Bush Campaign's Big TV Ad Push Trimmed (30% cut)

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/2004/la-na-ads14apr14,1,2640039,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Despite its unprecedented fund-raising success, President Bush's reelection team is scaling back its massive level of television advertising, according to senior Republicans familiar with the campaign's planning.

In the next few weeks, viewers in the 18 states where the ads have aired since early March will see about 30% fewer a week, one ranking GOP strategist said.

Republicans say the ad reduction was planned all along and that the commercials succeeded in planting doubts about presumptive Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kerry. And they say that while Bush's overall advertising budget will shrink, more of the ads that air will criticize Kerry.

In the nation's larger markets, the Bush campaign so far has divided its spending almost in half between positive ads touting his record and commercials criticizing Kerry, according to tracking conducted for The Times by TNSMI/Campaign Media Analysis Group.

Still, many Democrats are relieved that the race remains so competitive after a Bush ad barrage that appears to have totaled at least $40 million. Pointing to recent polls that generally show Kerry at least even with the president, these Democrats say the Massachusetts senator has taken what could be the Bush campaign's hardest punch and is still standing.

...they're going to STOP using them.

Brilliant plan. Go TEAM ROVE!

So much more - effective.

...is what they should say. I'm in California right now and the same ad "Kerry on the economy ... troubling" is the only one I've seen. What surprises me is that Camp Bush was pretty much busted on this from the beginning. I know we aren't going to sway any Dittoheads, but I think anyone that watches TV or reads the news in the paper or on the internet knows that the 300+ times that Kerry has voted to "raise taxes" are mostly times when he's either voted against tax cuts or voted for alternate bills.

Does anyone have the list of the 18 states? I was kind of surprised that California is one of them, since they just elected Ahnold for governor.

I've seen the poor attempt at humor one about Kerry and gas taxes. Sometimes I add my own voiceover to it when it comes on and say: Some people have crazy ideas on foreign policy! Like letting a secretive group comprised of former Iran-Contra felons, some who have had their security clearences revoked a couple times, plan, execute and lie the U.S. into perpetual wars to dominate the world's remaining supply of oil and insure Israeli military supremacy in the region, even though, at most, two of them ever served in the military.

They also show the one where Bush says America and Americans are wonderful, more money for small businesses, etc. I'm glad to read that I will be seeing less of this though.

I like your version much better.... :D Seriously, that's one stupid commercial. It even causes involuntary eye-rolling in most Republicans.

:bounce: Welcome to DU!!! :bounce:

... to drop 7 more points in the polls.

the only one they run any more is that stupid John Kerry wanted to raise tax on gasoline one. My husband, who normally doesn't pay much attention to this stuff, commented on this last night. He wanted to know if * couldn't afford to make more than one ad with all that money he's collected.

"Really. We meant to do that."

Riiiiigght! :eyes:

who said that, I can't remember. Anyway, I believe they don't have anything, the lies they tell are'nt fooling anyone.

being flushed down the media toilet without much positive effect, although I'd much rather see them continue to flush.