This should make the Speaker cooperate. But it is a regular campaign ad. This won’t get his turnaround agenda passed because the only two issues he names are term limits and raising taxes ….
It’s a good thing Rauner won’t ultimately support higher taxes, because if he did he’d be just like Madigan. /s. Maybe higher taxes are OK, if they’re seasoned with other ideas, the way popcorn is better with salt and butter. The ad was just average, and predictable.
This sets up MJM for future and worse hits. It reminds people that they should not like MJM and if no deal happens then Gov can follow up with tougher ads, mail, calls, etc.
It’s the opening round. Hopefully it will be a short game.
- Lost in Translation - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:15 am:
And how does this gets the budget deal done that much quicker?!? Or the state worker contracts?? He and his staff ought to be doing more business of the government and less campaigning for next year’s elections!
I thought we had guidelines for age eith running for office? Maybe we should take out 25 and insert maturity level of an adult.
Attacking people gets you zip in life.
It clarified the Givernor’s thoughts, it put blame squarely where the Governor wants it, and it frames the Governor as the only hero in this opera.
Why not an “A”?. The canned “B roll” was so campaign, almost flying in the face of what the Ad was trying to convey; Rauner is actually doing the people’s business.
Really? Getting flowers?
“Fightin’…”
No “A” for a contrived campaign Ad, but it hit all it wanted to accomplish.
Coulda been a thousand times worse, coulda been more divisive. Coulda been.
I don’t think this is an “ad series”.
Thank goodbess this isn’t;
===Every time you see a House Dem name or a Sen Dem name on a ballot, the association with Madigan needs to be second nature. …===
It’s Rauner just passing blame, and asking for support.
Ok, run ‘em, with “fightin’…” in it and canned “B roll”.
It’s a “Solid B”, but I dunno how much it helps in the long or short term, the immediate, and everything in between.
Governors own their budgets, hires, fires, “fires”, agencies, programs… and cuts.
- Under Further Review - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:25 am:
B- because too much of the commercial is generic. If Rauner is going to make an impact, there will have to be a series of television and radio spots.
If this was merely an introduction with more to follow, it will be okay. If it is a one shot deal, it is not going to be enough to shift the discussion.
The basic message is the same as he presented during his election campaign. Rauner presents no new plan for what he will do to “fix” Illinois and asks nothing of the voters. I would rate it a “C”.
- From the 'Dale to HP - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:28 am:
Pretty weak, Democrats will have no problem dealing with this if this is among the best Rauner’s got.
Rauner’s has to be careful here, it takes two to tango, and most know this. If he’s out there saying Madigan is the reason there isn’t a deal, most people are going to ask, ‘well who is he dealing with’ and then Rauner pops up on the screen…
Instead of campaigning and making sure compromise is impossible by assaulting the people he’s supposed to be working with, Rauner should drop the extremist approach and try actually working with the legislature. They’ve provided proposal bills for dealing with some of the things he wants, such as the property tax freeze, and it’s time for him to start negotiating in good faith via willingness to compromise, rather than simply making demands.
If you think about brand loyals, brand switchers and other brand loyal….this ad only resonates with the brand loyals who Rauner already has.
However, if viewed as one piece of a long continuum and Rauner is able to maintain his orthodoxy and also get something positive….even small….done, it could begin to draw in “switchers” or independents.
^I realize Madigan has used words like the need for “moderation” and the need to avoid “extremism” ad nausea (which I find very obnoxious) to describe Rauner, but I think these are accurate descriptions of him nonetheless.
Just more of his same campaign talking points that we have been hearing for almost two years. I am tired of hearing his same rhetoric, without any proof of how his turnaround ideas are going to help the 2016, 2017, 2016 and 2019 state budgets. Now that the campaign is over, it should only be specifics on his budget ideas.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:38 am:
The ads are terrible.
Pull the line about “All they want to do is raise your taxes.”
Democrats are willing to give this governor more revenue, but it is not an easy lift. Contrary to GOP wisdom, Democratic voters do not “like” paying higher taxes, but we are willing to do what is necessary to protect the most vulnerable in our society.
If this message runs for two weeks, Democrats could decide to tell Rauner they’ve decided not to support his tax hike after all, and ask him to present the General Assembly with a new budget plan that isn’t based on phony pension savings.
