Durbin launches second positive ad
Wednesday, Sep 17, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* US Sen. Dick Durbin has a new TV ad. Rate it…
The ad is not replacing the spot featuring the wife of a wounded veteran. It’ll run concurrently.
* Script…
Man I: Sixty-six thousand dollars.
Woman: A hundred thousand dollars.
Man II: Sixty thousand dollars in college debt.
Senator Durbin: The high cost of college is weighing down America’s middle class. That’s why I’m fighting for a law so college loans can be refinanced at today’s lower interest rates. It would erase thousands of dollars of debt for millions of American families. After all, if you can refinance a car loan and a home loan, why can’t you refinance a student loan?
I’m Dick Durbin, and I approve this message because Illinois’ middle class deserves a break.
* In other Durbin-related news, an atheist group rated Durbin an “A” for separation of church and state and his opponent Jim Oberweis was given an “F”…
The Secular Coalition for America today released its Congressional Voter Guides for several Congressional Districts of Illinois and the Illinois Senate race. The Guides are meant to help secular-minded Illinoisans make informed decisions on the candidates for the upcoming elections in November, based on secular issues.
The Voter Guide is part of the Secular Coalition’s “50 Secular Races to Watch” list which the Coalition is currently rolling out based on the U.S. House districts that received the worst grades on the Coalition’s 2013 Congressional Report Card. The Secular Coalition will also grade seven Senate races across the country.
The full rationale for the ratings is here.
* Other stuff…
* Durbin has cushy lead over Oberweis, Tribune poll finds
* Durbin’s views on issues as he faces re-election
* Study finds conservatives and liberals smell different
- Weltschmerz - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 1:44 pm:
Perhaps it would be better if he showed the Chancellor of the U of I wearing his gold necklace and proposed a law to curb the ridiculous spending.
- Snucka - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 1:46 pm:
This ad is fine. Durbin does not have a serious opponent, so he can just run positive ads and coast to victory.
On another note, the Oberweis “Dick Nixon/Dick Durbin” radio ad is the most obnoxious I’ve heard in a LONG time.
- Carhart Representative - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 1:56 pm:
Wow! He has a big lead. Why risk it all with an unproven strategy like running positive ads?
- Gooner - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 1:58 pm:
That ad shows why Sen. Durbin consistently wins with huge margins.
It is an ad that connects with most Illinois voters. It has great positive message. It also talks about legislation that helps, implicitly countering the “he’s been in office too long” criticism. Yes, but with proposals like this, we need him for another term.
It is a solid A.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 2:10 pm:
Given that the ad is about outrageous costs of student loans, I think it is fitting that this commercial was filmed at Loyola Chicago
- Under Further Review - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 2:12 pm:
Just when you would think that Durbin was a cinch to cruise to reelection, he opens his mouth again and makes a bizarre statement. Durbin suggested that the Ebola epidemic was made worse by the failure of the US Congress to pass an amnesty for undocumented aliens.
According to Durbin’s logic, if followed to its conclusion, there must be hundreds of undocumented immigrants who are also humanitarian doctors and nurses who would willingly volunteer to help fight the epidemic, but they are fearful of damaging their immigration status (not afraid to enter the USA illegally apparently, but afraid to leave the USA for Africa).
Where does Durbin come up with these oddball statements?
- Wally - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 2:14 pm:
It is comforting to know that Catholic Dick Durbin has the atheist vote sewn up.
Hey Dick, why haven’t you done anything to lower the cost of attending college. Oh yeah, cause the government makes an obscene profit from college student loans and then they can’t find jobs.
Oberweis should run a counter ad to this one, it would REALLY resonate!
- Keyser Soze - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 2:17 pm:
Atheists for Durbin, is that good?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 2:21 pm:
Everyday problems, common sense solutions.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 2:24 pm:
A, solid topic, important issue. Glad he’s still running the other ad, which is one of the best positive ads I’ve ever seen. Liking this push on issues and it’s one that other Dems would do well to emulate.
- Walter Mitty - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 2:24 pm:
Too bad Durbin doesn’t have an opponent…Now we all lose. Any problems in Washington, have been helped and caused with his assistance. He wins.We lose. YAY!
- Wally - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 2:35 pm:
Atheists and broke, heavily in debt, unemployed college grads for Durbin!
What an ad.
- Aaron Burr - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 2:40 pm:
Nice to see approval from the secular coalition. Nontheists might be the most distrusted demographic, but it is certainly one of the most informed and fasted growing groups.
