Rate Tom Cross’ TV ad
Thursday, Oct 9, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* It’s called “A Different Kind of Republican”…
* Script…
I’m Tom Cross.
I’m running for State Treasurer to clean up the mess in Springfield …
… and I’ve never been afraid to break from my party to get results.
I’m pro-choice,
I support stem cell research …
… and I cast the deciding vote for marriage equality.
As Treasurer, I’ll fight government waste and fraud
Holding the Springfield Politicians accountable
so we can invest in what really matters … our schools.
VO: Tom Cross. Independent leadership for Illinois.
…Adding… Frerichs campaign response…
Tom Cross is “different”, and not in a good way.
One of the ultimate Springfield insiders, Tom Cross was on Rod Blagojevich’s clout list. According to a Sun-Times special report by Dave McKinney, Cross recommended 46 people to the “Blagojevich Jobs Machine.”
Tom Cross voted against bipartisan legislation backed by Mark Kirk and Barack Obama to block a toxic sludge treatment plant from being built on Lake Michigan. Cross was one of only 20 House lawmakers to oppose clean drinking water for millions.
Mike Frerichs worked with Democrats and Republicans to end the troubled legislative scholarship program and to expand job-creating enterprise zones. Mike Frerichs will put an end to the “politics as usual” that have plagued the Treasurer’s office in recent years, while Tom Cross continues to say “good job.”
- Put the Fun in unfunded - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:08 pm:
This one didn’t make the cut: “I decided not to run against Lisa Madigan because I could sue more effectively as Treasurer.”
- COMMON SENSE - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:10 pm:
RINO RINO RINO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Norseman - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:11 pm:
Decent. Bush-like head bob was a little distracting, but the ad clearly reaching for independents and Democrats. I give it a “B.”
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:12 pm:
B
It serves its purpose, but does so in an unremarkable fashion. Nice music, decent visuals and script.
- Anon - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:12 pm:
What he didn’t say: “When I was House Minority Leader, I valued independent-minded Republicans who weren’t afraid to break from their party, who had a mind of their own and didn’t stick with GOP orthodoxy.”
- John A Logan - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:13 pm:
I’m Tom Cross….and I am a Democrat.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:14 pm:
This sounds like an ad for a legislator or a Governor and not for a candidate for Treasurer.
He is aware of what the Treasurer does, right?
- Anon - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:14 pm:
It’s remarkable that Cross, who recently was one of the leaders of his party, wants to distance himself from the GOP brand. That’s why he brings up three issues (abortion, stem cells and same-sex marriage) that have nothing to do with the office he seeks.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:15 pm:
You would think he had never entered the cesspool of corruption they call “Springfield.”
Aside from that, not bad first effort.
C+
- A guy... - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:15 pm:
It’s a routine…pass. It does not though, offer us any intuition of his height.
- Obamas Puppy - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:16 pm:
He forgot to mention that he is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Republican Billionaire club. The schools? You mean the charter schools, you know the ones that all of your contributors are trying to make money off of.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:20 pm:
=I’m running for State Treasurer to clean up the mess in Springfield=
Give me a promotion because I’ve been a 20 year failure!
- Del Clinkton - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:26 pm:
Pro-Choice means the Government should not regulate what women do with their own bodies.
- Responsa - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:30 pm:
Obviously, the “issues” that he proclaims his independent thinking on are not related at all to the job of state treasurer. But pointing out that he is in fact an independent thinker and policy maker (and not a copycat party guy) is also key in this and other statewide races where so many voters are sick of the raw partisanship they see all around them from both parties. Independence from what is perceived to be rigid party dogma is a tough line for a candidate to walk and I’m not sure this ad quite does what it needs to. But it is on the right track and has the right tone. B-
- MEP - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:31 pm:
Hopefully he’s better at Independent leadership than he was at Republican leadership.
- walker - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:33 pm:
C Too many confusing messages in one ad.
Is he going to shake up the career politicians in Springfield? Like himself.
Is he going to parrot Rauner’s talking points, and then brag about breaking with his party?
Is not being a Republican what this state really needs?
He should just stick with his independent positions, and leave references to Springfield or the Republican party out of it.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:37 pm:
Dude, open your eyes!
I didn’t know stem-cell research was still a thing, but good on Cross for running as an old-school moderate Illinois Republican.
You have a different role when you’re a caucus leader, but now that he’s on his own, he’s been making all the right noises.
Treasurer races are kind of goofy, simply because there are no real sexy issues related to the office. So you talk about Israel, stem-cell research, abortion, etc.
He had me on his gay marriage vote. He stepped up when it counted. He gets my vote. Republicans needs to be rewarded when they do the right thing and reject the misanthropes in their midst.