- Bruce (No not him) - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:38 am:
Not bad. As a lifelong Democrat, I don’t like Madigan, but he’s not my representative to vote for. This will resonate with lots of people. I think the Governor needs to negotiate and not campaign, but this will resonate with a lot of people.
- What is to be done? - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:41 am:
ORDO AB CHAO is Latin for Order Out of Chaos or Order from Disorder. This term was invented by Freemasons and is the actual motto of the 33rd Degree of Scottish
My belief is that people who actually vote already have an opinion about MJM. This ad will be ineffective with those who either like or previously disliked the Speaker.
The ad is ok as a campaign ad, but it will not have any impact on the stalemate.
YDD, the problem with a new budget proposal is that Rauner has proven that the cuts he’s going to make are going to have more to do with who supports those programs than anything else. Rauner cuts are going to be Dem punishments, regardless of how much fiscal sense they’ll make.
Good opening, but needs a better punch. You sent me here to do this, stay the course. What to do to help, call your legislator, no more spending, no more taxes.
I would have closed with more power to the people, and less Bruce.
The Governor is running for reelection already? We move up the election or what? This is what the ad reminds me of. He’s campaigning and it sounds like an election ad. A solid C since most people won’t care and hate campaign ads
BTW — if I didn’t know better, I’d think it was mistakenly aired. If you’re not listening to the words, it looks like a commercial he might have ran eight months ago.
It’s confusing to anyone vaguely tuned in the election cycle. Plus, it’s nowhere near persuasive enough to convince a mysterious “undecided”. It’s like, um … okay .. what?
Just finished viewin. Can’t stop chucklin. He claims he’s negotiatin? How is this helpin? He keeps diggin a deeper hole for himself. Very disappointin.
Or, we could continue taxing and overspending, on and on, until Illinois falls into Lake Michigan. And then people will scratch their heads and wonder what happened, why didn’t someone try to change things.
Finally, it’s interesting that Rauner never spends airtime berating labor. He’ll berate Madigan. He’ll berate some mysterious “Man” — but he never spends money on his actual message: outlaw collective bargaining.
Another million dollars that would have been better spent on state programs. Why? The election is over. This is a campaign ad. What is he asking citizens to do? Most citizens will have no idea.
Have to say some interesting responses to
‘rate the governor’s new TV ad’
Well, never pass up a chance to complain about Rauner I guess…
As for the actual question.
C+
The idea he is running ads now is a bit different than anyone has done in the past. I suspect it is a first pass at setting the narrative, but I forgot who mentioned it first there is no call to action… Not sure a call Madigan is the answer to that, but it needed something along those lines.
It should be “job-creating” reforms. It’s a compound adjective. Also, the word “fightin” doesn’t exist, please stop trying to seem folksy, it is painful. Or at least be consistent and say that Madigan and his cronies say no to job-creatin’ reforms
Yawn. Most downstaters don’t have a positive perspective of MJM anyway, not sure what this does. I guess what it doesn’t do is draw a line in the sand and leaves an opening for continuing negotiations. The Raunerites need to be very careful they don’t up the tempo and turn this into a scorched earth campaign. Nobody wins in that scenario.
He wants everybody to be reminded that he’s governor. He is coming across as a kind of nervous-nellie — especially after this.
“Guys, I’m relevant. It’s kinda hard with the people I’m working with, but I’m here.”
Imagine if Rauner had an employee this ineffectual. “My job is really hard! I can’t move the needle! I’m fightin’ — but, gosh, it’s hard. Really hard.”
When this ad airs this summer a lot of people are going to be saying, “Wait, didn’t we just have an election?”
Also, Rauner’s line “With your help…” is pretty ridiculous as he doesn’t follow it up with any specific call to action. What does he expect people in a barber shop viewing this ad during breaks from a baseball game to do? Go out and donate to a super rich guy?
Or maybe his target audience is registered voters in the 22nd House District. If that’s the case then you just set fire to 1M dollars Mr. Rauner
BTW — if I didn’t know better, I’d think it was mistakenly aired. If you’re not listening to the words, it looks like a commercial he might have ran eight months ago. ==
Because it is close to an ad he rand 8 months ago. I think so of the footage is from those ads.
