A better Quinn video
Tuesday, Jun 17, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Frankly, I didn’t much care for the “cupcake girl” video put out by the Quinn campaign. It’s too long, too cute and the issue is somewhat dated and unimportant.
I like this next one more. The video features person on the street interviews. Here’s the campaign’s setup…
Regular Janes and Joes on the street reacted in shock and disbelief when told that the richest man in Illinois had bestowed a $2.5 million campaign contribution on billionaire Bruce Rauner. The contribution by billionaire hedge-funder and Koch Brothers ally Ken Griffin is the largest of its kind in any state in the modern era and is part of Rauner’s effort to buy the Governor’s seat.
Griffin, who has given Rauner a total of $3.6 million and lets him use his $50 million jet to scoot around the state, has told the Chicago Tribune that the super-rich have “insufficient influence” on the political process, but people polled at random for a Quinn for Illinois video released today did not share that view:
The setup doesn’t do it justice because the reactions by these folks are real, visceral and raw. Watch the whole thing…
- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 10:46 am:
Boom.
– MrJM
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 10:51 am:
Wow.
Full disclosure, I have felt, and still feel;
===I am for the complete opposite.
I would like to see complete unlimited campaign contributions for any candidate, at any time, for any office, from anyone.
Now, here is the rub. If the contribution is larger than .01 cents, and that includes in-kind, it must be reported, AND if its a contribution, it must be from a Checking Account, (no cash) so it can be traced back to who controls the account.
You want participation, participate, but under COMPLETE sunshine, for an unlimitied amount.
Further, if it’s deemed a transfer of funds took place to “fill” a checking account to hide its origins, it is a felony.
You want to go “dirty money”, then go full bore!
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 18, 11 @ 12:59 pm===
Unlimited money, full and complete disclosure in real time. “Dirty money”, individuals, who or whomever.
Anyone wants to give cash, go “all in”
The voters than will know and decide, “do we support someone who takes that money, that amount of money, from that group, PAC or person.
Freedom of Speech has a backlash at times. If campaign donations are “free speech”, you have to take the good with the bad when you take the donation.
Give it an “A”, going to be worth a “C” unless it gets massive exposure, which is probably not going to happen.
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 10:53 am:
Definitely better.
But a “great” Quinn video would involve asking == Regular Janes and Joes on the street == their thoughts on the Governor and his job performance. /s
- Norseman - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 10:53 am:
Needed to visit some downstate locations.
- anonymoose - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 10:54 am:
Biggest in Illinois history. I can believe. Biggest in U.S. History???? I keep seeing the assertion but wondering about the facts.
For example, take Mr. Sheldon Adelson and Mrs. Adelson. “In making the couple’s second $5 million contribution, Dr. Adelson expressed a wish to Winning Our Future officials that the money be used “to continue the pro-Newt message,” one of the people familiar with the contribution said, rather than attack Mr. Romney.” New York Times ‘Super PAC’ for Gingrich to Get $5 Million Infusion By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE Published: January 23, 2012
No doubt the $2.5M single contribution is a beyond stunning amount of cash and makes everyone wonder what the heck is going on with the system we have.
- walker - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 10:56 am:
Wow. Very to the point.
A-/B+ For authenticity, and obvious lack of scripting.
Could have been A+ with slightly better production on just what the quotes were that people are reacting to, e.g. clearly name the name, and show the whole front page before zooming in on the language.
Just because reality comes thru the responses of the people on the street, doesn’t mean the framing of the questions should be equally sloppy or random.
Don’t really know how many voters this issue will move, but a great ad to get what’s there.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 10:58 am:
===Needed to visit some downstate locations.===
Agree, - Norseman -, no snark, like a farmer in a Carhartt…
Probably two factors played into this, obviously;
Timing to make it relevant, and focusing on Chicago base.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 11:00 am:
–
But a “great” Quinn video would involve asking == Regular Janes and Joes on the street == their thoughts on the Governor and his job performance. /s
—
Nope. This is as good as it gets for me. It’s all about money buying power and influence. It’s one thing to have difficulties. It’s another altogether to purchase 2.5mil worth of influence in state government. And for what? Not for the citizens of Illinois. Not for authentic solutions. It’s so Rauner can make sure Griffin has a seat at an increasingly more elite table.
