Congresswoman and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Tammy Duckworth’s campaign today released a new TV ad, entitled “Uniform.” The largely biographical spot highlights how Tammy committed herself to serving her fellow Veterans after being injured in Iraq in 2004, with tangible accomplishments helping Veterans find jobs in a tough economy, as well as combating suicide and homelessness among Veterans. In response to continued distortions from Mark Kirk and is super PAC allies, the ad concludes with combat Veteran Wally Kubicki Jr, who says any Veteran who lies about another Veteran’s record will never get his vote.
“Tammy served this country for 23 years in the Army National Guard and Army Reserve and has made advocating on behalf of her fellow Veterans her life’s work, with real accomplishments,” campaign spokesman Matt McGrath said. “Republican Mark Kirk, on the other hand, has lied repeatedly about his military record and now he and his allies are in the process of trying to swift-boat Tammy’s record, even using the same tactics and right-wing contributors. Illinois families know Tammy Duckworth has dedicated her life to serving her country, and won’t be fooled by Kirk’s desperate attacks.”
An enemy rocket took Tammy Duckworth’s legs, but nothing could take her resolve
She served in uniform for another decade, dedicated herself to helping veterans, led important fights to help Veterans get jobs in a tough economy and fight homelessness
Now Mark Kirk is attacking Tammy with false ads about her service
Wally Kubicki, Jr: Any politician who would say that about another Veteran would never get my vote. I’ll stick with Tammy.
Well, the Kirk ad that constantly pops up on youtube says that she has committed to 200,000 Syrian refugees, but that’s not the case. There is a difference between refugees from Syria and the overall refugee commitment. While she did accept a higher number than the 10,000 President Obama wanted, the claim that she agreed to 200,000 is incorrect.
This approach worked early in her career, but it’s a tired theme now, no matter how dramatic and heroic her service story. That was the door to her public service. She seems stuck in the doorway now. Where she pivots to go after him, having a guy criticize going after a veteran while he’s doing exactly that, just doesn’t work.
It’s not a fail. But it’s not effective. People will come to the conclusion that her Congressional resume is empty despite being there for 4 years and coming in with a lot of fanfare. This commercial seriously lacks.
What false ads? Is it not true she was a Blagojevich appointee to head the Illinois Department of Veterans? I must have missed something, but she doesn’t cite her sources either.
I also love the small print at the beginning of the ad. It says one thing, but obviously she wants to imply another.
As I’ve said before I agree with a guy. At some point you have to have something else to talk about than your service record and veterans’ issues. Her service in government at the veterans’ agencies is fair game given the issues they have had.
- Cook County Commoner - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:41 pm:
Meh. Senator Kirk’s accomplishments at Lovell FHCC, both as a US Senator and US Rep, are known to the vets that use that facility, as well as his efforts to clean up one of the worst fed agencies, the DVA.
Insofar as appealing to vets by attacking Sen. Kirk, vets know better.
Ineffective. Coming out of the Democratic National Convention, there was plenty of talk about reforming the Veterans Administration, but which administration had been in the White House for the past seven and a half years ignoring the problems? Hospitalized veterans depend upon donations for basic toiletries. Duckworth headed the VA during the same period, didn’t she?
As long as the arena is dominated by veterans’ issues, Tammy wins. Duckworth would stay there all day long, but time for Kirk to get off this theme.
- John Charles Fremont - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:01 pm:
Pretty cookie cutter ad, IMO. I give it a C. With all due respect to the Congresswoman, at some point she needs to run on her record in the U.S. House of Representatives. There just doesn’t appear to be all that that much for her to run on, in my opinion.
Too many on this thread seem to think that most Illinois voters know all about Duckworth’s service but the reality is this is the first time she’s running statewide. Laying out her background makes sense in that context, and is particularly useful when Kirk is running ads suggesting Duckworth is somehow anti-veterans.
To me, this is a subject where she beats Kirk every single time. If Kirk genuinely thinks this is his ticket to reelection, that tells you a ton about what he feels about the appeal of his own record.
I like it. It creates an “us against them” in a way that probably helps her. Do you stand with the politician making false charges, or with the disabled vet who worked hard for other vets?
It is not great, but it probably doesn’t have to be for her to win.
This is what I got from that ad, 1) she made an enormous sacrifice, 2) she continued serving long after anyone expected her to, 3) she dedicated herself to fellow vets, 4) mark kirk is running a false ad, 5) a veteran with a purple heart is with her and not Kirk. The ad is pretty moving. I give it an A- because it communicates a lot in just 30 seconds. There will be a lot of ads, but this one is a really good start.
C- It is starting to look like her campaign views her as a one trick pony. Is this ad aimed toward vets themselves or toward other voters? It’s hard to tell. Look, vets and their families for the most part know and openly say that veterans services are a disgrace. Obviously it’s not Tammy’s fault the whole system has become increasingly broken over the past few years. But she’s certainly had her hand in the VA bureaucracy both at the state and national levels during that time. So, it’s fair to ask in addition to being sympathetic as a wounded warrior herself, whether as an administrator and legislator has she done enough to work toward fixing the problems and backlogs that might actually help her fellow vets. As far as I am concerned their focusing her entire campaign on this one issue is stunningly crazy politics. Why should people vote for her for the senate if this is all she’s got in her quiver?
You took the words right out of my mouth. I watched the ad, and I’m a huge supporter, but all I could think was “one trick pony.” She need to step it up with other issues.
How much of the “another decade” was in her appointed positions by Blagojevich and then President Obama? Were they actually active service? Wasn’t the “in uniform” actually her choice as to what to wear in those positions?
- Not Again - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:26 am:
Pretty lame but shows the Kirk ads are having an impact on her.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:35 am:
It should be about her, not him.
The moment she accused Kirk, the ad gets bad.