It’s a good shot across the bow for starters. I am guessing that these are going to get harsher as the summer moves along. Remember, this probably is not the only ad that is in the can.
Rauner may have brought a gun to a knife fight, but it’s become clear over the last month that he has no real desire to fire it. Of course, he eventually will have no choice, because he’s going to have to back up his threats.
Bad - there is no info on what we can do to help him. Good - “all they want to do is raise taxes — AGAIN”. I think that line will have people nodding in agreement, but Governor, what should we do?
When are the unions going to air the long promised “killer ad”? The one that was going to knockRauner out of the primary. The one that would guarantee Governor Quinn’s reelection. Why haven’t they aired it yet? Is this the moment they’re waiting for?
“Wait… Is this an election year?? I’m so sick of these politicians and their angry commercials.”
Said all the voters who Just. Don’t. Care.
PS: unless they’re Blues fans all the people who see this are hearing is echoes of “Chelsea Dagger”.
I would’ve given it an F, but he put a lot of TV points behind this so I suppose someone will see it somewhere sometime once or twice… And maybe a few of those people will have a reaction besides “meh”.
All Rauner wants to do is tell people who to blame. He’s not interested in actually fixing anything, because if he “fixed” it, there would be no need for him or his extreme opinions.
Considering that he’s already proven what his word is worth, I’d strongly consider buying stock in Morton Salt before taking anything he says at face value, and yes, that absolutely includes his advertising.
C+. This ad appears to be designed to protect the Governor’s approval rating throughout the summer by giving voters a villain, and less about applying political pressure to ILGA Dems. This is a “campaign” style commercial, and I think it would have been more effective to have the Governor talking to the camera, explaining that the old guard is obstructing necessary reforms — reforms he was elected to implement — and encouraging folks to call their state representative and hold them accountable.
It’s red meat for the diehards — the same folks they’ll be polling to prove that it’s moving the needle.
Let’s see Rauner’s numbers after this ad with potential “crossovers”. I’m guessing this’ll just push folks across to the D’s — especially since Rauner is apparently incapable of doing the job he’s doing without whining.
Is there a history — here or elsewhere — of these kinds of ads working on anyone but the faithful? Even downstate — Quincy, for example — I recently overheard folks in Sprouts (one of Rauner’s favorite g-droppin’ hangouts) express exasperation with the governor they just elected. And the retired Sprouts crowd — and the business dudes in their pink Izods — are Rauner’s faithful. They’re the one’s usually whispering and nodding and wanting to secede from Chicago — while still happy they can take the wife and kids to Chicago in the BMW for the summer shopping spree or winter showing of Spamalot.
According to the ad, Madigan says ‘No’ to everything. What is Rauner offering that could be a ‘Yes’ beside the usual vague campaign stuff? A C ad at best, same old bland material.
I’d give it a ‘B’. It helps demonize Mike Madigan. It might also change the mind of some state legislators who might feel they don’t have to go along with Madigan on everything. Only time will tell whether any of these ads are effective. The real report card on this ad is 3 months from now when we can judge what was achieved in Springfield.
Is the ad itself the statement? Or is he saying: I can spend this much now and not bat an eye about having $1,000,000 x 20 for the next elections, plus more. That freaks me out.
I’d give it a B+. Gets the message across in a 30 second spot. It makes the simple point that Madigan just wants the corrupt dysfunction to continue, doesn’t want better run state government for the people and just wants to take as much as he can from the people through higher taxes rather than smarter legislative action.
It makes a key point that your ‘evil” enemy needs a face to be effective. Just talking about nameless corrupt government parasites won’t resonate. In WWII, we were fighting “Hitler” not necessarily the Germans.
I do hope in the future he explains his plan and how it’s going to work in the short term to address this budget crisis in words to which families can relate.
“What would you do if your family has 10% less income than it wants to spend? First you look at what you NEED and WHAT you WANT, and cut the “wants” first. You get together as a family and decide what’s fair and what’s unnecessary and selfish. When some in the family selfishly don’t want to share the sacrifice, the adults have to step in and make the tough decisions. That’s where we are in Illinois today with speaker Madigan. I have to cut some spending we’d like to make because our Springfield family won’t share the sacrifice and cut what selfishly suits them best.
