TPMCafe: Congressional Dems Seek To Reserve Slide in Polls with New Ad Campaign

[flpoljunkie]

By T. W. Farnam | bio

Congressional Dems are kicking off a big effort to turn around their plummeting approval rating in polls.
The three Democratic committees have teamed up to launch a new TV ad -- to air on national cable channels during Congressional recess -- touting the achievements of the new Congress and its efforts to take on George Bush to "end a war gone wrong":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aEh5bF6avI

The ad is part of a "Month of Action on Iraq" that will unfold as members of Congress head back to their districts and will include ads "targeting Republicans in their home states and districts, for their support of the failed President's Iraq policy," a statement reads. Text of the ad in the jump.

The ad's text:

It's a pay raise for Americans working for minimum wage.

It's coverage for kids whose families are uninsured.

It's an historic increase in health benefits for veterans returning from Iraq.

It's taking on George Bush to end a war gone wrong.

It's Democrats taking the country in a new direction.

And there is more work to be done.

America wants change. Tell George Bush it's time to listen.

http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/aug/03/dems_launch_tv_ad_attacking_bush

[iconoclastic cat]

1. Yeah, that's what we need--fucking promo ads for Congress. Idiots. nt

[ulysses]

2. America wants change.

Why, a new ad campaign is just the thing!

[Doctor_J]

3. Well, if you aren't going to walk the walk, I guess you might as well

talk about walking the walk.

[Zodiak]

4. An ad campaign?

So typical of the strategy of the beltway.

Have problems with your constituents? Hire a bunch of beltway insiders to do what they ALWAYS waste money doing, making stupid campaign ads to put on TV. Guess who profits? The television stations that already skew the news to favor Republicans. Nice job rewarding bad behavior.

It will not work. In fact, it will reinforce how out of touch the Democrats are with their core constituency.

Stand up to Bush? We have seen precious little of that. This disconnect will not be lost on the viewer, believe me.

Americans ARE watching what is happening...this ad seems to assume they are not. How insulting.

[WCGreen]

5. It's a good ad and they have the money...

So why are so many people willing to throw an elected democratic branch of the government under the bus...

It just infuriates me that so many people want everything NOW and if theings don't go exactly MY way, then, then, then...

I'll hold my breath...

You wait and see...

[Rageneau]

6. This is a good idea. Hope it works.

If we leave it to the MSM to differentiate between obstructionist Republicans and diligent Democrats, John Q. Public will never know the difference. The GOP and Big Media both try to lay blame -- not on the responsible parties -- but upon Congress as a whole. But the problem is not Congress as a whole; it is the "NO"-screaming Republicans. The public need to know that, and since the free media won't tell them, it's time to use paid media.

[abq e streeter]

7. freudian slip ?

I noticed that no one so far has pointed out this was printed as "reserve" the slide in polls

[AtomicKitten]

8. I'd rather they give the advertising $$$ to help Katrina victims. (nt)

[Perry Logan]

9. Bob Geiger debunks the "plummeting-Congressional-approval" meme in a HuffPo article

Entitled "Destroying The GOP's Congressional Approval-Rating Spin"

"Yes, the Congress has a lousy approval rating, but a cursory look at recent history shows that it's a continuation of how the GOP, do-nothing Congresses tanked those numbers beginning back in 2002...

"The current set of Congressional approval numbers under Democratic leadership look about the same -- if not a tad better -- than what the Republican Congress had in October, before the 2006 elections...

"Republicans as a group currently have a lower approval rating than do Congressional Democrats, by a six-point margin..."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-geiger/destroying-the-gops-cong_b_58382.html

[KittyWampus]

10. and for every dollar Dems spend on the ad, NeoCons have thousands to buy time, mediawhores

and all the positive coverage of THEIR message.

[SaveElmer]

11. Congress will always be unpopular....

In this age of information overload...

Legislating is a messy process, with every step publicized...there is no way they will ever come out looking good even when they do good things...the process is so messy, with so much back and forth and arguing...it will just always look bad...