AdWatch: Obama Counters With Debate Ad

Wed Feb 13, 2008 4:56 PM EST
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TITLE: "Debate"

LENGTH: 30 seconds

AIRING: Statewide in Wisconsin

SCRIPT: Male announcer: "After 18 debates, with two more coming, Hillary says Barack Obama is ducking debates? It's the same old politics, of phony charges and false attacks. On health care, even Bill Clinton's own Labor Secretary says Obama covers more people than Hillary and does more to cut costs, saving $2,500 for the typical family. Obama's housing plan — it stems foreclosures and cracks down on crooked lenders. That's change we can believe in.

Obama: "I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message."

KEY IMAGES: The ad opens with the words "18 DEBATES 2 MORE COMING." More than a dozen images from previous debates then appear one at a time as the announcer speaks. As the announcer talks about health care, the ad cuts to Obama speaking to people and the words "Obama covers 'more people' than Hillary" appear on the screen. The next shot is of Obama in a crowd of supporters with the words "Saves $2500 for a typical family." The Illinois senator is also shown on the steps of a house speaking to an audience with the words "Obama's housing plan 'stems foreclosures'" and "Cracks down on crooked lenders." This cuts to Obama shaking hands with supporters. The words "Change we can believe in" appear. The ad concludes with an image of him waving at an event.

ANALYSIS: Obama's ad comes less than 24-hours after the Clinton campaign launched a 30-second spot in Wisconsin pushing for the two candidates to debate there ahead of the state's primary on Tuesday. They have already met in nearly two dozen debates and have agreed to two more — one in Texas on Feb. 21 and the other in Ohio on Feb. 26.

Clinton is trying to stem Obama's momentum. He has won eight straight victories since Super Tuesday. Clinton's advisers say the New York senator may not win Wisconsin.

Obama's ad also addresses criticism from Clinton on his health care and economic plans.

Her health care plan would require every person to obtain health insurance and would provide government assistance to those who can't afford it. Obama would not mandate the purchase of health insurance, but would provide government subsidies to encourage more Americans to buy it. Clinton has said that would still leave up to 15 million people without insurance. Obama has said it's more important to reduce insurance costs so everyone who wants it can afford it.

Clinton has laid out an economic stimulus plan that includes a 90-day freeze on home foreclosures. Obama laid out a plan Wednesday that includes creating a tax credit that would cover 10 percent of homeowners' annual mortgage interest payments and a scoring system for consumers to compare mortgages. He also promised to set up a fund to help mortgage fraud victims and establish new penalties for anyone who commits mortgage fraud.

___

Analysis by Ann Sanner

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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{"commentId":1468024,"authorDomain":"ratigan"}
Ratigan

RCP is saying this is "going negative," which is true, but not as frightening as I thought. I'm pretty sure that the horserace-talk is so ubiquitous now that most people are going to see right through this. Her biggest mistake was to put in the bit about "just give speeches" because he does that really darn well.

He should put out an ad with all the greatest hits from the speeches he's given. Keep some underlying rock music and really push the messages home. All positive, all change, change we can believe in (and so on).

Or he could send the "Yes We Can" music video out as an ad.

{"commentId":1468024,"threadId":"219251","contentId":"1299456","authorDomain":"ratigan"}
    Reply#1 - Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:29 PM EST
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