You watch: if Rauner wins — a big if, IMHO, as the days pass — we’ll learn that Rauner is the most inaccessible of all recent governors. Rauner won’t lock himself up in the bathroom — no, it’ll be in his smoking room with Griffin and the Kochs.
- another guy - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 11:08 am:
Anyone who has ever done MOS interviews know that people generally parrot back exactly what they’ve just heard. The late night talk shows have a lot of fun with this phenomena.
This is cheap an lazy. The video version of a push poll.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 11:10 am:
This is a pretty bad ad.
Why? Because it doesn’t reach out to the voters Quinn will need to win over to get reelected. This ad would have been far more powerful if it had been shot at a Central Illinois diner. It would have been more powerful if it had been shot at a kitchen table.
If you want this anti-Rauner message to resonate, it needed to show it resonating with people who are stereotypically Rauner voters. If you want to convince independents to change their views about Rauner, you have to show Rauner supporters having their minds changed.
This is a bad ad because it is only speaking to Chicagoans, showing Chicagoans.
The script is forced. These people aren’t talking about something everyone can relate to. They aren’t being asked about their lives. This is an ad only Quinn supporters are going to be passionate about.
Not the voters Quinn needs in 2014.
I give it a C grade. Not really very good.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 11:11 am:
Packs a nice punch, but doesn’t circle back to a Quinn/Rauner context and close, blowing the impact of those quotes.
Amateur night continues for Team Quinn.
C.
- Archimedes - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 11:17 am:
Good ad. Gets to the heart of what is going on. It used to be that elections were won with GOTV and boots on the street.
Rauner is shaking up the system. Forget the boots. Get enough money from a few rich guys - and buy the GOTV.
- Snucka - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 11:19 am:
Anonymoose: I believe the claim is that this is the largest single contribution to a political campaign. Adelson and others have contributed more to PACs and Super PACs.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 11:30 am:
Rauner can counter an ad like this with a similar one.
He can show a couple of inner city parents reading a statement about the low high school graduation rate and the fears they have for their children growing up in South Chicago.
Then show a rural school boarded up with a rural couple talking about how long their kids have to ride the bus because the schools had to be closed.
Then show a mom after prison visitations with her son lamenting how he never completed school.
Then fill the screen with how bad education has become under Governor Quinn - an a voice over of Rauner saying that, “we can do better for our kids!”
That is what you do.
- ChinaTown - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 11:35 am:
Far better than cupcake fluff. Still not likely to be seen by a single persuadable voter.
- Hit or Miss - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 11:37 am:
I rate this ad as being a bit better but still not that great. What it tells me is one reason why I should not vote for Rauner. What it fails to tell me is why vote for Quinn. Maybe the ad is saying that I as a voter should just stay home on election day? I am not sure what it wants me to do.
- Just Observing - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 11:41 am:
=== This is cheap an lazy. The video version of a push poll. ===
Well said.
This is not a compelling ad. It speaks more to campaign finance laws than to Quinn/Rauner.
- walker - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 11:52 am:
==the script was forced==
VMan: Are you kidding? Did you even watch the ad?
There was no script at all. There were no especially leading questions. Of course the responses were cherry-picked for the ad, but each seemed clearly raw and authentic. That was both a strength and a weakness.
- Roadiepig - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 12:13 pm:
If you want this anti-Rauner message to resonate, it needed to show it resonating with people who are stereotypically Rauner voters -VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 11:10 am:
Sterotypical Rauner voters? Is there such a voting block? Did you mean Republican voters, because its becoming increasingly obvious to many people that Rauner isn’t one of those folks…
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 12:17 pm:
Not one of those people even knew about this political development, let alone have an opinion about it. The questioner forced the question in the interview, then guided the responses.
Not one of those people gave two figs about this until the interviewer showed up and forced them into discussing it.
That might not have been written down - but the whole thing might as well have been. Until voters have been polled saying that this is a concern they are discussing with family and friends - it is about as real as reality television.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 12:24 pm:
Imagine if this is what we see -
Folks living in the projects being shown the newspapers, then being asked, “If you had 2.5 million dollars, would you give it to a politician?” Then film the responses.
Find little kids - “If you had 2.5 million dollars, what would you do with all that money?” Then film the responses.
That would a lot more powerful than this.
