WP: The Best Political Ad of 2006?

[DeepModem Mom]

WP political blog, "The Fix," by Chris Cillizza
10/ 9/2006
The Best Political Ad of 2006?

It's rare when a single television commercial can spell the end of a political campaign or career. Media consultants spend years looking for that kind of silver bullet -- a spot so powerful that it fundamentally alters the calculus in a contest.

Democrat Chris Carney launched just such an ad recently in his campaign against Don Sherwood, the four-term GOP congressman from Pennsylvania's 10th District.

In the ad, Joseph Lech -- a Republican who says he "supported Don Sherwood from the very beginning" -- questions how as a father he can support the congressman now that the married Sherwood has admitted to an affair.

"He campaigned on family values and he didn't keep his promise," says Lech. "He took that opportunity and he blew it."

The ad goes on to shows an image of court papers filed by Cynthia Ore, the young woman who was Sherwood's mistress. The papers have phrases like "repeatedly choking" and "attempting to strangle plaintiff" highlighted. Sherwood has acknowledged the affair but denied Ore's allegations of abuse. The suit was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum....

***

....Others in the running from this election cycle include Connecticut Rep. Nancy Johnson's (R) recent ad on national security, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's spot in Maryland's Senate race ("Steele likes puppies but he loves George Bush") and Rep. Harold Ford's (D-Tenn.) ad from his church....

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/

[cnlst8]

1. here's a funny polical ad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCaycL-ZGjc


the best and most powerful I saw for this election was made by moveon.org. I can't find a link to a video, but it was on hardball.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. That is a great ad -- thanks for posting, cnlst8! nt

[calico1]

3. I can't agree about the Nancy Johnson ad.

It was designed to appeal to fear and terror. Same old BS and it is pretty evident in the commercial. It is far from being a great ad.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. I live far from Ct. -- do you think the ad is effective? nt

[calico1]

5. I think it's effective for the "flock."

There have been a few newspaper stories about how misleading her ads are and some have outright lies. I think the average person is just tired of ads trying to scare the shit out of you into voting Republican. I don't live in that part of the State but Chris Murphy seems likeable and his ads are much more positive.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Thanks, calico. I think (hope) you're right that ads like this...

aren't as effective as Cillizza might think.