert appeared on MSNBC Live this Saturday to discuss ad spending in this year's presidential race.

Click here to watch "Compare."

John McCain released a new ad this morning, "Compare" (subscription), which adheres to a traditional conservative line of attack -- that the Democratic candidate is a tax-and-spend liberal. With less than a week to go before the big day, this ad by McCain and another by the Republican National Committee attacking Barack Obama on experience suggest the days of ads based on guilt-by-association, gaffes and other more trivial facets of the campaign are gone, as a cash-strapped GOP looks to allocate its funds wisely.

"Compare" juxtaposes various images of the presidential hopefuls with phrases representing their economic plans. The ad references Obama's now-infamous "spread the wealth" comment and Joe Wurzelbacher, as an announcer contrasts the phrase "for workin' Joe's" (and a jovial image of McCain) with "spread your income" (accompanied by a more menacing shot of Obama). The ad concludes with another staple attack on the Democrat: claiming he's a "risky" choice while McCain is a "proven" leader.

"Storm" (subscription), which the RNC released Friday, also returns to a familiar GOP line. The ad likens the financial crisis to a storm, and aims to cast doubt on Obama's ability to lead the nation through "uncertain times." "What if the storm does get worse?" an announcer asks, "with someone who’s untested at the helm?"

No McCain ad has hit Obama this directly on the experience issue in a while, perhaps as a result of the Sarah Palin pick. "Tiny" (subscription), which highlighted comments Obama made over Iran to suggest he is "dangerously unprepared" for the presidency, was released in the middle of the Democratic convention and represents the last straightforward "experience" attack ad issued by the McCain camp. But the issue has been revived in RNC ads, beginning with "Chair" (subscription) on Oct. 16.

While returning to staple attacks, the GOP is also retreating into traditionally conservative territories. The RNC has announced it will start running ads Wednesday in Montana -- a state that gave President Bush nearly 60 percent of the vote in 2004 but is trending more and more toward Obama. "Storm," however, is reportedly airing in the more mainstay battlegrounds like Pennsylvania and Virginia. A request for comment about which RNC ads will run in Montana was not returned.

Click here to watch "He Never Complained Once."

The impending sense of doom among Republicans with a week to go before Election Day has led some to criticize John McCain's campaign. One thing many conservatives would have liked to see from the Arizona senator was an earlier and more direct hit on Barack Obama for his connection with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Instead, third-party groups like Our Country Deserves Better PAC (subscription) and, now, the National Republican Trust PAC have taken up the issue themselves.

The National Republican Trust PAC, a group responsible for two controversial TV ads about Obama's immigration policies, is now putting $2.5 million behind "He Never Complained Once" (subscription), a spot that dredges up Obama's long-term relationship with Wright. It is currently airing in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

"For 20 years, Barack Obama followed a preacher of hate and said nothing as Wright raged against our country," the announcer charges as video clips of some of Wright's most inflammatory sermons play in the background. "I don't think my church is particularly controversial," reads a quote from Obama on screen. Portraying Obama as an opportunistic politician, the announcer charges that "for 20 years, Obama never complained -- until he ran for president."

The question is whether or not Wright can affect the race at this point, when voters are more focused on economic issues and, according to polls, seem more willing to trust Obama on that topic than McCain.

Click here to listen to "Source Of Hope."

A pro-Barack Obama Christian PAC, the Matthew 25 Network, is expanding its advertising into new battleground states, hoping to boost the Illinois senator among a group of voters who have traditionally gone Republican, but whom John McCain seems to be having trouble securing -- evangelicals. The PAC, which has already run ads in Ohio, is now running a pair of new radio spots in Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia.

"Source Of Hope" (subscription) features an audio clip from a 2007 Obama speech in which he discusses the origins of his faith. "Kneeling beneath that cross, I felt that I heard God’s spirit beckoning me," Obama says of his own spiritual experience. "I submitted myself to his will, and dedicated myself to discovering his truth." He goes on to discuss why he believes people should "embrace Christ" and how he came to see faith "as more than just a comfort to the weary, but rather as an active, palpable agent in the world -- as a source of hope."