We need to work together to get past the crisis created by those who came before me, and we will. Please contact you state senators and representatives and tell them it’s time for Illinois to live within its budget and stop hurting families and killing private sector jobs through higher taxes, and to protect the most vulnerable and spend more wisely in the best interest of all Illinoisans.
My Turnaround agenda addresses these issues.
We can solve this problem if all work together for the good of Illinois and it’s citizens.”
C+ / B-, decent production, frames what Rauner thinks is the problem, portrays him as the savior.
Several problems with it:
(1) no specific solution offered; just more “trust me”
(2) no call to action
(3) Madigan can easily refute the claims by citing last 3 years budget cuts and pointing to the D versions that were either passed or voted down on Rauner’s proposals … and note the R’s refused to stand up and be counted on those votes
(4) politically knowledgeable people know the ad is inaccurate
I think response to this ad from the statehouse insiders who read the blog is going to depend on if your are Team Madigan or Team Rauner. Team Madigan. Team Madigan view it as a big ho-hum. Very standard generic campaign message with little specifics. Team Rauner view it as a first step - a warning shot. Madigan is the bad guy, but Rauner is keeping it civil, for now. It could get much worse very quickly, and Rauner has the finances to keep it coming.
If the attack at the beginning doesn’t turn off voters, it will be effective. It re-enforces what a majority of voters already agree on. Will it move Madigan? Doubtful - at least until targeted reps’ numbers move. Combined with the disproportionate impact draconian cuts or a government shutdown would have on the Democrats’ constituency, it’s an air strike (no pun intended) in what I’m beginning to believe is a scripted battle plan.
This is a half step at best. Easy tone of voice and soft music behind what was supposed to be hard hitting criticism? If this is simply some sort of soft intro, then let’s see some real ads!
Thought he would either be attacking Madigan harshly, or pushing turnaround agenda items specifically. Instead, old generalities and cold soup.
Let’s see. We’ve underestimated his political team before.
How much money has Bruce Rauner spent trying to change Illinois into a state he can run without compromise?
$25,000,000 to get himself elected
$25,000,000 to get new legislators elected
$20,000,000 to convince legislators to support him
$1,000,000 to run these ads
After spending all this money, what has he gotten?
How could this man spend this kind of money, yet tell us he cares about money being wasted?
Look at what he drops in salaries for his staffers? Where are the superstars and their super ideas? Where is the super budget, super negotiators, super deal makers? How can he justify handing out $30,000 to an economic advisor whose work we never hear about? What ever happened to the ex-governor of Hawaii he was bringing in? What impact has his RTW fiasco had upon how he thinks he can bring around that “shaking” he promised?
So far, this governor has had some magnificent public failures across Illinois - what’s he going to do besides pretend it never happened? How long does he think he can spin his wheels before we notice he has been less productive in office than Rod Blagojevich?
He has been in office since January, and if you wanted to see things changed, how could you be satisfied with him? How many people has he sold on his policies of change?
I’ll believe Bruce Rauner more, if he behaved as though money had value and spending it wisely was important to him. So far, he has spent millions of dollars as though he is the kind of blind corrupt politician he claims his political opponents are.
Tentative D- (we will give final once the run is over) Ad fails to live up to pregame hike which reflects on-going skill level of TeamBungle Ad fails to direct viewer. Ad fails to rally “supporters” to action.
Guessin’ these spots will air unnoticed because there is nothing to cause the viewer to look up
Time buyers and TV stations will be happy and hopeful more $$$ is on the way
Now we can examine the Uihlein illegal donations.
It’d be a pretty good ad in October 2018, especially if Mike Madigan is his opponent. But it’s June of 2015, Mike Madigan ain’t running for Governor, and the biggest reason for Illinoisans to turn on their TV ended last night.
(This is the spot for shameless basking in the Blackhawks’ dynasty.)
There’s no call to action, no connection to local legislators, no new message, no creative packaging. Nothing that’s going to make any nervous Dems knuckle under, nothing that’s going to stay in people’s heads for a week, let alone 18 months.
It’s fine for what it is, but it is not what the Governor needs right now, either for his legitimate goal (get a budget/legislative agenda through) or his..extracurriculars (punishing Madigan/the unions).