- Steve - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 2:41 pm:
Would would higher tuition be without Dick and Loretta Durbin ? We are so lucky that Dick and Loretta are on our side.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2002-04-11/news/0204110028_1_union-contracts-international-union-labor-dispute
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/11/dick-durbin-aide-illinois-earmark_n_1270394.html
- Aaron Burr - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 2:46 pm:
*fastest
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 3:03 pm:
Okay, but…
1. This is not Senator Durbin’s bill. It’s Senator Elizabeth Warren’s bill.
2. This has been a growing problem for years. Again - the Dems controlled all of D.C. for 2009 and 2010 and this was somehow not accomplished back then?! Why did Senator Durbin not introduce a bill during his first 17 years in office?
- A guy... - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 3:24 pm:
#2 guy in the Senate and you’re “trying” to pass a bill? Your window on this may be closing with a majority intact. Keep trying. What an oaf.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 3:36 pm:
C’mon A guy, you are not completely ignorant when it comes to this stuff. It was the House Republicans that pushed the bill to prevent student loans from being discharged in bankruptcy. President Bush signed it into law. Durbin was loudly opposed to it then and has been working to correct this bill since then
And while he is the second ranking member of the Senate Majority, the Democrats no longer have a filibuster proof coalition. So yes, he’s “trying.” And it’s the right thing to do. But like most good legislation, it’ll get nowhere in the House, even if Durbin could outmaneuver the Republican obstructionists in the Senate.
Now maybe you could ask one of the Kirk guys over at Rauner HQ to see if the junior Senator plans to support this or not. My guess is “not.”
For once, I’d just like to hear Mark Kirk and other DC Republicans explain why they oppose allowing student loans from being discharged in bankruptcy. What is the policy goal being served here?
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 3:40 pm:
Y’all can blast Durbin all you want but he will be a United States Senator for another 6 years.
I’ll use @A guy’s scale and give this ad a solid pass. This resonates with people. Indeed, why shouldn’t people be able to refinance their college loans? I’d support that effort.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 3:47 pm:
47th - do you think the average voter understands the filibuster process?! My guess is that they do not.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 4:14 pm:
No Team, but you and A Guy do and that was where my comment was aimed.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 4:16 pm:
=== 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 3:36 pm:
C’mon A guy, you are not completely ignorant when it comes to this stuff. ====
No, not completely 47- LOL. Why tout it as an accomplishment in an ad? You’ve been in DC since the Japanese planted the Cherry Blossoms there (admitted hyperbole), why run an ad telling us what you’ve “tried” to do. Can you imagine Ted Kennedy doing that? Or any other high ranking Senator that’s been there for decades? (Admitting-counting his House time before Paul Simon christened him Senator).
Admitting. I don’t like the guy. Never have. As far as I’m concerned, he’s an empty suit. I’d have preferred any number of people instead, including other Dems. He’s mailing this in and he’ll probably get away with it.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 4:18 pm:
Demo, I can’t stand the guy. It still gets a “pass”. But not a solid one.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 5:01 pm:
Gee Wally, those are some great spot concepts!
Nice of you to take a leave from all that bang-up work you’ve been doing for Rauner to help out Oberweis.
But Obie doesn’t need advice, he needs money to get on the air. And he ain’t got none, except for about the 70% self-funding he’s doing.
Bruce is giving money to every GOP organization in the state that he can find. But not a dime for Obie. Must be an oversight.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 6:37 pm:
I don’t know A guy, but I think “trying” to give students some needed debt relief is a lot better than voting to repeal healthcare 40+ times. Healthcare, by the way, was also something Ted Kennedy “tried” to pass since 1968.
Your feelings for Durbin are noted, but maybe you should just stick to propping up Bruce Rauner for the next few weeks. That should be enough to keep you busy.
- Wally - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 7:52 pm:
47th, always trying to take the easy route. Yeah, crappy economy, dems do little to help it, so go ahead and file bankruptcy on that student debt that the government strongly encouraged you to take out. Why? Because we didn’t fund the colleges properly and they raised tuition thru the roof.
Hahaha, fooled those students!
- Person 8 - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 8:07 pm:
Th first guy in the commercial has a little Rich in him. At first I thought it was him, til I went back and freeze framed.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 8:10 pm:
Nope, Person 8. Not me.
Plus, I think I had $2500 in college loans. Tuition was a lot cheaper back then.
- Late to the Party - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 7:53 am:
== Team Sleep - Wednesday, Sep 17, 14 @ 3:47 pm:
do you think the average voter understands the filibuster process?! ==
I suspect that when folks hear the word filibuster they think of Jimmy Stewart in ‘Mr Smith goes to Washington.’
The rules of our Congress as too arcane and byzantine for most of us to understand. That may be why sound bites work so well.
- LOBO Y OLLA - Thursday, Sep 18, 14 @ 10:46 am:
—Atheists and broke, heavily in debt, unemployed college grads for Durbin!—
At least two of the “students” in the ads are Durbin staffers.
Just sayin.