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* Back in 2006, GOP gubernatorial candidate Jim Oberweis faked some newspaper headlines in a couple of TV ads…
Republican governor candidate Jim Oberweis is launching two TV ads that use made-up newspaper headlines to attack front-runner Judy Baar Topinka’s integrity.
The words are displayed as if they appeared on the front pages of the Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the State Journal-Register of Springfield.
But Oberweis campaign manager Joe Wiegand said, “those aren’t headlines.” Instead, he said, the “text is excerpted” from stories that appeared in those publications. A review of the stories did not find the exact words as they were presented in the ads, which are to begin airing Wednesday.
“We are not printing a newspaper,” Wiegand said Tuesday. “We are doing a television advertisement.”
Charles Wheeler, a journalism professor at the University of Illinois at Springfield, called the ads deceitful.
* Bruce Rauner is doing pretty much the same thing with his latest TV ad…
Bruce Rauner debuted his latest attack ad against Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday — a TV spot called “Headlines” that relies in part on independent news stories but features headlines the Republican’s campaign made up and doctored to make them sound more critical. […]
But in two other cases, the Rauner ad makes up headlines that did not appear with the source cited, and in at least three other cases, headlines were shortened to buttress the campaign’s attack on Quinn. Rauner campaign spokesman Mike Schrimpf defended the technique, saying in an e-mail that “due to time and space constraints, the phrases had to be condensed.”
In one case, the ad displays the words “Quinn education cuts lead to teacher layoffs and larger class sizes,” which the Rauner campaign attributes to an April 11 Associated Press report that appeared on the Washington Times web site.
But the actual headline was “Quinn, Rauner spar on education in 1st 2014 event” from a story about a joint appearance by the two candidates before the Illinois Education Association.
The quoted “headline” by the Rauner camp’s ad also does not appear as a phrase in the AP’s news article. Instead, the “headline” paraphrases a Rauner attack on Quinn from the event, not an independent statement of fact from the AP.
* From today’s Quinn presser…
.@GovernorQuinn: TV stations should refuse to air @BruceRauner ads that "falsify" critical headlines.
— Charles Thomas (@CThomasABC7) July 24, 2014
* The ad in question…
Discuss.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:33 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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To the Rauner camp if Rich can write this headline “Rauner takes page from Oberweis playbook” don’t do it!!!
Comment by Mason born Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:37 am
The pros apparently left the building after the primary. This is another stupid and avoidable mistake by the Rauner campaign.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:39 am
Take the ad down. Cut your losses and cut a brand new commercial based on the Fortune Magazine story outlined in the next post on CapFax.
Comment by Adam Smith Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:44 am
Actually, the two campaigns are doing a great job keeping us and the public looking at this sort of stuff. Otherwise, we might be thinking and talking about???? One of my oldest maxims; Do you ever stop to wonder why the magician’s assistant is a very attractive scantly clad young woman? Do you ever wonder why magicians do everything with great, exaggerated flourishes of movement? Think about it.
Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:47 am
Honesty. Integrity. Ethics. Morals.
Bruce lies about homeowner exemptions.
Bruce lies about Payton Prep.
Bruce lies about his hands on/on the outside if others running things business history.
Bruce Rauner is someone that can’t be trusted to tell the truth, even if the truth will help him.
That Ad didn’t need fake headlines, but when you portray yourself as a fraud, might as well make up as much stuff as possible, call it “baloney” and laugh and mock the “little people” you are fooling with a Carhartt and a watch.
For someone who “has been successful at everything he’s done”, he sure lies a lot.
Wouldn’t your honesty and integrity want these Ads to be truthful?
Wouldn’t ethics and morals day to a man, “make sure this is accurate, there is enough there that we don’t need to make anything up.
The Press Corp now understands, if the lesson with the bold face lying to Bernie didn’t teach them;
You can’t trust what Bruce Rauner asks you to believe, and you better check on what he tells you is the truth.
How pathetically sad is it that the “White Knight” of Illinois, has more dirty mud on him and his word than your average snake oil salesman.
You lied, Rauner Crew, own that.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:49 am
I don’t see the ad as misleading. The “headlines” are not printed on fake newspapers and held up to the camera. The fact that the ad is named “headlines” is a bit over the top, but the voter who sees the ad wont have any idea what the name of the commercial is. They are simply quoting news sources. Much ado about nothing.
Comment by John A Logan Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:54 am
C’mon, there weren’t enough real headlines you could use against Pat Quinn?!
Sloppy and lazy. Cracks starting to form on the Rauner campaign.
Comment by Fred Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:55 am
Rauner voters, I seriously can’t wait to see you do backflips defending this. This is the level of integrity you want in a governor eh?
What I find most contemptable though is the statement that the headlines were condensed due to time and space constraints. Come on man. No one buys that argument for a second. Stations should refuse to air this garbage.
Comment by Jimbo Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:57 am
Never a good idea to mess with the press. Many generally try to play things down the middle, but they’re human. Get them angry, and expect it to come back at you down the road.
And who doesn’t think the “headlines” in your ad would be checked by the opposing camp and perhaps by the news outlets themselves? Amateur hour.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:57 am
===They are simply quoting news sources. Much ado about nothing.===
You sure about that?
I guess looking at Ads as a way to see if a candidate can be honest it have integrity means nothing? Got it.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:57 am
===”The pros have apparently left the building”===
I am afraid this is what passes for “pros” these days.
Just like unfair negative ads, twisted facts, and putting your own negatives onto your opponent — these fake headlines work, and that is good enough for current campaign pros. What newspaper or other press is going to attack these tactics effectively? That is what has changed over time.
Comment by walker Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:58 am
John, the words weren’t even in some of the articles. How can you defend that?