I don’t think these Quinnsters know what they are doing at all with this kind of stuff.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 12:31 pm:
===Not one of those people even knew about this political development, let alone have an opinion about it. The questioner forced the question in the interview, then guided the responses.===
What were you watching?
The people reacted to the newspaper that some later in the video were holding, reading again, and responding.
What was forced? Question asked, question answered. You know how that works, “right”?
===Not one of those people gave two figs about this until the interviewer showed up and forced them into discussing it.===
Based on? I don’t recall a single person interviewed that said:
“I don’t give two figs about this until you (the interviewer) showed up and forced me into discussing it.”
Did I miss that part?
===That might not have been written down - but the whole thing might as well have been.===
They used signals to cue the responses! Yikes.
===Until voters have been polled saying that this is a concern they are discussing with family and friends - it is about as real as reality television.===
I am sure there is a poll saying just that, along with a poll saying the exact opposite too.
Maybe they should have a referendum on it?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 12:33 pm:
===Folks living in the projects being shown the newspapers, then being asked, “If you had 2.5 million dollars, would you give it to a politician?” Then film the responses.===
Or Dopes living in Oswego traveling on Pink rafts…
I don’t think you need to make this any more than what it is…
- Amalia - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 1:04 pm:
good sentiment. need to repeat this ad in various locations and make the spot shorter.
the cupcake ad is good to puff up Quinn’s positives, this one is a great negative spot.
- MrCR - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 1:17 pm:
Easy rebuttal:
Do you think that just Chicagoans should have more or less influence on the political process?
Because all I see are people from Chicago. Earth to the Quinn campaign, there is more to IL than just Chicago.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 1:30 pm:
If Quinn wants to reach out to people downstate, they should provide a picture of Rauner in a power suit standing next to Griffin’s private jet, then put it next to a picture of Donald Trump. Include the quote about Rauner saying he won’t be visiting any farms. Then ask, do you really believe this man will represent your interests, farmers?
- Archiesmom - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 1:50 pm:
Right on, Wensicia! This whole privilege issue will resonate. Maybe it shouldn’t, but it will. These days politics is visceral and emotional, rarely logical. Or perhaps the emotion plays to the base, and the logic is used to sway the 5% in the middle! or the undecideds. Things have changed a lot in the last 5 years, and some of the old maxims just don’t seem to apply any more.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 2:05 pm:
Please don’t present dopes in Oswego as similar to folks living in one of our housing projects.
I was being open minded thinking about how they would respond to that question.
I was imagining a beautiful child’s face looking up at the camera and telling us that if she had as much money as was donated to Rauner, she would help her mom move her and her brother to a safer place to live.
Or get enough food to eat.
Or help her grandma be happy.
To me that strikes a lot harder at the disconnect on this issue and scoring political points than finding urban Millenniums downtown who look like they are already Quinn supporters.
I see a big missed opportunity. But, you can go ahead and mock.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 2:11 pm:
===Please don’t present dopes in Oswego as similar to folks living in one of our housing projects.
I was being open minded thinking about how they would respond to that question.===
What are you saying, people in Oswego are more closed-minded than people in housing projects you can speak for?
You know how people, any people, will respond?
Speak for yourself, you know what you mean, let others do the same, housing project dwelling, notwithstanding.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 2:22 pm:
What are you saying, people in Oswego are more closed-minded than people in housing projects you can speak for?
You know how people, any people, will respond?
Speak for yourself, you know what you mean, let others do the same, housing project dwelling, notwithstanding.
You called them dopes. I didn’t. Perhaps you have a new enhanced complimentary definition of what “dope” means. Normally if someone is called a dope, it suggests being dopey, which is not a compliment.
But you can go ahead and mock.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 2:25 pm:
…and while I don’t know how a child would respond to “what would you do with a million dollars?”, I have enough children to know that whatever they answer is more adorable than what this video shows.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 2:28 pm:
- VanillaMan -,
Let’s recap;
=== ===Folks living in the projects being shown the newspapers, then being asked, “If you had 2.5 million dollars, would you give it to a politician?” Then film the responses.===
Or Dopes living in Oswego traveling on Pink rafts… ===
Are you saying any Oswego Dope like me … would be in favor of giving politicians $2.5 million?
What would be the responses from those in projects?
That was my question, and what would be so different than anyone, anywhere, else?
