Bloomberg's First Ad Cost $3 Mil To Make Him Look Like The Common Man

The mayoral election is still several months away, but Mike Bloomberg is already hitting the airwaves with a multi-million dollar advertising blitz. The internet ads have flooded local websites over the past month, but now he's doing TV in a big way too. The amount being spent is more than his Democratic challengers have laid down to date, and this is just the beginning.

From The NY Times:

Starting on Wednesday, Mr. Bloomberg will release two commercials, one in English and one in Spanish, that emphasize his handling of the city’s economic crisis, a theme that is expected to dominate his third-term bid.

The use of the commercials, set to run over the next two weeks, highlights the mayor’s staggering financial edge in the race and his willingness to draw on his personal fortune to spend whatever it takes to win a third term.[...]

Like his previous campaign ads, the mayor’s commercials are polished spots, with the skyline as a backdrop. They feature Mr. Bloomberg, his trademark jacket and tie swapped for a casual button-down shirt, talking to ordinary New Yorkers about their financial woes.

“The economy is in trouble,” he says in the English-language commercial. “But we can do something about it.”

Yes, we can.

And it starts with voting this man out of office. The economy is in trouble, yet since Bloomberg's been in office, his personal wealth has more than tripled to over $15 billion dollars. His ads may look good, but that is because he spent a serious amount of cash to make them that way. He can wear a suit and tie, he can wear a casual shirt, he could come out in a tank-top for all I care. What counts is his record as mayor thus far and his real feelings for average New Yorkers, not some false image that his consultants are trying to get across.

DNC Eviscerates GOP For Yesterday's Budget Gaffe

The GOP handed this one to the Democratic party on a silver platter:



Honestly, if you are trying to fight off the stigma of being the "Party of No," do not come to the public with a non-existent budget that only pisses everyone else off.

Tedisco: Just Another Albany Politician

Is this the experience that Tedisco is going to bring to Congress?

Tedisco Goes Positive, Then Straight Back To Negative

Things are not going well for Jim Tedisco's campaign. After losing a double-digit lead within a month, the candidate decided to change course and go positive, preferring to talk about him and not let the NRCC and Michael Steele do the talking anymore. After a couple of ads that touted Tedisco, the campaign went straight back to slamming Murphy for things that he really shouldn't be talking about. Further, the Times-Union fact-checked this Murphy-A.I.G. connection and found it to be a stretch at best.

Murphy Slams Tedisco For Not Supporting The Stimulus

It took an entire month for Jim Tedisco to take a stand on Obama's stimulus bill. Sadly, that position is one that goes against creating jobs in upstate New York. Scott Murphy seized on Tedisco's statement and is exposing him for the failed Republican ideas (or lack there of) that Jimmy has wedded himself to.

Tedisco's Latest Ad Goes Positive, Quotes Obama

Jim Tedisco's campaign realized that after a month of being slammed and seeing their lead over Scott Murphy evaporate, that they better change their tune. I expected something different for his latest ad, but this one goes all out, with a "Jobs Plan" and an appeal for bipartisanship by quoting President Obama. Tedisco has to be extremely worried about his chances when he has to run away from the GOP name in a district that is still chock full of Republicans.

Jim Tedisco Takes NY For A Wild Ride

Jimmy T's "wild ride" refers to his penchant for charging taxpayers thousands of dollars to drive to work when the Legislatue is in session, even though without traffic he can make it to the Capitol in under half an hour. This news came out a while back, but it is never too late to reiterate what type of politician Jim Tedisco is...the self-serving kind.

Tedisco: All Tricks, No Governing Ability

The DCCC has a new, devastating ad running up in the 20th district against Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco. The only think Jim has learned how to do after more than 20 years in Albany is how to take credit for things he hasn't done and how not to make decisions on important legislation. He's a skilled politician alright, but not the kind New Yorkers want in Congress.

Molest Much Senator Chambliss?

I called Saxby Chambliss a creep in my last post and then wondered if that was a little over the line. Booman posted this ad of Saxby's earlier from Thanksgiving and now there's no doubt in my mind:



Someone should call the District Attorney over the last five seconds of that disgrace of an advertisement and a nasty human being.