I expected a Whole lot more vitriol, ie. ‘confilet of interest’, ‘appearances of impropriety’, ‘fraud on our citizens’. Those bullets must still be in the chamber.
The ad did what it was intended to do, put out the concept for budget control without ever telling the people of Illinois what will have to be cut or the possibility that their own parents, grandparents, or disabled children will in any way be impacted. The ad turned things like allowing elected public boards in Illinois to establish a salary cap and total benefit cap beyond which no public employee could negotiate into simple concepts of “job creating reforms,” or spending control. No explanation in the ad that the job creating reforms the Governor has proposed are attributed in his own turn around document as creating only a small increase in employment in the Republican states that have implemented them. No explanation or consideration of the possibility that these reforms will lower the average household income in Illinois. In short it’s a good ad targeting many voters in Illinois who are more concerned about taxes than anything else and turns Speaker Madigan into the culprit.
For not running the ad during last night’s Blackhawks game. I raise the grade to D+.
If he does not run it during Bears games, I will give it a C-. If he’s smart enough to realize that soccer fans do not want to hear about it, and as such does not run it during Arsenal matches in the fall and winter, I will give it a B.
That would show that he understands his audience, which to date has been a problem for him.
==Just talking about nameless corrupt government parasites ==
That sort of name calling will get you far in negotiations Bob. I mean, who wouldn’t want to negotiate with a guy who says stuff like that. Sheesh. The fact that the Governor restrained himself is a good sign in my opinion. At least he’s not burning the bridge completely at this point.
==In WWII, we were fighting “Hitler” not necessarily the Germans.==
That is a completely ridiculous sort of comparison to bring up. Pathetic.
Dumb. He’s still bashing Illinois like the campaign is going on, and using depressing black and white photos that make us look like Detroit or the Mississippi Delta.
That’s a crybaby ad. Basically says I’m governor now but I have no idea how to lead.
It’s a lesser version of the campaign ads that garnered Rauner 50.3% of the vote in November. And that was before he made any unpopular decisions. Right now, I imagine it changing anything in Springfield.
But he’s got plenty of money, so maybe the plan is to off-set the ad’s quality with volume.
More campaigning and still no governing? I rate him an f- in his ability to lead. His ad will be as effective as his one term in office. It also rates the same failing grade.
C-. OK, he doesn’t think much of Mike Madigan, got that. What does he want to do? Can’t tell from this ad. What Madigan spending does he want to stop? Doesn’t say.
It’s more a negative campaign ad, but there’s no election where people can vote against MJM. Pretty much a waste of money unless there are follow-on ads that build a case for what Rauner wants to do.
My guess is they don’t really know how to message things like RTW in a 30-second spot, and have painted themselves into a corner.
D. It’s no different (other than not mentioning PQ) from the campaign ads that he ran ad nauseum (no pun intended) to the extent that most people probably began to ignore them.
As others have said, it lacks a call to action and does less than nothing to get a budget passed.
The only reason I didn’t give it an F is because it will do a great job of rallying the wingnuts who already think Bruce can do no wrong (like the Trib editorial board).
—
After spending all this money, what has he gotten?
—
I’ve said that Rauner should have stayed in the background and funded a more charismatic, more intellectually savvy closer.
Rauner’s closed on very little so far — and now he’s asking for unspecified “help” from whoever happens to listen to his ad. He’s like a used car dealer railing against his spiffs by asking a random passer by to help.
Why not front someone that can actually persuade people, build bridges, and successfully push an agenda? At this rate, Rauner will have spent upwards of a quarter-billion dollars when he’s up for the primary — and he’ll probably not get anywhere near what he wants over that time.
- Short Bus Rider - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:54 am:
Went way too easy on the emperor and his merry little band of demos.
– Team Rauner views it as a first step — a warning shot.–
To what end? A warning about what? Without a call to action or objective, that’s just meaningless spin.
And seriously, first step? It’s mid-June. The governor is still on the schneid with a budget he proposed in February that has billions in fantasy pension “savings.”
He’s got the gig, yet the governor has regressed to generic, unfocused campaign mode with no election in sight.