I mocked the polling either way, and that was that.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 2:37 pm:
FWIW - That thing you are chasing sir, is your tail.
Proceed.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 2:40 pm:
- VanillaMan -,
You singling out housing projects really speaks…
- zatoichi - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 3:04 pm:
Basically a good ad. For course the speakers were led. You really expect a differing opinion would be in the final cut? Now do the same video in Charleston, Quincy, and Vienna.
- Ahoy! - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 3:18 pm:
This video did nothing for me so I give it a D+. It seemed authentic, but I never really got the point. Maybe it’s because I’m disillusioned with the job Quinn has done over the past 6 years, maybe I’m just upset that our State seems to be moving in the wrong direction and I’d probably donate $2.5 million to change Illinois of I could.
Maybe I’m just bitter, but it didn’t move me at all and I’m a only a leaner.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 4:00 pm:
VanillaMan:
I agree the add would be more effective if it featured interviews from outside of Cook County.
I can imagine what the reaction might have been from Wordslinger’s dad.
I don’t think we stormed the beaches at Normandy so that Kenneth Griffin could drown the political process in a sea of unlimited wealth.
Whether he means to our not, Quinn is clearly aiming his sights at the Baby Boomer Generation.
Words like “saboteur” and “collaborator” have particular meaning to those who grew up in the formidable presence of the Greatest Generation.
Quinn just needs to be careful.
As should Schrimf BTW.
Rauner is already on thin ice with the LGBT community. Dragging Fred Eychaner’s name into the mix is not smart.
- Responsa - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 4:00 pm:
Ads for elections either preach to the choir of existing voters or try to break new ground to get undecideds. If this one is primarily to shore up Quinn’s supporters it may work. If it’s meant to convince voters who are waffling I don’t see it as being effective in moving the needle at all. The “Rauner is rich” thing is sort of baked in to the (cup)cake at this point I think.
Yes, I probably could have included a few more cliches in this comment but I’ll save a few for next time.
- Chicago Guy - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 4:04 pm:
I was disappointed with the “ad.” Part of it was it seemed like someone just went out and talked to a few people on the street and recorded it with the family video recorder. The people in the ad all looked like urban democrats. How about filming some down-staters? or a businessman type? This ad isn’t going to sway any voters.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 5:55 pm:
I thought the Griffin contribution was lousy politics. It steps all over the persona Farmer Bruce is trying to create with the Carharrt, cheap watch, Harley, milking cows — you know, the phony story.
But it’s possible Griff just did it on his own for the attention. He likes attention on his own terms.
He made sure his gift to Harvard was the biggest ever — lots of attention.
He had his wedding at Versailles — lots of attention (and I hear the cake was to die for).
And now he has the biggest contribution in a governor’s race, ever, anywhere — lots of attention.
I’m sure Bruce will keep the money, but it doesn’t help his regular-guy act when a pal with a Kardashian-complex steals the spotlight with his check book. Griff could have easily chopped it up over weeks.
And if anyone has a picture of Rauner at the Versailles wedding, I imagine the Quinn administration could help find jobs for any chronically unemployable relatives, lol.
- persecuted - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 6:15 pm:
I would like to see similar interviews done statewide, by reporters with no dog in the hunt. Wonder how many responses would have been that they were waiting for some independent candidate to step forward for before making any decisions.
- Just The Way It Is One - Tuesday, Jun 17, 14 @ 8:06 pm:
Really would hit home with the average (and UN-ultra wealthy) Voter, I think, as the comments of those folks in the Commercial attest. Yes, even a HIGHer Grade than the Cupcake Girl spot, which I gave an “A” to…
PERsonally, I still can’t get over the massive amount of the donation–the largest EVER! Just the number of years it would take for someone making the Minimum Wage to make such a $2.5 Million Campaign Donation would be mind-boggling, I’d imagine…!
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jun 18, 14 @ 7:22 am:
in terms of persuadable voters — gov. quinn won the 2010 election — if turnout basically stays the same — he only has to convince his voters to come out and vote for him — and that’s what this commercial does.
There hasn’t been a huge surge of Republican voters and Rauner is no Ronald Reagan. No momentum — except from billionaire investors — and you can count the number of billionaire investors on one hand — maybe two hands.
Quinn only has to keep his hand steady — and pick up a few more votes — through targeted turnout programs — and he’s good to go.