Group launches $310K radio buy against Durbin
Wednesday, Apr 30, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
Americas PAC has just completed a $310,000 radio ad buy opposing Dick Durbin’s reelection to the US Senate. The ads will begin running in late April.
“I fully anticipate Americas PAC, and myself personally, to be attacked by the full force of the Federal Government and given the full Al Salvi/Tea Party treatment,” Chairman of Americas PAC Tom Donelson said. “I expect to be audited by the IRS, to have my tax returns leaked to the media, to be investigated by multiple government agencies and be raided late at night.”
Donelson was referring to the letter Senator Dick Durbin sent to the IRS asking the agency to investigate a particular conservative group and the comments made by Mr. Salvi about his US Senate campaign against Durbin in 1996.
“I should probably just turn over my passport to a judge now,” Donelson continued.
The state-wide radio advertising campaign by Americas PAC will highlight many of Durbin’s shortcomings and liabilities including, but not limited to, the pay discrepancy between women and men on his US Senate Staff, his worthless guarantee that people could keep their health insurance plan under the Affordable Care Act and his desire to bring back pork spending.
“Durbin is only polling around 50%. That is a pretty weak number for a member of leadership who has not faced a strong campaign in nearly two decades,” Donelson said. “Rather than sit on the sidelines and see what happens, Americas PAC is proactively framing the debate about Durbin.”
A recent Rasmussen poll had Durbin leading JIm Oberweis 51-37.
* The spot he sent me deals with Obamacare…
Rate it.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:11 am:
–“I fully anticipate Americas PAC, and myself personally, to be attacked by the full force of the Federal Government and given the full Al Salvi/Tea Party treatment,” Chairman of Americas PAC Tom Donelson said. “I expect to be audited by the IRS, to have my tax returns leaked to the media, to be investigated by multiple government agencies and be raided late at night.”–
Well, you have that to look forward to then, lol.
Coo-koo.
If you think opposition to Obamacare is a winning issue, then the spot is just fine. If not, then it’s a waste of money.
- Jimbo - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:16 am:
You know, these poor shadowy superpacs just can’t catch a break. They’re so persecuted. All kidding aside, this guy sounds paranoid. Guess that explains why he thinks Obamacare is going to destroy ‘merika.
- Upon Further Review - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:16 am:
The narrator sounds like a computer generated robot call.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:21 am:
I understand the Ad, it is very well done in presentation, and at 1 minute, it’s long enough to make the point, and still short enough at 1 minute to not be deemed as droning on Talking Points.
To the Obamacare narrative, it’s one thing to have the Durbin quotes, but having Obama in the Ad, does it make this also a referendum of President Obama too? Taking on Obamacare in perceived “Blue States” has merit; doing it in Illinois, that is biting off more than you can chew. Is the polling strong enough against Obama and Obamacare, together to move Durbin off his “over 50%” polling?
Durbin’s own quotes have damage, bringing in Obama and marrying that too with Obama quotes, hope the polling on that was looked at. Favorite son Obama isn’t running. That is an advantage. Why drag the President in, when the policy and Durbin quotes are damaging enough?
The way Obama is despised by the Right, could backfire as Oberweis looks for votes closer to the Center-Right.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:25 am:
===“I fully anticipate Americas PAC, and myself personally, to be attacked by the full force of the Federal Government and given the full Al Salvi/Tea Party treatment,” Chairman of Americas PAC Tom Donelson said. “I expect to be audited by the IRS, to have my tax returns leaked to the media, to be investigated by multiple government agencies and be raided late at night.”===
I am always excited when “victims” anticipate the victimization of themselves before it happens.
Pretending you are being a Martyr too, before anything happens, is pretty embarrassing. “Look at me, I am a Martyr, and when anything happens…”
Dope.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:34 am:
This will play all over Illinois. People are ticked about this. The only leg of the stool we’re missing is a candidate who can actually beat Durbin. My guess is that a similar type spot will be more effective elsewhere. The stuff about being audited and attacked is pre-emptive. Probably smart even though it sounds a little overboard. I’d have advised him to leave out the passport schtick. 50% is low for a long term incumbent in Senate Leadership. Sad to say, we may be able to send him a strong message, but replacing him might be too uphill. A shame.
