* US Senate candidate Jim Oberweis is airing his second radio ad targeting women. This time, it’s a young, single mom. Rate it…
*** UPDATE *** AP…
Republican state Sen. Jim Oberweis wants U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin to agree to seven debates prior to the November election. […]
In a statement Tuesday, Oberweis says voters should get to compare the candidates’ records on job creation and other topics. He calls Durbin’s policies “a disaster for the poor and middle class.”
Ron Holmes is a spokesman for Durbin. He says Durbin has debated every challenger he’s faced and “looks forward to working out the terms” of this fall’s schedule. […]
He says at least three should be outside the Chicago area. Oberweis also wants one debate to be co-hosted by a liberal organization and another by a conservative organization.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 9:37 am:
“D”
Again, sounds almost made up, “think of a name or story that sounds good.”
Oberweis’ Crew is failing at a fundamental; believability.
If you have to explain who exactly is giving a testimonial, how credible is it to begin with?
An “F” is failing, a “D” is not failing, but pathetic all the same.
- phocion - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 9:40 am:
A. Oberweis is spinning an interesting narrative - one that the Rauner campaign may want to consider. It’s about not just being a business owner, but one who can relate to his employees. One who is concerned with their needs. One who creates opportunities. One who is inclusive.
- A guy... - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 9:41 am:
It’s a pass and a relatively strong one. He’s speaking to exactly who he needs to be speaking to. His image needs to soften considerably. Hard to know if his target audience is listening, but he’s definitely aiming in the right direction.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 9:41 am:
Love Willy, but couldn’t disagree more.
Uses the ice cream to pique interest outside of the non-traditional political spot, then tells a personal story (though, clearly told by a voice actress, and not the actual person.)
But, for a guy who has done such a terrible time showing he’s an actual human, this is good stuff.
- Joan P. - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 9:48 am:
“C”.
If he’s “not a career politician”, it’s not for want of trying.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 9:48 am:
Make this from “D” to “B”?
“My name is ‘X’ and you can read my whole story at the website…”
Subtle but huge difference. Credibility is lost with a narrator IDing the person giving the testimonial, plus you can plug the website too. One line, swap out some narration for this line.
Easy fix.
- womin in her 30s - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 9:49 am:
I fell asleep and I am his target audience. just my opinion.
- i am female - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 9:54 am:
The ad is really good. I grade it an A.
- Gabe - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 9:59 am:
Lost me about halfway through. The ice cream starter killed any credibility the message had. And I love ice cream.
- Coffee Cup - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 10:00 am:
And, I also help little old ladies across the street, I also adopt little puppies that are about to be put to death at the local dog pounds, and etc., etc.
In fairness to Jim Oberweis, this is the junk that these candidates and incumbents are forced to go through each time they wish to run for office. The endless begging for money from people, the multitude of rubber chicken dinners that they feel forced to go to in order to be elected, the stupid parades that they feel forced to march in when every little town has a Hooterville Parade scheduled on a weekend or holiday, the babies that they feel compelled to hold and have their pictures taken with, and the thousands of palms that they feel obligated to shake. Then the embarrassing self-serving speeches that they have to give which are followed by the obligatory polite clapping of hands much like the clapping of flippers by trained seals. My God, these poor people are left feeling like trained animals at the circus when the election is finally over with. Then, they (losers as well as winners) get to pay the remaining tab for their moment in the sun.
I have to say that I have “tons of respect” for these poor folks that are willing to paint a target on themselves and their family members in order to run for any elected office in local, state, and national elections. I might not vote for some of these same folks but they still have a respectable portion of my respect for being willing to “sit on the dunk tank seat at the local fair” in order to do what they feel is giving something back to their community. Oberweis is either a glutton for punishment or is a guy who truly wants to serve his fellow citizens of Illinois. I believe it is the latter.
- Ducky LaMoore - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 10:01 am:
This guy has already peed in the pool too much to be taken seriously. But, then again, Illinois’ potential republican voters are possibly the lowest information voters out there. I still give it a ‘D’. Do women that hear this ad really believe Oberweis would turn his bit of good will into some sort of national mandatory maternity leave? If so, he should have been a democrat….
