85 Comments - George2 - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 11:44 am: Quinn desperation showing. This isn’t going to work. - Montrose - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 11:45 am: This is a good ad for Chicago, not downstate. I like the “Who is this guy?” line. I think it could be a good rhetorical tool for getting folks to actually think about who they are for instead of just who they are voting against. - Fed Up - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 11:48 am: Dark & edgy - but can he pull it out with negative ads? - Boone Logan Square - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 11:49 am: It certainly plays into the narrative of violence in Chicago. Do Quinn’s internals show he needs to increase support within the city (as opposed to the suburbs)? Will puppy killing be his next ad? - haverford - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 11:52 am: Wow. That’s one that works with the sound off. Also, no lens flares. So I’m expecting lots of 10 for 10s here just for that. If they run it in chgo, it’ll play well and be effective. - Anon - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 11:52 am: Quinn needs to worry about economic issues first. This add is fine for cable buys on the North Shore and other higher income suburbs and city neighborhoods but won’t be compelling statewide. - Wumpus - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 11:52 am: Wow, abysmal. I listened to both w/o audio. This could also be an ad against Mayor Daley. The gun laws may not play as well in the burbs, so let Chicago make their own constituional gun laws. That high schooler could have produced a better ad. - Solomon - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 11:53 am: Definitely not something you’d run South of Cook. Likely somewhat effective at scaring a depressed Chicago Democrat electorate into driving to the polls. - Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 11:53 am: when you air ads like this in august it says one thing:desperation. - Justice - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 11:54 am: Assault weapons come in many forms. They are showing one type when the proposed law in fact covered pretty much anything above a single shot. It needed to be more specific, thus many voted against it’s broad coverage of weapons. - Greg B. - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 11:55 am: No one can afford that in this economy. And that isn’t an assault weapon. - Heartless Libertarian - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 11:58 am: My thought was, “Okay, Quinn wants to make assault weapons illegal…. And then let the people who use them out early.” - ILPundit - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:00 pm: I think we know why he fired AKPD now. Running on a public safety issue when over 60% of the population say the economy is the number 1 issue is just crazy. He apparently needed a different consultant who would cooperate with a message that will get no traction. - Davey Boy Smithe - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:00 pm: I saw it here in Chicago this morning. I wasn’t impressed by it. Seemed too much like a bad movie trailer to me actually. And really, I don’t think BB or any pol wants kids to bring guns to school. I’d grade it a 5 out of 10. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:00 pm: Quinn’s base is not totally with him, so he needs to get them back on board. I like the tagline, and it will be very useful down the road. The ad itself is an obvious rush job. And why give Brady legitimacy by calling him “Senator”? The ad more than implies that violence will get worse, not better, if Brady is elected. Chicago-area folks in general are freaked out this summer about violence, but they’re personally freaked out by the economy. He needs to move on soon to the next stage of the campaign. Jobs, man. Jobs. - Andrew Quinn - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:01 pm: Brady’s response: Orange “Times New Roman”? Who is this guy? Seriously, the desperate and crappy-looking spot falls far short of Brady’s more positive and more polished effort of the last few days. - Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:03 pm: if you go back to 06 you had people like santorum running ads in august basically saying that if you elected casey there would be a terrorist attack-the republican version of these ads. Santorum was routed by 18 points and the race was over in early october in a state that to that point had not had a democrat senator in a generation. - justsickofit - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:03 pm: Agree with those who said — city only — a loser downstate — jobs, jobs, jobs! - 47th Ward - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:04 pm: 6.5 out of 10. It is very telling that assault weapons/crime is the theme. It tells me that the Quinn polling is awful and that ancillary issues like crime are the only path open to Quinn. Not good. And I say that as someone who worked on the Phelan campaign in 94, which had similar polling problems. “Who is this guy” is interesting, but not sure it’s going to be enough to overcome the obvious answer, which is, “he’s not Pat Quinn.” The contrast between Brady’s most recent ad and Quinn’s is very interesting and speaks volumes about where this race is headed. Both campaigns are trying to define Brady, neither is trying to define Quinn. Advantage Brady. - Anon - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:08 pm: @Rich — Calling him Senator reminds voters that Brady’s a Springfield legislator (and has been for some time) I’d guess. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:10 pm: Then call him “Springfield Senator.” - Wumpus - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:11 pm: Who is this guy is not as catchy as “What’s Judy thinking?” Bill Brady should do an ad, who has two thumbs and will be elected Governor of IL this Nov? (Points to himself) This guy! - Anon - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:14 pm: Good point. - Skeeter - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:18 pm: Might be a good ad, but for the “Quinn put dangerous criminals back on the streets” thing. Tough to sound tough on crime when you are emptyting the jails. Ultimately, that’s Quinn’s big problem. He says something about Brady, but because his own record is bad, it just rebounds against him. - John Ruberry - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:19 pm: Didn’t Quinn approve an early release plan for some prisoners, then lie about it? - Louis Howe - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:24 pm: My rating=0.00005….next to useless…Much better would be something attacking Brady’s minimum wage votes, right-wing economics, or his tax-less paydays on the state payroll. Quinn must be stuck in the 1990s “Assault Weapon Ban” mentality. - Skeeter - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:25 pm: But to the specifics, and forgetting Quinn’s record. I found the dialogue to be childish. “They are used for hunting PEOPLE” sounded ridiculous. Sometimes the best line is one that is not said. Somehow, the visuals also just did not come together. The chalk outline just didn’t work. A photo of a smiling person killed in a gang crossfire would have been 100 times better. However, the picture of Brady did make him look shady, and the final tag line is very good. I give this 3 out of 10. As others have noted, it seemed like an early draft. A lot of potential and a great tag line but ultimately not a good ad. - Commonsense in Illinois - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:27 pm: I think the “who’s this guy” tag can be pretty effective, but it gets diluted and almost completely lost in the anti-gun message which plays over the top dark. And although not required at the state level, I noticed that there was no, “I’m Pat Quinn and I endorse this ad”. - truthteller - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:27 pm: Who is this guy could be effective. I would leave off the generic assault weapons ban and instead lead with its one thing to be opposed to assault weapons ban but Brady goes further and won’t even allow then to be banned from schoolyards — and then combine that with puppy killer and other negative attacks before the who is this guy. Quinn needs to do better than this. But he also needs a theme and maybe this is the start of one. - Davey Boy Smithe - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:28 pm: I know it’s probably just me, but guns isn’t an issue for me. I’ve lived in the city for 6 years now. For 5.5 years, there was a gun ban, yet somehow there were numerous murders per year via the gun. I really don’t care where each stands on gun issues because those that want to have guns in the past have gotten them and used them. - Niles Township - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:32 pm: The ad itself is a 6. The strategy is a 10. The tagline is going to be repeated over and over again. TO most Illinoisan, the who is this guy tag works becfause they don’t know him. Makes you stop and think. It also is a nice follow-on to the the last AKPD ad, with Quinn saying “you know me…” That was Quinn’s best ad in any race he has ever run. - cousin ralph - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:32 pm: Seems a fairly typical negative ad. I dont think it will be memorable or stand out amongst all the other negative ads we are about to see. It does not address what is on the minds of most indies and swing voters in this cycle. The ad you posted by Brady goes to the issues most on voters’ minds. Advantage Brady. - Ghost - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:33 pm: Short straightfoward message; will resonate with cook county folks; carries a simple camapign message and tag line. This is the style and focus Quinn has needed all alog in his campaign. If they continue with these kinds of ad’s (or adds for Rich) hitting Brady’s other controversial social stances they coul do damage. We ar far enough from the election that Quinn has time for a game changer. This ad by itself is not it, but the concept of the ad is the strategy Quinn needs. A jobs message is needed, but there are a lot of conroversial social positions from brady that will resonate with women and donwstate voters as well if they can put them together with this straigtforward a message. - Adam Smith - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:34 pm: Quinn knows there’s concern about increased violence in the city. He also needs to remind left of center voters that he’s their guy becuase they certainly don’t like him much. That being said, Brady can effectively counter with the early release program to show that Quinn is no prize when it comes to safety. So it isn’t a clearly winning issue. And as we saw with the abortion/mamogram ads the DGA ran, this ain’t a social issues year. Give it a 6 out of 10 (not bad in and of itself, but won’t make much difference) - mia - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:35 pm: surprisingly effective, and should play well in chi. if they run some ads on jobs downstate–wl be interesting to see how it plays out:) - Vole - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:43 pm: It is effective if for no other reason that it continues to paint Brady into the lower right corner of the political spectrum. If the guy is against some reasonable measures of gun regulation then he fits into the NRA mold. He ain’t his own guy. So whose guy is he? - Patrick McDonough - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:45 pm: I saw Park Ridge Police use a gun like that when they responded to a bank robbery. - OneMan - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:49 pm: Not bad, interesting contrast to Brady’s ad. Also fairly easy to counter in a couple of ways. Just do a ‘fewer cops in Chicago ad’, Mayor Daley can’t protect you, I will…. - dznuts - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:51 pm: It’s a gratuitious ad citing a few votes but will probably resonate with a few neighborhoods in Cook County. Brady should not get in a tit-for-tat on the gun issue, but instead focus on principled issues and principled votes. Turn the campaign into a discussion on who should be making decisions for families — the government or people themselves? - Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 12:55 pm: The easy answer for Brady. “I promise to never let violent felons out of prison like Quinn did. That will help the crime rate a lot more.” - Old Milwaukee - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:05 pm: All those people being murdered in the City of Chicago are smack in the middle of a City governed historically by Democrats like Quinn. What could Bill Brady possibly do to make it worse than Quinn and his merry band of ineffective elected officials? If they weren’t terrible managers, they might have some money to hire more police officers. This ad is not as effective as the reality on the ground and that reality is that Illinois Democrats have lost the ability to govern effectively. - borzoi - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:05 pm: God Bless Mr. Quinn and his new agency. I wish him an unbumpy ride in the public sector. - Cosmic Charlie - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:05 pm: I think it is very well-produced spot. But I’m not sure this is the message that will will the independent swing suburban Cook and Collar County voters that Quinn needs to win. My sense is that those voters care more about economic security, jobs and taxes these days. In the Rasmussen poll for senate 68% of voters care most about Economic (55%) and Fiscal (13%) issues. They need to paint Brady as an extremist but they should point out his extreme economic policies not gun or social positions. - Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:06 pm: As a die hard Dem, I couldn’t care less about gun control right now. I think he’s tone deaf. Please talk about your plans to get my friends and family back to work first and let’s deal with gun control later. - Todd - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:08 pm: quinn tries to get a referendum on banning the sale of all semi-autos on the ballot and fails. A quick survey of other statewide stuff in the country and Quinn is the only dem talking about guns in a negative way. Culver is positive on guns and seeking NRA support. Strickland in Ohio got it and is running progun. we just had a supreme court case come from this state, where a african american was the lead planitf and he’s running gun ban referendums and stuff like this why? I don’t think this helps with down ballot races in a year that leans republican with the economy being the over arching issue. maybe it’s just me, but it seems to be swimming upstream on the issue. - CLJ - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:27 pm: It’s a base ad. Run it in the Chicago market where the message resonates with the African American and Hispanic base. Of course jobs matter and are important, but for a first ad it works for it’s intended audience. So long as they come out with another ad very quickly on the jobs issue followed by a multi-market “I’m the right guy for the job” type of ad. - Segatari - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:28 pm: Who is this guy? Answer: A TRUE CONSERVATIVE!!! Which is what Illinois desperately needs! Every time you hear that line “who is this guy” yell out loud “A TRUE CONSERVATIVE!” - Come on - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:40 pm: “What she thinking?” “Who is this guy?” The Dems are great on creating suspision and doubt. People want to be uplifted in this election, not taken to another dark place. Not to mention, assault weapons ban is so 1980s. - dupage dan - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:44 pm: @Anonymous, That’s it in a nutshell. Quinn is not resonating w/folk because he isn’t talking about what the voters want to hear. IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID! Since he can’t talk about it because his party is at the center of the fiscal mess that, too, would be a non-starter. Better bone up on the resume, Mr Quinn. You’re gonna need it. As said before, negative aids this early in the campaign smells of desperation. - Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:45 pm: I like that it shows the new firm can play dark and edgy. That level of attack will be necessary but I agree that if this were October, Brady would take this ad to shove the early release program right up PQ’s you know where… - Phineas J. Whoopee - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:47 pm: I don’t like it. Too dark. Quinn needs to get his positives up before bashing Brady. If I know anything about the media, they will go after Brady on their