2006 Campaign Ad Watch

[Moooooo]

Some of us enjoy the media component of election campaigns, so I figured we could dedicate an entire thread to TV & Radio ads and direct mail.

Plus, this will cut down on the amount of individual ad threads.

[Moooooo]

MD-Senate

Kweisi Mfume launches first TV-Ad.

IMO, he waited too long to hit the airwaves (primary is Sept 12).

Analysis:  This is a typical feel good/short bio ad.  Regardless of your opinion of Mfume, he has lived an incredible life and has a great story to tell.  Abandoned by his father at young age, mother died while he was in his teens, high school drop out, gang banger, and drug dealer... turned City Councilman, Congressman, and NAACP President.

[Silent Hunter]

Not the best ad I've ever seen. Just a man talking to a camera.

[Adlai Stevenson]

Having seen more of Mfume on YouTube I believe he is a better candidate than I realised.  He speaks with motivation and emotion.  I think his life has probably given him more experience than many other politicians elected today; I hereby endorse Kweisi Mfume for U.S. Senator from Maryland (for the little its worth).

[DownWithTheLeft]

Having seen more of Mfume on YouTube I believe he is a better candidate than I realised.  He speaks with motivation and emotion.  I think his life has probably given him more experience than many other politicians elected today; I hereby endorse Kweisi Mfume for U.S. Senator from Maryland (for the little its worth).

We need more Dems how are going to vote for candidates that will go up in smoke

Although I support Laffey even though I expect him to go up in smoke

[Adlai Stevenson]

I suppose thats a fair enough point.  I'll admit my views have changed on Mfume.  At one point I saw him as a dangerous, partisan firebrand who would give the election to Steele - thats probably the view you hold of him.  However, having seen his ads and learned more about him I think he should be a good member of the Senate.  Polling has shown he can win, but it will be more of a harder battle than Cardin would face against Steele I assume.

[Mike in Maryland]

MD-Senate

Kweisi Mfume launches first TV-Ad.

IMO, he waited too long to hit the airwaves (primary is Sept 12).

Analysis:  This is a typical feel good/short bio ad.  Regardless of your opinion of Mfume, he has lived an incredible life and has a great story to tell.  Abandoned by his father at young age, mother died while he was in his teens, high school drop out, gang banger, and drug dealer... turned City Councilman, Congressman, and NAACP President.

I haven't seen this, though I have heard an Mfume radio ad.  (I've seen Cardin, Steele, and Rales on TV.)

I've read Mfume's autobiography.  Fascinating stuff.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

It doesn't matter, Cardin has built up a substantial lead and he will win by 13 pts, I believe the gonzales research poll not the survey poll.

[Mike in Maryland]

It doesn't matter, Cardin has built up a substantial lead and he will win by 13 pts, I believe the gonzales research poll not the survey poll.

I usually average conflicting polls together to get some sort of consensus result.  Putting the SUSA and Gonzales polls together, I get a result of Cardin ahead of Mfume 41-36, with the rest undecided or for others.  That seems about right, assuming turnout is not aberrantly low or high.

[Moooooo]

Michael Steele Launches New Campaign Ad

Building Bridges

Analysis:  Probably the best ad in the race for US Senate thus far.  Cardin's have been pretty pathetic.

Link to Steele's first ad

[Moooooo]

Josh Rales for US Senate

Underdog

Im sure Mike in Maryland has seen his fair share of this ad. 

[nlm]

Television Ad Shows Reagan Praising Webb In 1985 Speech

By Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 8, 2006; Page B08

RICHMOND, Aug. 7 -- Democratic Senate candidate James Webb will launch his first television ad Monday, a 30-second tribute by former President Ronald Reagan, for whom Webb once served as Navy secretary.

The commercial shows Reagan, a Republican, giving a speech to graduates at the Naval Academy in 1985 and praising Webb's character. It is Webb's first attempt to introduce himself broadly to Virginians as he tries to unseat incumbent Republican George Allen. The ad is running in Roanoke and Norfolk markets and on cable stations in some Northern Virginia suburbs.

more at

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/07/AR2006090701596.html

[Rob]

Michael Steele Launches New Campaign Ad

Building Bridges

What I find interesting about this is that it's basically a direct appeal to black voters, showcasing Russell Simmons' endorsement and an array of other black supporters (including a woman saying she'll "cross party lines" for Steele). Pretty decent ad.

Link to Steele's first ad

I love this one. It's quirky and light-hearted, giving the impression that Steele is a "different kind of candidate". I also think his logo in the background is very cool.

Steele is a smart, articulate guy. Like Mfume, he's got a great rags-to-riches story. But he is simply too conservative. Once voters are informed that he opposes abortion even in case of rape or incest, and thinks that stem-cell research is morally comparable to the Holocaust, he's finished.

[adam]

Texas Governor
Chris Bell - "Think Big"
http://www.chrisbell.com/thinkbig

This is a fun, goofy, and somewhat comical ad...however, it gets the message across in a fun and somewhat uplifting manner. A favorite of mine.

[Jacobtm]

Onion article?

Breaking news, TX Gubernattorial candidate Bell sees big future for kids in child labor:

"With Texas leading the way, businesses will move here and hire our children, and that means our kids will have a future as big as Texas."

Mark Kennedy and Sherrod Brown have ads out too:

Kennedy:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=hTEqNN1htmg

Brown:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=guge5mDUDV4&mode=related&search=

Would Brown be our first Senator ever named Sherrod?

[Moooooo]

Things are getting ugly in PA

Debbies Story

Effective nonetheless...

[Adlai Stevenson]

I suppose the Bell is not bad, but to be honest it doesn't sound like he has a lot to campaign on.  In fact I'm surprised he has an ad out at all.

[they don't love you like i love you]

My "favorite" ad so far is the one where Mark Kennedy portrays himself as a stingy jerk who won't give his daughter a raise in her allowance.

[Moooooo]

Ned Lamont's latest ad

Patriot

[Moooooo]

Another Lamont Ad

Who's Joe?

[Moooooo]

Lamont's media team is great.  They've put together some of the best ads Ive seen in a long time.

[Moooooo]

Another great one from Lamont

Where's Joe?

[they don't love you like i love you]

Steele's ads are pretty good. He appears to be a great campaigner. Too bad for the Republicans he's to the right of Bush in a damn liberal state, because otherwise he could be their answer to Obama.

[they don't love you like i love you]

Ned Lamont's latest ad

Patriot

oooh, that's a great one.

[Moooooo]

Steele's ads are pretty good. He appears to be a great campaigner. Too bad for the Republicans he's to the right of Bush in a damn liberal state, because otherwise he could be their answer to Obama.

He's an excellent candidate.

Something happend the other day at my girfriends house that nearly took the breath away.  My GF's mom is a diehard democrat.  I dont believe she has ever voted for a Republican, but the other day she said, "Nick, who is that tall, good looking, black guy all over TV?  Im voting for him." 

I thought to myself... Mfume?  Cummings?  Who the hell is she talking about?  Then it hit me, Steele.  She continued on to say, "He's speaks well, he's good looking, and I like the fact that he's running as an Independent."

She had no idea he was our Lt. Gov.  She also had no idea he was a Republican.  I informed her of his part affiliation, but she said she was voting for him anyway.  She was actually quite pissed that she couldnt vote for him this Tuesday.

... at least I have 2 months to change her mind.