- PublicServant - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:36 am:
Pass the tinfoil!
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:41 am:
It’s hard to take the spot seriously after reading the lunatic stuff Donelson said.
==I’d have advised him to leave out the passport schtick==
I’d have advised him to leave it all out. The guy is a dope.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:42 am:
PS, trouble is, you don’t need to be wearing “tin foil” to believe this in this political climate. The dude bought a lot of radio and threw down a marker at the same time; that’s called a strategy.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:45 am:
Donaldson is a good example of “right message, wrong messenger” with the Dopey self-important tin foiling of his own head, dumping every conspiracy theory imaginable to elevate his own self-importance.
Message works, messenger Dopey.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:45 am:
Demo, let’s let it ride and watch. We agree he overshot the runway by a bit, but oddly put them on notice at the same time. Less room to maneuver. We’ll see. They’re definitely on offense.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:46 am:
OW, the message might be strong enough to ignore or even forget who the messenger is.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:47 am:
–We agree he overshot the runway by a bit, but oddly put them on notice at the same time.–
I’m not following. Put who “on notice” for what?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:50 am:
===PS, trouble is, you don’t need to be wearing “tin foil” to believe this in this political climate.===
So you believe his belief he is destined to all the persecution?
Paranoia is not comforting.
- PublicServant - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:51 am:
===I expect to be audited by the IRS, to have my tax returns leaked to the media, to be investigated by multiple government agencies and be raided late at night.===
Babble like the above from a pre-victim is absolutely well into the realm of tinfoil hat-wearing. Good news is that the press won’t have any trouble finding him to verify his rants what with the silent black helicopters hovering overhead of wherever he is and all.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:52 am:
=== wordslinger - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:47 am:
–We agree he overshot the runway by a bit, but oddly put them on notice at the same time.–
I’m not following. Put who “on notice” for what?===
Really Slinger? Donelson put Durbin’s campaign/Senate staff team on notice that his random requests to the IRS or other agencies will be treated as the “political skulduggery” they are. Give him an ounce of credit. They’re learning how to sling in the sty like the masters.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:52 am:
==the message might be strong enough to ignore or even forget who the messenger is.==
The message is only going to resonate with the hard core types who already think like Donelson does. I think they should have let the spot speak for itself. It gets muddled by the sideshow in my opinion.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:54 am:
I don’t know fellas PS, OW, WS. I’m picking up on a whole party theme here that you guys seem to be missing. I can’t be as smart as all three of you put together, that’s just crazy. Why don’t y’all have a conference call, see if you can identify a theme and get back to us.
- Amuzing Myself - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:54 am:
C-. Content is good but delivery is atrocious. Not even some basic circus or menacing background music? No attention grabber. Lots of empty space. Would be an F if the message weren’t what is going to play this cycle - even in IL.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:55 am:
Demo, we’re not far from agreement on your observation. Donelson needs to figure out where the “period” goes.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:58 am:
So, A Guy, you’re buying into that whole jackboots on the porch and raid in the middle of the night stuff?
What an exciting life Mr. Donelson leads. He must be really important.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 10:02 am:
- A guy… -,
I stand by my 1st Comment.
This Dopey idea that the Messenger is not going to overshadow the Message, and saying that “in this climate” it’s not wearing “tin foil” to be like Donaldson is, is textbook tin foil wearing!
Durbin is over 50%, up 14 points, against a Slytherin in Oberweis, whose recent history alone proves he has no tolerance unless tolerance is following the GOP Platform to a T. Helicopter Ads don’t go away with Mea Culpas that dove tail the requiring of the GOP SCC to oust the Chairman on SSM.