own. Quinn will lose a race to the bottom. - Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:55 pm: The GOP basically used the “Who is this guy?” type of message and tried to scare the hell out of the voters in the Obama/McCain race. Didn’t work. Why should it work now between Quinn and Brady? What’s next? LBJ’s famous (or infamous) “Daisy” (Nuclear Bomb) ad against Goldwater? - ChicagoDem - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 1:56 pm: Anon 1:06 pm..is absolutely correct. Quinn should deal with jobs,jobs. Besides, to be perfectly honest, the gun issue does not affect all communities equally. Only certain unfortunate areas in Chicago are disproportionately affected than the rest of the city or the state…the jobs issue is an issue affecting wide areas of the city and the state…but, pols like Quinn refuse to accept this reaity. - kj - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 2:05 pm: If “who is this guy?” is the hook, it should end the commercials like “what she thinking?” was. Which despite all the things to hate about Blago may have been one of the best negative ad campaigns in the last 10 years. - Tom - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 2:08 pm: this is an excellent ad for the Chicago market since it dov etails nicely into all the free media on the shootings. He wil get to jobs, but he must first stop the bleeding. I’ll bet you this ad moves women…it will work to close the gap a bit. - erin 17 - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 2:13 pm: brady’s postions on guns may raise some concerns in some parts of state-fair enough. but quinn openned prison doors for people who we already knew were bad guys. move on to next topic. - dupage dan - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 2:15 pm: Before Quinn loses his head he needs to stop the bleeding. Trouble is, that requires a tourniquet. - Don't Worry, Be Happy - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 2:17 pm: As a standalone piece it’s just OK. Clearly, however, this is the opening chapter in a longer advertising campaign, and I think it does that job nicely. Guns, reproductive health, failure to pay taxes, voting for state funding for his business, plans to cut education funding, etc, etc. The question in my mind is whether Quinn has and/or can raise enough money to put the whole series on the air. If he can, I think it will be very effective - a bunch of different wedge issues that people care about, relentlessly asking who is this guy. I also agree with many of the comments so far that Quinn has to address the economic issues. - Guns - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 2:24 pm: Problem for Quinn is more people will be killed or injured by the people let out by his secret early release program then his so called Assault Weapons ban. The truth is Brady will do a much better job keeping are streets safe then Quinn ever has. - Reformer - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 2:31 pm: This ain’t bad, it’s just late. Sould’ve been out with attack ads months ago. - Ghost - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 2:39 pm: I disaree with the he is to late crowd. The election is to far away to decalre voter opinion fixed or locked in stone. This isnot enough, but it is a glimmer of a campaign and a message. Brady would dismiss the effectiveness of the message and style of the new campaign ad at his peril. - KeepSmiling - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 2:48 pm: The voice is all wrong - a complete disconnect with the targeted audience. Doesn’t sound at all like someone from Chicago. Or Illinois, for that matter. The neighborhood crime issue is a huge in some portions of the City. But people aren’t stupid, it’s an an issue for Daley and Weis to solve. Unless, of course, Quinn wants to send in the National Guard or State Troopers… or whatever that was all about. - Amalia - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 2:49 pm: this is a good start. the sentiment plays with suburban Chicago and, of course, the city, the largest media market. last night on chicago tonight there was a gripping discussion of how the Mexican drug cartels are operating in Chicago. it’s scary, and police don’t want the big guns going against them. Who is this guy/woman? could apply to LOTS of the Republican conservative tea party ballot inhabitants this fall. Brady is one of those guys, this is just one of the ways that he is one of those guys. expose expose expose. - Montrose - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 3:01 pm: *Doesn’t sound at all like someone from Chicago. Or Illinois, for that matter.* You want a super fan doing the voice over talking about da guns? - (618) Democrat - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 3:12 pm: The most important part of this ad is Brady even opposes restricting guns in or near schools. Then shows the bills he voted on. No one I know of in Illinois, other than Brady apparently thinks we need guns in or near our schools. That is extreme. Brady can try to run from his past but he can’t hide. “Who is this guy” - Argonaut - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 3:13 pm: Its a great ad if it was 1995. The issue seems dated. Like others have said - he needs to be talking about the economy. Where is the Boieng ad? Where is the City SolarProject ad? - Ghost - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 3:49 pm: === The issue seems dated. === Because we were not recently debating sending in the national guard and ISP to control the gun violence in cook county? - D.P. Gumby - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 