B: Good spot. Turns up the heat and defers any blame onto others. As long as he is ticking off the Madigan’s and Cullerton’s of the state, good for him. They deserve a great share of the blame.
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:56 am:
I know during general election years many people get tired of all the campaign commercials. If these type of commercials are running all summer during a non election year it will get old pretty quick.
The Ad itself is disingenuous but they got a lot of talking points in a 30 second Ad so in that respect they did a good job. It’s red meat for the devoted followers for sure. It will have no impact on Madigan, who is only held accountable by the voters in his own District and those voters will continue to reelect him.
The Ad mentions that the Democrats want to raise your taxes again. It doesn’t mention that the previous tax increase has expired, at Rauner’s request and that allowing the tax rate to expire is responsible for 80% of our budget deficit.
I think the ad gets a C. It’s too much like a campaign ad. If I were watching it I would think there was an election coming up. Also, just using Mike Madigan in the ad doesn’t really get you anything in my opinion. I’m assuming he didn’t use the word Democrats for a reason.
OK, I get it. You don’t like soccer. Fine. But did you have to go so far as to remind the world that John The Tramp Kass is a soccer? There is fair argument, and there are arguments that go to far. Trying to tie Kass to us goes to far.
It is bad enough that Arsenal has that British guy from CNN. At least Kass is not a Gooner.
It’s a solid pass. It probably does what it needs to do depending upon what’s next. I suggested there would probably be a series of ads. If this is the opener and it ramps up based on what’s going on, it gets the job done.
I’m sure there’s some palpable relief out there. What if a lot of people call the Speaker without being urged to with a phone #?
That will register.
He’s playing a longer game here. For decades now, we’ve managed from crisis to crisis. Passing a budget this year is a step on the way, not an end. That’s how I see this strategy playing out.
- the Other Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:11 am:
As an ad B-. Nothing wrong with it, nothing great or memorable.
However, as a strategy I have to give it a D. First, the message is directed solely against Madigan, and it will not change the mind of anyone who actually votes for Madigan. Sure, it also mentions “the politicians he controls.” But we don’t know who they are from the ad. And more importantly, every D member of the House from a swing district has run on issues that show voters independence from Madigan. I think that most D voters refuse to acknowledge that their state rep is controlled by Madigan, even if they think other state reps are controlled by him.
The other part that’s jarring is Rauner appearing at the end. It makes the commercial look exactly like a campaign ad. And if it is a campaign ad, can Turnaround Illinois actually pay for it? Turnaround can certainly run issues ads, and it can engage in independent expenditures, but when the Governor appears in the ad it’s no longer an independent expenditure. Is the ad so much like a campaign commercial that it should not be treated like an issue ad? I think the State Board of Elections would find that a decent question.
I don’t think this is the best he can do. I view this as more of a “progressive discipline” approach. He’s making it clear he can flood the airwaves with ads. It’s negative but fairly benign in its negativity. It’s sort of the “I warned you there would be ads. I wasn’t kidding. Shape up or you’ll be sorry.”
I don’t want to underestimate a man with his resources who is willing to throw away money on spots like this. To me, this ad says, “See? I told you I would run ads.” If this is some kind of punishment or warning, fine, consider it delivered and consider it for what it’s worth.
But remember, Rauner spent at least half a day in front of the camera reading the teleprompter to make this ad. Imagine if he spent that much time getting into the policy weeds on Worker’s Comp and tax caps. Imagine how he could have brokered a deal that made him look like he really was changing business as usual. He would find willing partners if he put in the work required, but he’s not interested in work apparently. With millions to burn, why would you bother doing any work?
I realize I’m a bit different by only using a pass/fail rating system on ads, but how anyone could give this an A or an F is utterly beyond me. This is why stats folks throw out the goofy extremes. Tin cans just wanna be heard. Oy.
@Dem
==Just talking about nameless corrupt government parasites ==
That sort of name calling will get you far in negotiations Bob. I mean, who wouldn’t want to negotiate with a guy who says stuff like that. Sheesh. The fact that the Governor restrained himself is a good sign in my opinion. At least he’s not burning the bridge completely at this point.
Jeez, Dem, this isn’t a negotiation talk here. I’m talking about presentation options. take a chill pill and stop being so picky.