- George Snorewell - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:53 pm:
Good ad, will probably play well with independents and moderate Republicans in Cook & around. Shows party independence, which hopefully Republicans can respect.
But it raises one question that’s been bothering me this whole Treasurer’s race: just how tall is Tom Cross?
- Lance - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 3:12 pm:
=He had me on his gay marriage vote. He stepped up when it counted. He gets my vote. Republicans needs to be rewarded when they do the right thing and reject the misanthropes in their midst.=
He’s gonna get a lot of votes like this…. just sayin
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 3:13 pm:
“B-, C+”
Frerichs was playing on the Dopey angle, Cross’ Ad is playing on the “I’m not squinting because I’m NOT on the dope” theme.
It does what Frerichs’ Ad is trying to do; name ID.
Nothing earth shattering here.
- Angel's Sword - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 3:26 pm:
Hey, I don’t think he’s running away from the Republican party fast enough. Strap another rocket to his back, why don’t you?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 3:26 pm:
Stop squinting AND sit up straight.
The setting for the ad is bland, the message is worth remarking on.
Color me skeptical.
How many Quinn-Cross voters are there?
Because this ad is aimed at folks who aren’t voting for Rauner because they don’t trust him on social issues.
And unless I am missing something, didn’t Cross endorse Rauner?
Seems to me he is making the same mistake Shiela Simon made.
I could be wrong though, so I am gonna give it an INComplete for now.
If this ad works though, then Bruce Rauner is an idiot. He could have put the social issues to rest six months ago.
- Anonymous 20something - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 3:44 pm:
Never thought I’d comment twice in a day.
I really like this ad because it resonates with me and people my age. A lot of us younger people recognize that Republicans are very solid on fiscal issues, but we also largely find the conservative stance on social issues repulsive. We don’t care what people do in their own homes to their own bodies. We just don’t want to pay for it.
I give it a B+/A-.
- plummerzHelper - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 4:11 pm:
D. This is a 2nd rate ad that would resonate perhaps, mabye, with the demograpic that eats dinner at 4pm. I dont mean to be cruel, but for some reason Cross looks like he is squinting or is shifty eyed or untrustworthy or something. Maybe it is just the camera work.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 4:13 pm:
Anonymous 20something:
Tom Cross voted to create a $57 billion whole in the pension system by stiffing pension payments from the state.
Then, he voted against pension reforms because he didn’t thing they gouged the state employees enough.
In between, he voted over and over for tax increases, borrowing, and to increase his own salary.
And, BTW he voted twice to make it okay to fire someone for being gay.
Okay: now who are you voting for?
again, I just don’t think there are that many Quinn-Cross voters out there…the fiscal conservative, socially liberal 20 something who hangs out on Capitolfax is pretty hard to find.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 4:34 pm:
- YDD -,
Make a comment, not a push poll…lol
- uptown progressive - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 4:38 pm:
Feels like a typical soft political ad. But unlike the Mike Frerichs ad it lacks the sense of story and humor. It was no fun watching the second time. It also seems to be too obvious in its effort to appeal to women.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 4:39 pm:
Just spotted back to back negative spots from Durbin and Obie:
Durbin on Obie: Millionaire Tea Partier who wants to cut his owh taxes to stick it to seniors and college students.
Obie on Durbin: Woof, he’s a really bad man! It goes really fast with a dark “Mission Impossible” track, but the gist is that Durbin is the cause of all bad. Definitely memorable.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 5:08 pm:
- Del Clinkton - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 2:26 pm:
Pro-Choice means the Government should not regulate what women do with their own bodies.
What about the Baby?
- howard - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 6:46 pm:
Want to make Illinois better…………try someone younger.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 6:49 pm:
Willy:
This is the fundamental problem with the ad.
Look, I bet I could name at least half a dozen conservative Democrats who thought they could win Republican districts downstate if they just ran enough ads showing them standing in front of a church with their family, and enough direct mail touting their pro-life credentials.
So, you spend $300K on ads that omit your party identification and them BAM - they walk into the voting booth and there is a D next to their name.
That is what Cross is attempting here. And if it works, I will be surprised.
Now, on the other hand, if the Rauner ship goes down then Cross will be well-positioned to run for governor as the Moderate in 2018.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Oct 9, 14 @ 6:52 pm:
Best line: “Holing the Springfield Politicians Accountable.”
LOL.
Great line.
- Gus - Friday, Oct 10, 14 @ 7:08 am:
I know the run-of-the-mill CapFax commenter is predisposed to disliking Tom Cross, but he comes across really well speaking straight to camera and his message is serious, and surprisingly warm. It’s a pretty good ad for independent suburban women.