3:55 pm: Good if it’s part of a whole strategy…worthless if it’s just a one-off. And if it makes Brady yell “A True Conservative” like Segarti wants, that could be the best thing for PQ to get out the base! - Retired Non-Union Guy - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 3:56 pm: Will play well in suburban Chicago, won’t play at all in the inner city neighborhoods where the crime is actually happening. Those people know the cops can’t protect the innocent bystanders … they want guns to protect themselves and their homes, which is what McDonald was all about. And those inner city neighborhoods tend Democratic and they know the problem is lack of police and law enforcement so it may even lose them votes. Downstaters know the “Assault weapon” ban bill is a lie … it bans almost all semi’s. Whole thing shows desperation on Quinn’s part. Easy for Brady to counter on several counts … - wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 3:57 pm: It’s a good theme. He needs more ads behind it. I think Quinn could put out a good spot juxtapoising Brady’s “special interests” line in his spot to Brady’s Champaign real estate hi-jinx. - Jim Ridings - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 4:02 pm: Desperate, and poorly done. It reflects worse on Quinn than on Brady. Who is ths guy? A very poor pitch. You might ask the same question about Quinn. Except Quinn would not like the possible answers. - Cool Hand Luke - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 4:54 pm: Sorry but to me it smacks of “amateur hour” when it comes to puting out a professional and resonant political ad.–Also, it is a mistake running that ad south of I-80. Maybe up in Chicago it will play okay. It is akin to saying “Brady is against banning people from having claymore mines and predator drones.” People down here are from a rural background.Having a gun is like having a fishing pole or a lawnmower. They just aren’t thought of in the same context as people up in Chicago think of them. That fact must escape Pat Quinn (and duh mayor). This ad just reeks with someone trying to play “fear monger” among voters. It is simply too obvious what Quinn is up to (trying to scare people) with it. We don’t seem to have the “fear factor” that Chicago obviously must have to deal with in order for Quinn to try to exploit people’s fears with this ad. Also, Quinn managed to link himself with Rod Blagojevich with this “twin-sister” to the ad that Rod incessantly ran against Judy Barr Topinka. I mean it is so obvious what Quinn is doing that after the guy in the ad says “Who is the guy?” we also expect him to follow it up with the phrase “And, what was he(or she) thinking of?” Quinn would do better if he hired somebody other than some local high school kids to put together a better political ad than this one. Way too cheesey! - wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 5:06 pm: –People down here are from a rural background.Having a gun is like having a fishing pole or a lawnmower. They just aren’t thought of in the same context as people up in Chicago think of them.– A fishin’ pole and a lawnmower? Well, gee, Huck, let’s light out for the territory. Look out for Aunt Polly. What makes you think that people in any urban area, much less Chicago, are unaware of firearms, legal or otherwise? They’re are plenty of handguns in homes in Chicago and the suburbs. Are you going out on a limb for assault weapons? Is that for after fishing or mowing the lawn? - g man - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 5:14 pm: next is abortion to attract women then one to attract more blacks then the jobs. After that jobs, jobs jobs, jobs…………. - Cuban Pilot - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 6:01 pm: This does set up an interesting way for Brady to have fun with Quinn’s new campaign them of “Who is this Guy.” Brady should run a few ads having fun with this theme of “Who is this guy.” narrator: “Who is this guy” Response from sweet little old lady: “Bill Brady is not a life-long politician, but a hard-working business man who knows something about economics, running a business, and running a business. Narrator: Who is this guy? Young-Black Woman: Bill Brady has real exectuive experience, and he knows how to lead. Narrator: Who is this guy? Chicago hipster: An honest man. Narrator: Who is this guy? Grandfatherly looking man in a sheriff’s uniform: Bill Brady is a man who doesn’t let career criminals out of jail early, so that these bums can go out and scare the public. Etc., etc. I know what all of you are saying, “We Get It Cuban Pilot, so stop taking!” Narrator: Who is Cuban Pilot An average Rich Miller reader: An Idiot who won’t shut up! - The Enforcer - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 6:11 pm: Without seeing a poll, I assume this is moved at moving the numbers amongst African-American voters and women. Problem is and I say this as a Dem, it is kind of hard to move those numbers when you know you are going to get the living hell knocked out of you for two months over the MGT debacle. Put a fork in it. - wordslinger - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 6:12 pm: Cuban Pilot, you forgot the left-handed quadrapalegic Muslim tranny. Keep your day job, brother. That’s not a message, it’s just a litany of stereotypes. - Park - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 6:44 pm: So “who is this guy” is supposed to be the new “what was she thinking?”