MoveOn Spending $1.9M on Anti-Bush Ads

Guardian Unlimited ^ | Wednesday December 3, 2003 10:16 PM | By LIZ SIDOTI (AP)

[11th_VA]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Talk about a slew of early issue advertising.

An online liberal group is spending a hefty $1.9 million on a two-week television commercial blitz to blast President Bush's Iraq policies in five states that will be battlegrounds in next year's presidential race.

MoveOn.org will begin broadcasting the 30-second ad Thursday in major media markets in Florida, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio and West Virginia. The TV industry estimates that average viewers will see the ad about 10 times over the course of its run.

Typically, interest groups air such high volumes of issue ads in the months leading up to an election. MoveOn is starting its ad campaign much earlier to engage people now, its founder said.

``There's learning that has to be done early,'' said Wes Boyd, founder of MoveOn, which has 1.7 million members. ``There's momentum that has to be built. That's not something you do by hoarding funds in a war chest and dropping it on advertising in October.''

In the ad, an announcer suggests that Bush misled the country and describes ways the $87 billion Bush wanted for Iraq and Afghanistan could be spent domestically.

``We could have built 10,000 new schools. Or hired almost 2 million new teachers. We could have rebuilt our electric grid. We could have insured more of our children,'' the announcer says. Images of children, teachers and a woman reading by a flickering light illustrate the point. ``If there's money for Iraq, why isn't there money for America?'' the announcer asks.

The ad aired briefly in New York and Washington in October as Congress debated the supplemental spending bill.

Analysts who monitor political advertisements expect MoveOn.org to spend more than most issue groups on ads during the presidential campaign.

The Washington-based group, formed in the late 1990s to oppose the impeachment of President Clinton, has more than $6 million in its ad fund so far to air commercials in battleground states about Bush's policies.

[cyborg]

What a waste. They could do things more meaningful with that money. This just shows that hating people is a wasteful activity.

[Tempest]

And the leftist brainwashing begins. I actually wish I could see one of these ads, sounds like it should be a good laugh.

[Cindy]

SNIPPET: "MoveOn Spending $1.9M on Anti-Bush Ads"

Oh goody, goody, VA...I just LOVE to see lie-berals flush those $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ down the proverbial toilet. Keep spending kids, it's good for the economy.

[dead]

Will these ads feed a hungry child?

Will these ads house a homeless family?

Will these ads suck an unloved daughter from her mother's inconvenienced uterus?

[Paul Atreides]

``We could have built 10,000 new schools. Or hired almost 2 million new teachers. We could have rebuilt our electric grid. We could have insured more of our children,'' the announcer says. Images of children, teachers and a woman reading by a flickering light illustrate the point. ``If there's money for Iraq, why isn't there money for America?'' the announcer asks.

Go to Follywood for the money. Go to Soros. Go to Fr*nce. Go to Canada. You people love confiscating wealth so much, go to your liberal chums and demand the money for all of this. Tell Babs: "If there's money for an exclusive beachfront mansion, why isn't there money for America?".

[Cboldt]

I say egg 'em on, like "2 million is hefty --- hahahahahah!!"

[jdege]

The thing is the sorts of ads these people run lose them votes. The more times they see the ads, the more votes they lose.

The last thing the Dems should want to do is to remind people of their craven approach to terrorism and the tyrannical regimes that support it.

What was it Zell Miller said? The Dems are taking the anti-war agenda that resulted in the McGovern debacle, combining it with the higher-taxes agenda that resulted in the Mondale debacle, and think together they have a winning combination?

I'd lay odds they end up with three electoral votes.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Images of children, teachers and a woman reading by a flickering light illustrate the point

Oh. You mean MoveOn shareholders. I get it now.

[Cindy]

~~~ "ARE THEY FOR US OR AGAINST US?" (Updated Daily - Click Here.)

LINKS OF INTEREST (UPDATED DAILY.) (CLICK HERE) ~~~

[Newbomb Turk]

Good Good Good. Burn up that money now. Feed the Bush economy.

Woohoo what a bunch of airheads. But thanks for helping us expand economic growth.

[jmstein7]

I've seen two; they're hilarious!

While I could see how they would resonate with the Bush-haters, the ads really turn off main stream Americans because they say:

1) Hate Bush, hate Bush, hate hate hate(the Mis-Leader Ad)
2) Let's stop fighting terrorism and build more schools instead! (The $87B on Iraq ad)

All on all, these are a silly waste of $, so, let them air them all they want -- it's good for the economy!

[vpintheak]

Kind of like pissing into the wind isn't it?

[Paul Atreides]

The irony is, that the organization was created to defend a president who will only be remembered for having a fat girl polish his knob.

[M Kehoe]

The left/democRATs/socialist/libs (I know, redundant) are spending money way too early. Heck, the 9 dwarfs (and maybe one harpie) haven't begun the primaries yet. Even with Soro's money they're blowing their wad too soon. This is a good thing.

Methinks the Rats are in panic mode.

5.56mm

[Dog Gone]

I hope they spend billions.

It will stimulate the economy and do little to hurt Bush.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

From the same group the B and M'd about Bush having 4 -- count them -- 4 former Chief Executive Officers in his cabinet, which (according to them), no other President has ever had! Good grief! Then that's the fault of former Presidents! Look at what Bush has done to right the sinking Clintonomics!

Hey MoveOn, you want to prove you're charity? Become a monthly donor to FreeRepublic!

I am loving this. Kerry has sunk his own career, Dean is doing the same, as have several Hollywood names, all in an attempt to turn America against this President. Now communist MoveOn has thrown it's hat into the ring! Bon voyage!

[jmstein7]

And then, of course, they turn around and lambast Bush for running up a deficit. Sheesh.

Here's an idea for an ad:

Take the portion of the MoveOn commercial talking about spending the money earmarked to fight in Iraq, instead, on building more schools and hiring more teachers and show it as is. Then, we cut to a shot of a school house being built, and then another shot of teachers and students walking into the school (laughing and talking in the background).

Then the school blows up -- fade to black.

In BOLD white letters, on a black bacground "If We Don't Fight Terrorism, There Won't BE Any Schools."

[11th Earl of Mar]

Good thing we have McCain Feingold so that special interest fat cats will be kept out of politics!

[Cboldt]

The irony is, that the organization was created to defend a president who will only be remembered for having a fat girl polish his knob.

And irony atop irony, it's not possible to polish a turd.