I guess you’re saying that it would only be dishonest if they dummied up a copy of the paper with the fake headline. Quite a bar for dishonesty you have there
Comment by Jimbo Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 11:59 am
Stupid and unforced error involving an uninspired spot. The Baron’s not getting return-on-investment from his advertising peeps.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 12:02 pm
Yeah Quinn would never do that..I meant Pat Quinn the hockey player.
Comment by Empty Suit Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 12:16 pm
Having attended one of Rauner’s pre-primary town hall meetings, I am not sure he knows the difference between truth and fiction. He is either saying what he is told to say without challenging the veracity or he does not care and is doing what it takes to get the vote. I would say he is not “shaking things up” but more like sticking with the status quo in Illinois politics.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 12:19 pm
If you’re a governor, or a candidate, or a businessman, you’re ultimately responsible for your peeps. But this is one instance where I could legitimately see that Rauner was sandbagged by a one-off from his campaign people.
It’s not a strategy or a business model to take such a stupid, lazy, unnecessary shortcut. There were plenty of better ways to sell those messages without making stuff up and attributing it to working media.
Now he knows better. If he’s a good manager like he says, he’ll crack some heads on his staff and tell them to put a little more energy and care into their work or else. Do not embarrass the candidate with your laziness.
You’re paying that kind of money, you better get an inspired, professional and tight work product.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 12:43 pm
Honest question:
Is Pat Quinn “under investigation”? I’ve looked and looked. I know the program is getting a look-see from the feds, but is Quinn a target? If not and some of the recipients of the money do the “perp walk” and it ends there, what is that going to do to Rauner’s message? Is Rauner over reaching?
Comment by Try-4-Truth Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 12:50 pm
“I’m Bruce Rauner. If you’re ready for a change in Springfield, I’m ready to go to work for you.”
So Bruce, does that mean you’re only interested in going to work for those who vote for you?
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 12:55 pm
T4T, they generally say that Quinn’s NRI is under investigation, which is truthful. No one really knows if the feds are specifically targetting Quinn. Based on what I know of the program, there was plenty wrong with its administration, but criminality may be limited to fraudulent groups receiving grants. Pols are legally allowed to direct grants wherever they want, so long as they don’t specifically trade them for something or know that the group receiving the money is a sham. Both of those things are possible in this case, but I don’t think it likely there’s any proof of either to be found.
Comment by Jimbo Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 1:19 pm
Jimbo,
Here’s the deal though, the Rauner ad said “Another Illinois Governor Under Investigation”. That may not be true. And, if Quinn skates out of this before the election and Rauner is in too deep with this message, it may be a very large backfire.
Comment by Try-4-Truth Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 1:31 pm
It seems they may have learned their lesson a few weeks ago and be taking a page from the Quinn playbook as well. Meanwhile, the downward spiral continues.
== U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Friday a fake press release sent by the Illinois Republican Party marked “a new low.”
But it was Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign that started the shenanigans.
They issued a news release Thursday and Friday purportedly from Republican rival Bruce Rauner’s campaign. It said Rauner would “emerge from hiding” to discuss whether he used clout to get his daughter into an exclusive school.
The GOP then sent an email that falsely stated Durbin would call on Quinn to testify in the investigation of his troubled anti-violence program.
Both sides defended the messages, saying they’re drawing attention to important issues. ==
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/25890826/fake-news-releases-latest-twist-in-governors-race
Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 1:56 pm
Pay some people to write some stuff that is real. This is silly and only makes him look foolish. Or like he is making fun of the voters as if we’re too stupid to know the difference. It’s written up on The Trib site so other news sources will pick it up.
Comment by Belle Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 1:56 pm
From the Tribune article cited above
===Rauner’s campaign stood by the ad and said “everything” in it is “accurate.”===
Another Rauner beauty;
Caught in lies, you double down.
Not, “we made a mistake, we will correct it…”
Nope.
Like my Daughter’s score was “perfect”…
I guess that is one way to say “everything I have done I have been successful” if you spend your whole life ignoring where you weren’t so…successful.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 1:57 pm
I’ve commented on this story on my blog … only to be excoriated by a mainstream journalist for promoting my own bias. Whatever. So, if anyone knows of any link to any article where Quinn is telling a provable lie, let me know.
Comment by Billy Dennis Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 4:03 pm
Boy, usually Rauner sympathizers are all over this stuff.
I guess when “your guy” lies, I guess you can’t really defend it(?)
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 4:46 pm
lets give Quinn 4 more years to finally bankrupt this welfare state.. people who pay taxes are leaving Illinois …being replaced by illegals who don’t pay taxes. .corporations moving out to save money on taxes, regs, workmen comp cost, and on
dems and rino republicans have grounded out their goodie basket
Comment by better days Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 4:53 pm
- better days -,
While we’re at it, we should “fire Madigan” and take back Madiganistan because we are all victims!
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 4:58 pm
Hey Willy. Why don’t you get a hobby or something. Take a break. You’re starting to come a bit unhinged. relax get a beer
Comment by chicago dem Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 5:07 pm
Boy, GOP apologists are just as active here are they are on Facebook and my blog. You can;t defend the actions mentioned in the post, so they start jabbering away about Democratic perfidy elsewhere.
Comment by Billy Dennis Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 5:21 pm
Amazing a - chicago dem - is worried about me.
I’ll be fine, that’s not a Rauner lie of a headline either.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 5:23 pm
@FakeBruceRauner - join me tomorrow with Gov. Christie, President Lincoln, and…Morgan Fairchild. That’s the ticket! #BaloneySells
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 6:00 pm
@FakeBruceRauner - I adamantly, adamantly make up things when I don’t need to. #pathological
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jul 24, 14 @ 6:47 pm