. How quaint. I’m sure the new ‘uber-consultant’ will be able to overcome Quinn’s ties to Blago and his general boobosity. I just hope the Dem Govs, SEIU, and George Soros dump lots of cash into this campaign. That will keep them from doing real damage elsewhere. - Hamburgers Mike - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 7:30 pm: –I’m sure the new ‘uber-consultant’ will be able to overcome Quinn’s ties to Blago– No reasonable observer of state govt/politics buys this drivel. - Not using my state-issued computer - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 8:07 pm: AKPD probably tried to warn Quinn of the big ol’ can of worms that he opening up with the “who is this guy” line of attack. Quinn ought to pack it in. He has has nearly 40 years of political baggage to exploit. Here are examples of what I mean: Who is this guy Quinn? He is a former reformer good government type. He’s just another democratic party insider who accepts democratic machine money and signs legislation in favor of democratic machine special interests (read: Ed Burke and Emil Jones campaign contributions and the questions surrounding legislation that Quinn recently signed) Who is this guy Quinn? He was once the taxpayer’s friend. Now he talks shared sacrifice one minute, yet wants to burden all ready struggling Illinois families with higher taxes, and then gives his staff generous pay raises the next minute. Some taxpayer friend. Who is this guy Quinn? He was once known as “Mr. Sunshine” who believed in transparent government and touted whistle blower legislation. But, since becoming governor his administration has overseen a secret early prison release program scandal that Quinn tried to hide and denied ever existed, only to be exposed by the press. Upon being exposed by the press, Quinn issued a gag order threatening state employees from and forbiddig them from communicating with the press in the interest of taxpayers and citizens. I could cotinue, but why bother? I just hope that Brady responds back with at least one seriously brutal “who is this guy” attack against Quinn. Using the pay raise and tax increase issues together would make for a really strong counter attack, and the advantage here is Brady’s because he would be bringing up isues that hit in the pocketbook and everybody is hurting there right now. Heaven knows Brady has plenty to work with and use because Quinn has lied and flip flopped a whole lot since becoming governor. A lot of people, especially many average democrats are very disappointed in Quinn. They thought they knew him, but turns out they didn’t. Being governor has revealed a whole other side of him. It ain’t good. On a side note, this ad really has seriously negative implications for Mayor Daley, as others have pointed out. In a way it could be construed of as a back-handed slap at Mayor Daley. Violent crime is out of control in Chicago, not Bloomington where Brady is from. Mayor Daley’s gun ban has done nothing to stop violent gun related crimes. Of course Brady should not attack Daley, but someone other than Brady himself should make the link to the out of control violent crime in Chicago and the democrats who have been in charge of the city, like a previous poster commented. I can’t speak for Mayor Dlaey, but I’ve go to think that he isn’t too pleased with this Quinn ad. It puts the crime issue in his city front and center ahead of his election, and the last thing he needs is for Chicagoans to be reminded over and over of how seemingly out of control violent crime is in Chicago. Oh well, just my two cents for what they are worth. - CookDem - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 8:39 pm: This ad is about one thing and one thing only. It is meant to bring African American voters “home” for Governor Quinn. He is currently polling in the 50%’s to low 60%’s w AA voters. Two weeks of this ad will get Quinn up into the 70%’s with African Americans and move his statewide poll numbers two or three points. If he can firm up the base and make this a five or six point race national $ will come back to Illinois. Remember, there is only one Democratic incumbent gov in the country polling ahead right now (Strickland of Ohio). It isn’t great positioning for Quinn but no other Dem Governors around the country are doing any better. The key right now is to bring home the base and get people to open up their checkbooks once again. Not an awful strategy but certainly a longshot. - Responsa - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 9:06 pm: C- This dark and creepy ad may have appeal to certain limited groups Quinn believes he needs to secure. It will be a disaster for Quinn if the ad is run statewide. For Dems who still want Quinn to be elected and hope he can turn it around, their larger concern right now should be that the new media firm does not appear to be well versed in the nuances of Illinois politics, on Illinois geography, or on Quinn’s history, if this ad is indicative of their work. - CookDem - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 9:19 pm: Responsa Of colurse this ad won’t run statewide…and what “nuances of Illinois politics” are you referring to? There is only so much that can be accomplished in a single ad. This ad is likely to do the job it was meant to do. The Quin campaign has much more to do. Once the base comes home there is one major question that remains for Quinn. How to make inroads w Independent voters? - Responsa - Thursday, Aug 26, 10 @ 9:36 pm: @CookDem 9:19 Hope springs eternal. Bless your heart. - VanillaMan - Friday, Aug 27, 10 @ 8:36 am: The music is creepy and the gun looks wicked. I’m impressed. With the gun. Who is attacking who with it? Oh - Quinn is using this gun against Brady. D Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.