McCain Has A Spelling Problem

McCain already has a host of problems with his campaign and unfortunately, spelling happens to be one of them. Sure, it doesn't rank up there with his views on the war, the economy and choosing the Thrilla' from Wasilla but there is nothing worse than screwing up an advertisement or a flyer than a spelling error.

From ThinkProgress:

Yesterday, the McCain campaign released an online advertisement that responded to Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) criticism of its tax policy as “making a virtue of selfishness.” The ad — which featured a yellowed picture of a scowling Obama — misspelled the word “virtue.” Here is a screenshot of the “virture” ad:

“VIRTURE” (11/2/08)

This is at least the third time in the past month that the McCain-Palin ticket has released advertisements with misspellings. Here are the other two, both available on the official McCain YouTube channel:

“EVERBODY” (10/16/08)

“EXAGERRATE” (10/2/08)

At the Presidential level, this type of mistake shouldn't even be an issue. Yet the misspellings are symbolic of the larger flaws in the campaign. Perhaps I'm just a little bit of a spelling nut, but I know I'm not alone. The most important thing is that these little things takes away time that McCain could use to present a positive message about himself. Not that he has one, so he just resorts to nasty, misspelled attacks against Obama.

Gennaro Goes To The Airwaves Against Padavan

With a three to one money advantage, Jim Gennaro has the backing of the people's pocketbooks with enough vigor to tell voters in Northeast Queens about Padavan's anti-women's rights record:

Barack Obama Is Crossing The Lines

While the McCain campaign engages in race-baiting, a flood of nasty robo-calls and other petty personal attacks on Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee has stuck to his message of hope and change. That isn't just empty rhetoric, it is making a difference in this election from one end of the country to other, even here in the small town of Jackson, Missouri:

Obama Responds To GOP's Bill Ayers Smears

Not only does Obama smash this ridiculous smear perpetrated by the McCain campaign, he throws it right back in McCain's face by telling people why they are hearing about Ayers in the first place. The truth is, McCain does not want to talk about the real concerns of Americans because his ideas have failed long ago. People want change, not the hateful trash that McCain thinks will get him elected.

"Zero" For The Middle Class

Obama's first ad out of the debate hits McCain hard. It was not for what he said last night but what he didn't say. McCain didn't speak about the middle class because he does not understand what is necessary for Main Street's economy. He gets it when it comes to wealthy Wall Street lobbyists that help run and fund his campaign but that will not get him anywhere with the rest of us.

Obama Attacks McCain's Prescription For Disaster

What you saw on Wall Street last week was something John McCain helped to create. It is also what he wants to see happen in other sectors of the economy, including your health care. Imagining the damage a McCain Administration could do to us is enough to give me nightmares.

Show This To Every Undecided Voter

Save for a few exceptions, most Republicans and Democrats know who they are voting for in November. It is hard to sway a tree with its roots planted firmly in the GOP's propaganda but not everyone is a highly charged partisan. For the Independents and unregistered who are affected by our economic crisis and can't move to another of their eight homes, this is the video you should watch....then go online and read the rest.

Obama's Latest Ad Highlights McCain's Dishonest Campaign

The greatest thing is that none of this is really Obama's words. All the evidence comes from how the media is beginning to see John McCain. Once people start associating the word "liar" instead of "maverick" when thinking about the GOP nominee, he won't stand a chance next to the candidate that signifies hope and change.

McCain And Obama: Empty Slogans Vs Real Change

While McCain spouts off empty slogans (and trying to co-opt his opponents message), Barack Obama speaks to the voters about real change:

Obama Calls Out Palin's Lie In Latest Ad

More hard-hitting material from the Obama campaign!



Keep it coming!

Obama Hits John "Don't Know Much" McCain

This brand new ad from the Obama campaign is smart, funny and extremely on message. Exposing and repeatedly highlighting John McCain's non-existent ability to lead and his faithful allegiance to George Bush is exactly the type of ad we should be seeing from now until November.