"Welcome" (subscription), meanwhile, features Douglas Kmiec, former legal counsel to Ronald Reagan, explaining to listeners how they can reconcile supporting Obama with being pro-life. "There's more to building a culture of life than just hoping the next Supreme Court justice deals with Roe v. Wade," Kmiec says. He argues that Obama's "bottom-up, faith-based approach" to dealing with maternity leave, health care for children and adoption will decrease the number of abortions in the U.S. "John McCain says he’s pro-life, but he has voted against health care for poor children and support for pregnant women," Kmiec asserts, concluding: "Let’s elect a president who will protect life today: Barack Obama."

Matthew 25 is highlighting a survey from the Barna Group, a Christian polling firm, that shows Obama making huge inroads with Christian voters -- particularly born-agains and young evangelicals -- compared with John Kerry's performance against George Bush in 2004.

Click here to watch "Defining Moment."

Barack Obama is set to deliver a "closing argument" speech in the battleground state of Ohio today, but viewers are already getting a preview of the candidates' final pitch through a pair of TV ads released within the last 48 hours.

In "Defining Moment" (subscription), a two-minute spot launched in key states over the weekend, Obama speaks directly to viewers about how he will fix the economy and help working-class Americans. "The real question" for voters, Obama says, "is: Will our country be better off four years from now? How will we lift our economy and restore America's place in the world?" Obama goes on to outline his "rescue plan for the middle class," giving tax cuts to anyone making under $200,000 and granting loans and tax cuts to companies that create jobs at home. Once the immediate crisis has been addressed, Obama says, he'll be able to "focus on our urgent national priorities" like health care, energy and education.

Attempting to address the criticism that his agenda will prove too costly, Obama goes on to explain how he will pay for these initiatives: ending the war in Iraq, letting the "temporary Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent expire" and conducting a thorough audit of government spending. The Democratic candidate ends on a note of optimism, ensuring viewers that "if we stand together, we can meet our challenges and ensure that there are better days ahead."

Obama also released a more combative ad this morning that matches almost precisely a spot (subscription) he ran earlier in October. "New Subject" (subscription) portrays John McCain as desperate and accuses him of using " scare tactics and smears" to "try to tear Barack Obama down."

This combination of positive and negative ads matches a recent trend from the Obama campaign, which, with its campaign coffers overflowing, has had the luxury of running a two-front ad war -- portraying a positive message of change while not hesitating to criticize McCain.

Click here to watch "How Much Time."

Two women's rights groups -- Winning Message Action Fund and Planned Parenthood -- are taking aim at John McCain 's positions on abortion and health care in a set of new ads.

In "How Much Time" (subscription), Winning Message Action Fund (the advocacy arm of the National Institute For Reproductive Health) demands that both McCain and Sarah Palin -- avid pro-lifers -- elaborate more on the repercussions for women that could ensue if Roe v. Wade is overturned. The spot starts running Saturday in Ohio and Wisconsin during shows that are popular with women, including "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and "The Early Show." Images of distraught women posing for mug shots flash across the screen one after another, with an announcer speculating that, under a GOP administration, women could end up in jail if they have an abortion.

Continue reading "Women's Groups Reproach GOP Ticket On Abortion, Health Care" »

Click here to watch "Try This."

After several weeks of back-and-forth between John McCain and Barack Obama over their respective philosophies on taxes, the Illinois senator is encouraging voters to find out for themselves which candidate's tax plan would benefit them more.

In a new TV ad, "Try This" (subscription), Obama directs viewers to TaxCutFacts.org, where they can plug in their income, marital status and number of dependents and calculate how much they would save with each candidate. "The independent Tax Policy Center says Obama offers middle-class tax cuts three times as big as McCain’s," the announcer says, adding that "1.5 million have tried it. You should too."

Click here to watch "Chicken Button."

Barack Obama's decision to forgo public financing has left him with a huge money advantage over John McCain -- and the Republican Party as a whole. Let Freedom Ring, a conservative 501(c)(4) organization, is trying to make up some of the difference by pouring $5 million into a battleground state advertising blitz.

