United Auto Workers Sinks $3 Million Into Swing State Ad Campaign
With the big unions gearing up for the final push in the battlegrounds, the United Auto Workers hits the airwaves in four swing states with an ad campaign tattooing John McCain on the economy and health care.
The spots have shades of the "Harry and Louise" ads that were run against health care way back when, featuring ordinary working people worrying about their loved ones' future -- only these aren't actors. Here's a spot featuring an auto worker worried about the future on behalf of his new grandson...
And here's a spot featuring a female autoworker worrying about her son's asthma...
The UAW says they're spending $3 million on the ad campaign, which will run in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, which are home to more than half of UAW's one million active and retired members.
Excellent.
October 9, 2008 10:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
what are you folks experiencing in comments?
October 9, 2008 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
No preview, is what we're experiencing.
Although actually for me it's better this morning than it's been for a while. - accepted my sign-in first try.
October 9, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
No problems here. Posting quick.
October 9, 2008 11:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Early on in the campaign BO didnt want any outside groups to do any kind of ads because he was afraid they wouldnt be in sink with his message. Then a few weeks ago he signaled to them that they can go ahead.
I vividly remember reading articles on the web questioning whether these outside groups would have enough time to gear up. Well, I guess we know the answer now.
But maybe that was the strategy of BO's campaign all along. His campaign set the tone and message for the first 2 months and coming down to crunch time he releases the 527 and other outside groups who will follow the pattern that his campaign had already laid the previous 2 months.
Think about it, the ads that have come out from the unions and other 527's have all blended seamlessly into BO overall message. Thats what you call staying on message.
October 9, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Between the great ads, the ground work and speeches like Rich Trumka's, unions have really outdone themselves this year.
They have richly earned some serious payback next year from the new administration: card check at the very minimum, overhaul and rejuvenation of NLRB for sure.
October 9, 2008 11:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Now RCP has Virginia leaning Obama and EV 277. As Obama's victory becomes more and more inevitable, more and more groups and organizations will try to join the bandwagon in hopes of getting on the good side of the new power brokers. One has to wonder if even FOX News will tone it down in hopes they don't get shut out by a Dem controlled D.C.
October 9, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
From the home page - Petraeus: “You have to talk to enemies.”
Uh oh, are McCain and Petraeus no longer BFFs?
October 9, 2008 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Petraeus better watch out, or Sarah may come after him.
October 9, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
I feel like Obama will bring this up in the next debate.
October 9, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Damn. I forgot it's a domestic issues debate. Nevermind.
October 9, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Unless McCain opens the door, trying to find his comfort zone in foreign affairs. If so, it will be like Obama's zing at the "talk softly" bit at the last debate.
October 9, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think McCain absolutely has to bring up foreign policy. He's a one trick (three legged) pony and Iraq is his only stall in the stable.
October 9, 2008 11:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dang.
October 9, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
I live in Indiana and saw the bottom one this morning. Very nice ad!
October 9, 2008 11:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nice crowd there in Indianapolis yesterday. Hoosiers turning blue.
October 9, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, and on stupid CNN this morning they were babbling about Obama being in Indiana just to force McCain to spend money.
No, idiots - Obama's gonna win Indiana; McCain wasting money there is just a bonus.
Dammit, Barack - just a little more effort than you gave to Indiana could have gotten you Kentucky, too.
Not that I'm bitter or anything ...
October 9, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
I was there yesterday! The energy was amazing and it was awesome to see so many Hoosiers there for Obama. I think he can definitely carry this state judging from yesterday and from my experiences canvassing. I live in a largely Republican town and he's had a lot of positive support here.
October 9, 2008 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
These are great ads, especially the bottom one. People need to be worried about healthcare and insurance. They need to understand that McCain's proposal not only *won't* solve the problem, it will make things worse.
That woman has a right to be worried. With a son with asthma, she would be completely screwed trying to buy health insurance on the private market, and that's exactly what McCain wants her to do. If she could get a policy at all, it might not cover the asthma because of pre-existing conditions rules. It certainly would not cover his treatments at anywhere near the level of her present coverage.
And I think this will resonate with people, largely because pretty much everyone knows someone who has an evil insurance company story.
October 9, 2008 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
I beg to differ somewhat. The ad doesn't explain that the $5,000 tax credit would leave someone better off if they have employer-paid insurance, but will employers keep offering it? If an individual has to go on the market for an individual policy, $5,000 is at best half the cost, so it won't help anyone who doesn't have $5,000-$7,000 lying around. It won't be enough to help many who can't afford insurance now, and it doesn't prohibit excluding pre-existing conditions. McCain's idea would make things better, but not that much, whereas Obama's plan will make insurance available to anyone. That's the key point.
October 9, 2008 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, McCain's idea would absolutely *not* make things better in any way, shape or form. The whole thing is designed to destroy the employer-based insurance system we have now. Sure, some people might get to keep their employer coverage and net a little extra cash with the refund. BUT, more people will wind up losing their employer healthcare and will find themselves struggling to replace it. It will absolutely be a net negative for the country.
Keep in mind, that $5,000 is per *family* not per person. Individuals would only get $2,500. It isn't enough. I'm a reasonably healthy middle-aged woman who up until this summer was paying for an individual policy that cost me almost exactly $2,500 a year (209/month). It was a high-deductible policy that never payed for a damn thing in all the years I had it. Trust me, it sucks trying to be insurance as an individual.
Also, insurance costs have been increasing at a rate several times the official rate of inflation (the cost of my policy more than doubled in four years - that's more than 25 percent a year). Even if the rate of increase slowed, say to 10 percent a year, the value of that tax credit would erode rapidly.
So, just let me repeat, we don't have a choice between a harmless plan and a better plan. We have a choice between a really, really, bad and destructive plan and a plan that will actually help some things and move us in the right direction.
October 9, 2008 7:31 PM | Reply | Permalink