- Willie Stark - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 10:10 am:
As a politician, Jim backs policies that hurt women, especially middle and lower-income women and their families. However, as a purveyor of delicious ice cream, he occasionally does nice things for a particular woman he knows. That certainly balances out and should take him to a crushing victory over Sen. Durbin.
- Wally - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 10:11 am:
A-, good ad, very appealing.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 10:14 am:
===Oberweis is either a glutton for punishment or is a guy who truly wants to serve his fellow citizens of Illinois.===
Or his ego is so huge, he had to keep trying and trying to be elected to anything…
Yeah, his track record gives a very clear picture.
- Hit or Miss - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 10:19 am:
I think the ad is good in its attempt to relate to the people. It has a totally positive tone. While it tells me what one person thinks of his past actions it tells me nothing of what he wants to do in the future if he is elected. I would give the ad a C overall.
- veritas - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 10:30 am:
Oberweis is well advised to rely more on radio.
- walker - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 10:35 am:
C+
If he keeps these ads up, he will diminish the “narrow-minded dope” image that many hold of him. He might become “a pretty nice guy in person.” He might get some Republican/independent women votes that he otherwise would have lost. That’s a little progress.
That’s not nearly enough on this hill climb.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 10:42 am:
As a politician, Jim backs policies that hurt women, especially middle and lower-income women and their families
The ad is intended to address “low information” stuff like that. Because some people believe Oberweis is an evil milkman who abuses the gender which provides us with milk, or somehow doesn’t know which gender does.
- Amalia - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:03 am:
meh C once again, a woman with only a first name given so it does not completely ring as true. paternalistic
- DuPage - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:23 am:
Was it fact or fiction?
- Langhorne - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:26 am:
Hard to be a career politician if you keep LOSING elections. Not for lack of trying, tho
- Black Ivy - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:27 am:
I give the ad a B- on an A-F scale and commend Oberweis for staying on Durbin like a fly on, well, you know.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 11:33 am:
Re: the update
So, Oberweis is saying that Durbin hasn’t created any jobs? Same goes for Dairy Boy, whose ex-wife Elaine saved the company from the brink of bankruptcy while he has milked all the credit. It was Jim’s poor decisions that had the dairy at junk status.
Re: the ad
Not believable at all. The diction sounds phony.
- downstate hack - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 12:00 pm:
I rate it a B-. It hits a very needed target audience for him and is not as over the top as many political ads.
- BL - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 1:05 pm:
Does anyone know if this is a real person/story or a paid voice actor? Has any media outlet followed up?
- Responsa - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 1:35 pm:
It’s a very good radio ad. It’s nice, calming, positive, warm, and doesn’t offend. No matter what one already thinks about either of the two candidates themselves, it’s hard to find fault with the ad or its presentation. B+.
- schmakmama - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 3:35 pm:
“Found myself a single mother”… Could be a young widow (sympathetic) or divorced (couldn’t keep a man). Is he saying he will he make these compassionate practices government policy? No. I find it patronizing and disingenuous.
- Upon Further Review - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 8:20 pm:
“D” as in dull. It makes you wonder if someone was paid to produce this radio spot. It reminded me of Ron Gidwitz’s commercials where administrators exalted his brief tenure as the Chair of the City Colleges of Chicago. Made zero impact.
- steve schnorf - Monday, Jul 7, 14 @ 10:51 pm:
Look, I’ve been pretty critical of him in past runs, but I think Jim Oberweis is the most improved candidate on the ballot in Illinois this year and many of the rest of our party could learn a lesson from the campaign he is running. That doesn’t mean I think he will beat Dick Durbin, but his campaign is saying “don’t be scary, and try to avoid saying stupid things” and that’s a message lots of Rs need to learn. I go back to his quick response on minimum wage; first out of the box, and with a good answer.
- Handsty - Friday, Jul 25, 14 @ 11:01 am:
The woman in this ad sounds younger than 30 years old now. Even if the story is true, she does NOT sound like the person it happened to.