This Ad would be loads stronger without the Messenger making Dopey remarks, and without dragging in Obama. Obamacare and Durbin in Illinois may move numbers, dragging in Obama for just the Right’s “despise” factor sinks it a bit from maximum impact.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 10:04 am:
=== wordslinger - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 9:58 am:
So, A Guy, you’re buying into that whole jackboots on the porch and raid in the middle of the night stuff?
What an exciting life Mr. Donelson leads. He must be really important.====
After the IRS hearings and the very liberal employ of the 5th Amendment- it’s hard to reject anything on its face anymore. It’s not “owning” me, but my curiosity is slightly piqued. As for Donelson, I never heard of the guy til this morning. While that doesn’t make him unpopular, it doesn’t make him un-credible either.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 10:07 am:
===This Ad would be loads stronger without the Messenger making Dopey remarks, and without dragging in Obama. Obamacare and Durbin in Illinois may move numbers, dragging in Obama for just the Right’s “despise” factor sinks it a bit from maximum impact.====
Dude, you might be the only guy on the planet capable of separating Obama from Obamacare. I don’t even think the Library will be able to do that.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 10:08 am:
=== I never heard of the guy til this morning. While that doesn’t make him unpopular, it doesn’t make him un-credible either.===
That was your credibility being dragged away via black helicopter, with the IRS, storming your moated house.
His statements don’t necessarily make him un-credible? Wow.
- Distant Viewer - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 10:11 am:
Can we just thank them for the inefficient expenditure $310,000 into our local economy and move on?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 10:13 am:
===Dude, you might be the only guy on the planet capable of separating Obama from Obamacare. I don’t even think the Library will be able to do that.===
Pretty easy in an Ad; don’t mention Obama, don’t take a soundbite from Obama. Pretty easy! You have the Durbin quote. The only reason to drag Obama himself, and the soundbite of Obama, is to make it Obama too… in Illinois.
Choices. Obamacare, Durbin quote.
Add Obama himself, drags the favorite son in to feed Red Meat tin foil hat wearers.
They won’t be with Durbin anyway.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 10:28 am:
You’re not clicking on all 4 cylinders today OW. There’s no reason to separate Obama from Obamacare. This policy has ticked off people of every party. It’s a general. Even the name “obamacare” makes it impossible to separate them. Yikes man.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 10:37 am:
Yikes?
=== - wordslinger - Monday, Apr 21, 14 ===
=== Washington Post had Obama approval rating in Illinois at 54%. Hardly toxic, and certainly a positive among the base …
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/01/27/president-obamas-job-approval-is-above-50-percent-in-just-11-states/ ===
Obama is over 50% here, so is Durbin,
Dragging Obama in is done for the Right, not the right reasons…
I am a 6-Cylinder, and running fine..,
- olddog - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 10:56 am:
I’d give it a C-minus. It obviously appeals to the Republican base, but it didn’t drag in Behghazi and the birth certificate.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 11:14 am:
C+. Gets a little repetitive but using Durbin’s voice and words against him works. Attaching Durbin to the Obama Big Lie on keeping your doctor, works. No one will see the goofy press release that accompanies this radio ad.
If Donalson wanted to really go goofier, then he should have set up a podium in front of a prison, make his statement, surrender his passport and have someone cuff him. A pack of barking police dogs in the background would have made a nice touch!
- PublicServant - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 1:49 pm:
The birth certificate is in a safe in Bengazi. I thought the IRS audit made that clear.
- Bill F. - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 2:18 pm:
$300k on radio in April!!
Start measuring the Drapes, Senator Oberweis.
- Evanston Reader - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 6:29 pm:
I will never vote for Durbin, NEVER
However, I can’t vote for Oberweis either.
I am in a no win situation. I guess I will just write in Rich Miller. We can then have Capitol Fax times two.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Apr 30, 14 @ 6:38 pm:
Evanston, while you’re writing in, don’t forget Oswego Willy for Governor!
- Pensioner - Thursday, May 1, 14 @ 7:23 am:
Why dont opponents actualy find an intelligent candidate with popular views who doesnt put his/her foot in mouth when opening it?