The group is running about 20 ads, primarily in five states -- Colorado, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia -- with some presence on national cable stations as well. The ads portray Obama as a radical liberal who would take the country in the wrong direction on everything from the economy to national security to judicial appointments.

One new spot (subscription) picks up on a gaffe from Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, who at a fundraiser last weekend predicted that a President Obama would face "an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy." A clip of Biden's warning is juxtaposed with a statement by former Defense Department official and conservative commentator Frank Gaffney, who says that when a candidate "convey[s] a determination neither to use military power, nor to ensure that they have it at their disposal should it be necessary, they are conveying to our enemies weakness, and weakness invites aggression" -- implying that Obama's support for diplomacy emboldens America's enemies.

Continue reading "Third Party Makes Swing-State Anti-Obama Pitch" »

Click here to listen to "Hank Williams Jr."

John McCain is receiving on-air endorsements from Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) and country music singer Hank Williams Jr. in two radio ads the campaign recently released with the Republican National Committee.

Both men take jabs at Barack Obama for controversial comments he's made -- recent and not-so-recent. In "Spread The Wealth" (subscription), Crist references what Obama said on Oct. 12 to Joe "the Plumber" Wurzelbacher of Ohio explaining why he wanted to raise taxes for Americans earning higher incomes. "John McCain knows that people don't want to 'spread the wealth,'" Crist tells his Florida constituents. "He knows that Congress should let you keep more of your money, and not take it away."

Another infamous comment -- uttered by the Democrat at a private fundraiser in April -- where he said some rural Pennsylvania voters were "bitter" and "cling to guns or religion," is the focus of "Hank Williams Jr." (subscription). Williams tells listeners the comment proves that Obama "just doesn't understand small-town America." Aiming to pit rural voters against the Democrat, he continues: "We love our God. And we love our guns, especially handed down from our grandfathers. And we resent it when liberals like Obama question our way of life." He concludes by urging voters, "Don't be bitter. Vote McCain."

Williams has been an avid McCain supporter for a while now, even devoting a song to the GOP ticket.

Since both 60-second spots are co-sponsored by the RNC, Crist and Williams occupy just half of the running time in each. By law, these ads must devote at least half of their time to a more general focus. The latter part of both spots give way to attacking "congressional liberals" for their tax-and-spend policies and being "out of touch" with America.

With McCain short on cash, pairing up with the RNC on the radio is a cost-effective measure, but ending on such a generalized tone in each spot may tend to blunt the more pointed attacks made at the beginning. McCain and the RNC did recently discontinue their joint TV ads.

Click here to listen to "Warner."

Barack Obama is getting a little help from popular local surrogates in Indiana and Virginia, two states that went for President Bush in 2004 but where Obama is giving John McCain a run for his money this year.

In the Hoosier State, singer and native son John Mellencamp is featured in a new radio ad focusing on the economy. "I’m seeing small towns across America dying," he laments. Mellencamp describes how Bush's policies "have really hurt" and insists that McCain would continue down the same road. But "Barack Obama gets it," he declares, praising Obama's tax plan and support for "a strong American labor force."

Meanwhile, Virginia Senate candidate and former governor Mark Warner also vouches for Obama in a new radio spot (subscription). "Getting this economy back on track" will require bipartisan cooperation at all levels, he says. "Barack knows that your children shouldn't have to leave their hometown to find a world-class job," and has a plan to fix the economy and improve education and job opportunities, he tells listeners. Finally, he lauds the Illinois senator for his personality and character: "His steady hand, family values and common-sense approach will help get our country back on track."

Click here to watch "Ladies And Gentlemen."

Once again, a gaffe by Joe Biden has provided ad fodder for the GOP ticket. Biden's comment last weekend that if elected, Barack Obama will be "tested" by an international crisis soon after taking office is the inspiration for an aggressive TV spot released this morning by John McCain.

