Ads
Campaign ads and videos
From NBC's Mark Murray Harry Reid to support a public option in the health-care negotiations. The ad asks: "Is Harry Reid strong enough?"
As Senate majority leader, Reid is tasked with forging together the Senate Finance Committee health-care bill (which doesn't contain a public option) and the Senate HELP Committee bill (which does). Today's New York Times writes that Reid "could choose to leave more contentious elements out of the measure he brings to the floor and allow backers of the public option, for instance, to try to add it through an amendment. If they can assemble the necessary votes, it would be a triumph; if they lose, they would have had their chance."
From NBC's Mark Murray Bob McDonnell's (R) 20-year-old graduate thesis -- continue to dominate the race for Virginia governor. Consider the two new TV ads McDonnell is airing.
The first blasts opponent Creigh Deeds (D) for running a "dishonest attacks" against McDonnell.
The other one features McDonnell's daughter Jeanine, who served in Iraq, to counter the criticism the Republican has received for writing in that 1989 thesis that working women and feminism were "detrimental" to the family.
From NBC's Mark Murray, Bobby Cervantes, and Ali Weinberg Deeds campaign (D) -- for the first time -- is airing a new TV ad explicitly targeting Bob McDonnell's (R) controversial graduate thesis. It's one of three new advertisements the campaign is running in markets across the state, including pivotal Northern Virginia.
"Virginians are asking lots of questions about Bob McDonnell's thesis," a narrator says in the ad. "How old was he when he wrote it? McDonnell was 34, married." It also refers to the school where McDonnell wrote the thesis, what is now known as Regent University, as "Pat Robertson's law school."
The ad continues, "And what did the thesis say about women? A lot ... abortion should be outlawed and birth control should be restricted -- even for married adults."
Another Deeds TV ad focuses more on his record (on abortion and birth control), with women speaking to the camera. One asks, "Why did you vote that way?"
In a conference call with reporters, Deeds senior adviser Mo Elleithee noted that more than half of Virginia voters -- 54% -- have heard little or nothing about McDonnell's thesis. "I think that puts us in a very strong position," he said. "There's still a lot of education to do. Among those who are educated on the issue, there's significant movement."
Elleithee added, “More and more people are finding Bob McDonnell too conservative,” and that McDonnell has “done everything in his power to hide… his conservative agenda. His efforts to appear moderate are falling flat.”
From NBC's Mark Murray President Obama firing up his audience -- "Fired up, ready to go" -- at yesterday's health-care rally in Maryland.
According to Salon's Mike Madden , who first reported on this TV advertisement, the ad will air on national cable and in the DC area, as well as on 40 liberal blogs.
The ad coincides with the DNC's new “Call’em Out” campaign, which is says is intended “to set the record straight on GOP lies, scare tactics and mistruths on health insurance reform and other issues.” The campaign's first target: Minnesota GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty .
From NBC's Mark Murray Pat Tiberi of Ohio and Dave Reichert of Washington state.
Here's one of the ads:
From NBC's Mark Murray Creigh Deeds (D) has a new spot on the issue of education.
Meanwhile, Bob McDonnell's (R) campaign is focusing on the economy, issuing this release...
McDonnell: Endorsed by Virginia's Small Business Owners; Voted for over $2billion in Tax Cuts; Carried Legislation to Kill Death Tax
From NBC's Mark Murray
The one-minute ad by the group Americans for Stable Quality Care will air in Indiana, Maine, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Colorado, Florida, Alaska, Iowa, Montana Nevada and South Dakota, as well as on cable and DC broadcast.
The ad is part of Americans for Stable Quality Care's $12 million buy it announced last month.
From NBC's Mark Murray Creigh Deeds (D) is now airing a tough radio ad in Virginia that seizes on Bob McDonnell's (R) 1989 graduate-student thesis at what is now Regent University.
Here's the script...Female: You startin' to follow this Governor's race in Virginia?
From NBC's Mark Murray
And here is a new ad the National Republican Congressional Committee is running against Democratic Reps. Michael Arcuri (NY) and Zack Space (OH). The ad refers to Obama's and Pelosi's "risky experiment" on health care, arguing that it will include "massive cuts" to Medicare.
From NBC's Mark Murray President Obama's health-care plans, Conservatives for Patient Rights, says it will be running print and TV ads greeting him when he visits Montana tomorrow and Colorado on Saturday.
Here's the print ad . And below is the TV one. They criticize the public/government option to compete against private insurers.
Conservatives for Patient Rights is headed by Rick Scott, who was ousted as the head of Columbia/HCA over fraud charges. As the Washington Post reports, Columbia/HCA eventually pleaded guilty for overcharging state and federal health plans, paying $1.7 BILLION in fines.