I’m seeing campaign ads trying to do too much in one pop, wrecking them.
Should have stayed with the bio.
C-
- slow down - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:36 am:
Straight forward and to the point. Works from where I’m sitting. Why Kirk wants to have this battle over Duckworth’s service is beyond me.
- randolph - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:38 am:
#weaksauce
if you are going to claim kirk is running false ads, kinda need to prove it.
also, does anyone really think IDVA was run well? not sure i would tie myself to that.
- Delimma - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:50 am:
Well, the Kirk ad that constantly pops up on youtube says that she has committed to 200,000 Syrian refugees, but that’s not the case. There is a difference between refugees from Syria and the overall refugee commitment. While she did accept a higher number than the 10,000 President Obama wanted, the claim that she agreed to 200,000 is incorrect.
- Amalia - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:52 am:
C reads as dull and uninspiring. a waste of an issue and an angle.
- A guy - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 11:56 am:
This approach worked early in her career, but it’s a tired theme now, no matter how dramatic and heroic her service story. That was the door to her public service. She seems stuck in the doorway now. Where she pivots to go after him, having a guy criticize going after a veteran while he’s doing exactly that, just doesn’t work.
It’s not a fail. But it’s not effective. People will come to the conclusion that her Congressional resume is empty despite being there for 4 years and coming in with a lot of fanfare. This commercial seriously lacks.
- ChrisB - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:10 pm:
What false ads? Is it not true she was a Blagojevich appointee to head the Illinois Department of Veterans? I must have missed something, but she doesn’t cite her sources either.
I also love the small print at the beginning of the ad. It says one thing, but obviously she wants to imply another.
- Ghost - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:10 pm:
I think if this runs now, she gets a little bump from Trumps mishandling of the goldstar matter.
- peets - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:14 pm:
delimma-
that was fact checked and proven accurate. maybe she misspoke, maybe she didn’t know what she was saying…but she did say 200k
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:37 pm:
As I’ve said before I agree with a guy. At some point you have to have something else to talk about than your service record and veterans’ issues. Her service in government at the veterans’ agencies is fair game given the issues they have had.
- Cook County Commoner - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:41 pm:
Meh. Senator Kirk’s accomplishments at Lovell FHCC, both as a US Senator and US Rep, are known to the vets that use that facility, as well as his efforts to clean up one of the worst fed agencies, the DVA.
Insofar as appealing to vets by attacking Sen. Kirk, vets know better.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:48 pm:
Ineffective. Coming out of the Democratic National Convention, there was plenty of talk about reforming the Veterans Administration, but which administration had been in the White House for the past seven and a half years ignoring the problems? Hospitalized veterans depend upon donations for basic toiletries. Duckworth headed the VA during the same period, didn’t she?
- walker - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 12:51 pm:
As long as the arena is dominated by veterans’ issues, Tammy wins. Duckworth would stay there all day long, but time for Kirk to get off this theme.
- John Charles Fremont - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:01 pm:
Pretty cookie cutter ad, IMO. I give it a C. With all due respect to the Congresswoman, at some point she needs to run on her record in the U.S. House of Representatives. There just doesn’t appear to be all that that much for her to run on, in my opinion.
- slow down - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:11 pm:
Too many on this thread seem to think that most Illinois voters know all about Duckworth’s service but the reality is this is the first time she’s running statewide. Laying out her background makes sense in that context, and is particularly useful when Kirk is running ads suggesting Duckworth is somehow anti-veterans.
To me, this is a subject where she beats Kirk every single time. If Kirk genuinely thinks this is his ticket to reelection, that tells you a ton about what he feels about the appeal of his own record.
- Gooner - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:23 pm:
I like it. It creates an “us against them” in a way that probably helps her. Do you stand with the politician making false charges, or with the disabled vet who worked hard for other vets?
It is not great, but it probably doesn’t have to be for her to win.
I give it a solid B.
- Amalia - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:43 pm:
Tammy, your speech at the Dem Conv was better than this commercial. get that spirit into your ad!
- Springfieldish - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 1:54 pm:
“if you are going to claim kirk is running false ads, kinda need to prove it.”
Ha! Since when?
- StephenSE - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 4:53 pm:
This is what I got from that ad, 1) she made an enormous sacrifice, 2) she continued serving long after anyone expected her to, 3) she dedicated herself to fellow vets, 4) mark kirk is running a false ad, 5) a veteran with a purple heart is with her and not Kirk. The ad is pretty moving. I give it an A- because it communicates a lot in just 30 seconds. There will be a lot of ads, but this one is a really good start.
- Responsa - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 5:05 pm:
C- It is starting to look like her campaign views her as a one trick pony. Is this ad aimed toward vets themselves or toward other voters? It’s hard to tell. Look, vets and their families for the most part know and openly say that veterans services are a disgrace. Obviously it’s not Tammy’s fault the whole system has become increasingly broken over the past few years. But she’s certainly had her hand in the VA bureaucracy both at the state and national levels during that time. So, it’s fair to ask in addition to being sympathetic as a wounded warrior herself, whether as an administrator and legislator has she done enough to work toward fixing the problems and backlogs that might actually help her fellow vets. As far as I am concerned their focusing her entire campaign on this one issue is stunningly crazy politics. Why should people vote for her for the senate if this is all she’s got in her quiver?
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 6:33 pm:
Responsa,
You took the words right out of my mouth. I watched the ad, and I’m a huge supporter, but all I could think was “one trick pony.” She need to step it up with other issues.
The ad is mediocre.
- Old IVIer - Monday, Aug 1, 16 @ 10:23 pm:
How much of the “another decade” was in her appointed positions by Blagojevich and then President Obama? Were they actually active service? Wasn’t the “in uniform” actually her choice as to what to wear in those positions?