Over audio of Biden's comments, "Ladies And Gentlemen" (subscription) airs pictures of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, along with marching Hamas soldiers. The style of the ad -- complete with music reminiscent of a classic horror film and blurry, black-and-white images -- aims to stoke fears that a President Obama would not have the experience needed to lead a country through an international crisis. Following up on Biden's statement that "we're going to have an international crisis ... to test the mettle of this guy. I guarantee you it's gonna happen," an announcer responds: "It doesn't have to happen. Vote McCain."

A couple of days after Biden made his comments, Obama sought to clarify what his running mate was presumably trying to say. "I think that his core point was that the next administration is going to be tested regardless of who it is," Obama said. Appearing to back up the Democrat's clarification, MSNBC's First Read cites examples of recent global crises early in a president's first term, including the violence in Somalia under Bill Clinton and the 9/11 attacks under President Bush.

All ad summary pages are available to subscribers only.

Idaho Senate (tip sheet)

• Democrat Larry LaRocco criticizes Republican Jim Risch for supporting privatization of Social Security in "Divert."

Louisiana Senate (tip sheet)

• The National Republican Senatorial Committee alleges that incumbent Democrat Mary Landrieu received campaign donations from clients of disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff the "Same Day" she did them political favors.

• Gov. Bobby Jindal gives fellow Republican John Kennedy the "Governor's Endorsement."

Maine Senate (tip sheet)

• In "Too Close," Democratic Rep. Tom Allen reassures Maine voters that together they can change the direction of the country away from the policies of President Bush.

Mississippi Senate (tip sheet)

• GOP Incumbent Roger Wicker and his wife, Gayle, discuss the "Mississippi Values" they share with voters.

• The NRSC criticizes Democratic challenger Ronnie Musgrove for saying that a bad economy will help him win in "Help."

• Musgrove defends his record on abortion, guns and gay marriage in "Musgrove Sets The Record Straight."

• And in "Lots Of Times," the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee slams Wicker for voting to raise his own pay while voting against increases to the minimum wage and other programs.

Continue reading "The Week In Political Ads" »

Click here to watch "Oportunidad."

When Barack Obama captured the Democratic nomination early this summer, many Democratic insiders feared he would not be able to win over Hispanic voters, who overwhelmingly favored his opponent, Hillary Rodham Clinton, in the primaries. Less than two weeks out from Election Day, however, Obama is posting a solid lead over Republican John McCain among this voting bloc.

Despite what many saw as McCain's potential appeal with Latinos, the Arizona senator is garnering less than 30 percent of the Hispanic vote, according to Gallup, far fewer than the 44 percent President Bush captured in 2004. And this could pose a significant problem for McCain in several battleground states.

Obama, meanwhile, is using his cash advantage to reach out to Hispanic voters in many key states with a new radio and TV ad. "Oportunidad" (subscription), a TV spot running in Colorado, Florida, Nevada and New Mexico, presents Obama's plan to give a $4,000 college tuition credit to students who participate in community service activities. It also claims that Obama will offer "scholarships to recruit more teachers to make sure our children are prepared."

An aggressive radio spot, "Ataques" (subscription), or "Attack," accuses McCain and the Republicans of telling "terrible lies." Discussing the hardships his friends and neighbors are facing, one speaker tells another: "Enough with the attacks. We are in an economic crisis, and I want to know what the candidates will do for us." The two then praise Obama's economic policies, with the woman touting his tax plan as the man adds: "What matters to me is that Obama has a plan to give health insurance to all. My neighbor will be saved!"

The 60-second spot is running in Colorado, Central Florida, Indiana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin, with a slightly different version running in South Florida.

Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar also vouches for Obama in a bilingual radio ad (subscription) that encourages listeners to take advantage of the state's early voting system. Salazar talks about his working-class background and says that Colorado residents share a devotion to family. "You can do something for your family right now: Vote. You don’t have to wait until Election Day," he tells the audience. "With Barack Obama and the Democrats, real change is within our grasp," Salazar declares, hitting on some of Obama's talking points on health care and the economy. "We can’t afford more of the same," he concludes.