Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Credit Union (noun) – not-for-profit, consumer-focused cooperative
Next Post: *** LIVE SESSION COVERAGE ***
Posted in:
* The National Journal reports on Democratic congressional candidate Ann Callis’ new TV ad…
Callis’s TV ad will build her name recognition for the March 18 primary, in which Democratic professor George Gollin has already started TV advertising. But the spot is also an opening play for the general election eight months later.
Callis’s non-partisan judicial experience was one of the things that first got Democrats excited about her candidacy, but Republicans have since used elements of Callis’s tenure — including a low rating for local courts from a tort reform group and a low rating for Callis personally from lawyers at the beginning of her tenure — to attack the Democrat.
Her campaign’s ad pushes back with a career highlight: Callis’s formation of a “veterans’ court” to help process and treat honorably-discharged, non-violent offenders. The program won praise from, among others, Republican Rep. John Shimkus, who nominated it for an award a few years back and has since complimented Callis’s judicial tenure.
The new TV ad featuring the program has broader appeal than a typical spot targeted at a Democratic primary. It’s the sort of thing you would expect to see at the start of a general-election race — and it’s a reminder that the campaign is well under way, only a few months into the year.
* The Callis ad…
* The Gollin ad…
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 9:35 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Credit Union (noun) – not-for-profit, consumer-focused cooperative
Next Post: *** LIVE SESSION COVERAGE ***
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
While the Callis spot is the generally higher quality spot - production wise and what not - she seems removed and just…bleh.
Gollin seems like a more personal guy. Less robotic.
Comment by Mr. Jim Lahey Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 9:43 am
The Callis ad panders a bit, but overall is a good ad. It gets the pro-military point across and manages to let you know that she’s a military mom. It’s a good positive piece that will give folks the warm and fuzzies. Also it doesn’t paint her as an uber-liberal but rather in a moderate, blue-dog democrat light, which is how she’ll need to be perceived in that district.
Solid B
The Gollin ad isn’t that great. It has no clear message and uses basic bumper sticker slogans. “It’s our time”? Our time for what?
And the whole, “I’m a teacher and a scientist” line was odd. Also, the production values looked cheaper than the Callis ad. All in all, it looks like the ad from a candidate running against the party favorite.
A very generous D+
Comment by BDuty6 Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 9:49 am
Callus Ad - dunno if I want to remind people she was a judge. The veteran angle is nice, but the huge images are not what she may want to actively push from Jump Street. “B”
Gollin Ad - “progressive democrat” may play in the district for a primary, but once you own the label on anything, you own the good and bad in the general election too. “Do you believe in miracles?” says, “not suppose to win, but support me anyway. No one likes to back candidates who claim from the beginning; if I win, it will be a miracle! Dopey way to introduce. “About time…” for what? Too ambiguous, too much “hope and miracle” with no idea about knowing the time for… what? “C-”, so Professor, you got what you deserved, a “gentleman’s ‘C ‘…”
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 10:02 am
“Callus Ad - dunno if I want to remind people she was a judge. The veteran angle is nice, but the ‘judge’ images are not what she may want to actively push from Jump Street. “B”…”
Apologies
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 10:05 am
neither ad is spectacular. but then again, at least they have decent ads to acutally run on TV, which is more than you can say for some other candidates…
Comment by PoolGuy Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 10:14 am
OK introductions for both.
The judge obviously didn’t personally “create” the veterans court, but the emotional link to returning veterans works much better than the “miracle on ice” from an Olympics.
Callis is a bit too distant and smooth. But her veterans link makes me curious to know more.
Gollin messages hard to grab onto. He’s a scientist, so he can create a miracle? He’s a proud progressive? He seems to be a nice guy?
Callis B
Gollin C-
Comment by Walker Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 10:44 am
Callis ad is strong and emotionally attractive. Standing as a judge implies justice. She’ll get a lot of votes from women. She’s pretty and youthful looking. Men will appreciate her too. Solid A.
Gollin- ticked me off immediately. The Al Michaels call of “Do you believe in miracles” is iconic and recognizable to anyone who saw it live or relished the old footage of it. It bugged me so much that he had a goofy voice-over repeat it, I didn’t listen to anything else as I pondered the idiocy of this. D- on a great day. He looks like a crusty old guy on top of it.
Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 10:55 am
Frankly, I am tired of the political insider’s anointing candidates like Callis. I met her at a recent fund-raiser and when I asked her the Ted Kennedy question her response was “I want to use my judicial experience to reform the Federal Judiciary.” So I am not surprised by her introduction piece, which leaves me worse than flat. I haven’t decided whether I am voting for Gollin or Green, but I know it would take a miracle for a future Cong. Callis to address the economic issues important to me.
Comment by Louis Howe Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 11:44 am
Both spots are heart-tuggers, no doubt.
I don’t quite get how the “Miracle on Ice” applies to anything, but you get points for being creative.
The vets spot is a home-run for me. Our generation has asked way too much of too few, and when they’re all done, told them to straighten up, get a job and contribute.
It makes my blood boil from the shame.
I have friends who have kids who have done four, five, six tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Are you kidding me? Can you imagine the toll that takes on a human being?
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 12:16 pm
Second thought - I wonder if the Gollin camp cleared that audio use with ABC.
Comment by Mr. Jim Lahey Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 12:33 pm
Callis liked the mom part (talk more what it means to be army mom) didn’t like the vet court part.
Gollin terrible pull immediately, intro piece should be a intro no fluff especially that
Comment by rolling meadows Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 12:44 pm
@ Mr. Jim Lahey:
=Second thought - I wonder if the Gollin camp cleared that audio use with ABC?=
Sorry to disappoint you, but that was not the original audio. No way was that Al Michaels’ voice.
Comment by Knome Sane Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 1:24 pm
@ Louis Howe:
=and when I asked her the Ted Kennedy question=
Um, what is the Ted Kennedy question? You phrase it as if I should immediately know what that means.
Comment by Knome Sane Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 1:27 pm
Knome, Ted was asked why he wanted to be president. He couldn’t come up with an answer.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 1:29 pm
If we assume that Gollin is the candidate of the left wing of the Democratic Party and that Callis is the candidate of the centrist wing, it seems to me that Callis was speaking directly to her base but not seeking to move anybody on the left. Sounds as though she believes she is ahead. Assuming he is behind (I think a safe assumption) Gollin could have been a bit more aggressive, by drawing some contrast without it being a real attack, along the lines of “I am a teacher and a problem solver of which there are a handful in Congress. My opponent is a lawyer, of which there are many in Congress. What do you think we need?”
Comment by jake Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 2:18 pm
Thanks Rich. I’m younger than I thought I was. I should have remembered that.
Comment by Knome Sane Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 2:47 pm
Right Rich…Perhaps I shouldn’t have used a shorthanded way of saying that Callis’ reason for running didn’t sound plausible or well thought out. Here’s a Youtube 5min story about Roger Mudd’s 1979 interview with Ted Kennedy concerning the simple question: “Why do you want to be President?”
It’s a basic question that every candidate should prepare a firm, reasoned answer, but too many don’t.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5TkhNWPspM
Comment by Louis Howe Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 2:55 pm
Louis, thank you for the link. Your post makes perfect sense. Although I was not old enough to vote in the ‘80 election, I should have recalled that disasterous, and likely election-ending gaffe.
Comment by Knome Sane Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 3:42 pm
The Gollin ad was launched with the opening of the Winter Olympics then. It made sense then, at least for the now old folks who remember the Miracle On Ice or know U.S. Sports history. The Olympics are over, so he should put another ad on.
Callis ad is feel good. Everyone is for Vets, so doesn’t tell us anything. Callis would probably be a descent Congressperson, but she’ll tow the party line and won’t shake thinks up like Golin would. Seems like we need more of the Shake things up folks out there. Anybody is better than Davis and his irritating voice.
Comment by Johnny Justice Tuesday, Feb 25, 14 @ 11:39 pm
Callis’ ad was…exactly like every other ad that passes ‘the test’, whatever that is. I wouldn’t walk a precinct for her based on that.
I would, however, walk for Gollin if he had some proper media advice. I agree, he’s a bit goofy, but can you tell me that more of the same is serious preferable? Is Callis going to connect with anyone under the age of 40? This is the DEMOCRATIC primary, folks, you can’t leave that out.
Comment by Colossus Wednesday, Feb 26, 14 @ 3:00 pm