==In WWII, we were fighting “Hitler” not necessarily the Germans.==
That is a completely ridiculous sort of comparison to bring up. Pathetic.==
The issue is putting a face to the problem, which is done in the spot. In no way was I comparing MJM to Hitler. Jeez, dem, get a sense of perspective here and stop leaning over Wacker Drive to grab at something that isn’t there. You might fall.
As bad a Citizen’s United is at the federal level with the flood of IE money, this shows the IL IE law is a sham. Without a “non-coordination” clause, there’s nothing preventing an IE group from organizing with a candidate or elected official. Sure, they can’t swap money back and forth, but this is ridiculous.
As far as the ad goes C+/Incomplete. It’s a campaign ad with good production values and bad diction. How effective it will ultimately be probably can not be judged until placed into the larger context of what may follow. As many have pointed out, this may well be laying groundwork for a larger, longer campaign. Lord help us.
This seems clearly designed to boost Rauner’s positives and frame the issue (Madigan wants to raise taxes) and the enemy (Madigan). I agree with previous comments that this message is undercut because it looks exactly like a campaign ad, which makes it look self-serving where it needs to look genuine.
I think there’s no call to action because he doesn’t really want action. He wants a government shut down and hopes this ad will help people lay the blame on the Democrats when that happens. I don’t think it will.
Not a bad piece, but I don’t see how this moves anyone *new* to engage in the political process. Isn’t that Rauner’s goal? Create a groundswell of support that pressures the GA? All of us who read this blog are already tuned in.
There’s also the possibility that people had enough of these ads last fall. Millions upon millions of dollars ensured that we saw this same ad — scary announcer, minor chords in the background, followed by smiling Bruce and major chords — constantly last year. Are people really sitting around watching TV commercials in the summer? Is hearing about Mike Madigan going to shock them? Is any of this going to affect Madgian at all?
The ad campaign is over. Voters elected Rauner and an overwhelming majority of Democratic legislators. Now is the time to govern, not to run campaign ads.
It’s pretty clear from this ad that Rauner’s “plan” for bringing new business to Illinois involves extensive giveaways to the rich at the expense of the middle class and which will exacerbate the divide between rich and poor in the United States. Not sure how he explains his obstructionism to families once the start of school is delayed in August. It seems like he’s willing to hold school children hostage for lower wages and the destruction of basic safety net laws for severely injured workers.
Watched it without sound out of necessity. in this context, it looks like an ad one would air if Mike Madigan was running for governor against Rauner. That “politicians he controls” thing just isn’t communicated at all visually, nor is that this ad is ostensibly about a budget battle or the future of illinois, so I wonder what it accomplishes for Rauner.
- Louis Capricious - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:44 am:
This ad seems more about protecting the governor’s positives than beating his opponents into submission.
A month from now, there will be no paychecks for state workers and, worse (from a PR perspective), human service providers across the state will be shutting their doors. Two months from now, a number of public schools won’t open.
Presumably, there is some recognition on the part of the governor’s advisers that (notwithstanding their protestations to the contrary) the governor is the individual likely to be saddled with disproportionate responsibility for those respective debacles.
To me, this ad seems like an attempt to bolster his positives before he starts taking those negative hits.
- Albany Park Patriot - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:44 am:
You don’t need to go positive if you’re winning the war. He knows the public is against him on these cuts. This is a sign of weakness, not the other way around.
The ads would need to spur people to take some action. People outside his district can’t vote against Madigan. Based on this ad, what actions does Rauner realistically think that people will take to “help” him?
For those who only pay attention right before an election, or when events intrude on their lives, the ad tells them nothing new: madigan bad, all politicians are jerks who cant get the job done. For those who pay closer attention, rauners ad is fraudulent. He is still campaigning, not governing.
Even w more ads coming, i think they will get one view, then be tuned out.
It looks to me that Governor Rauner is attempting to use the hostile takeover tactics he learned in business to accomplish his political goals. The definition of a hostile takeover from Investopedia:
The acquisition of one company called the target company (control of the agenda) by another called the acquirer (Governor Rauner) that is accomplished NOT by coming to an agreement with the target company’s management (Speaker Madigan), but by going directly to the company’s shareholders (voters) or fighting to replace management (Madigan) in order to get the acquisition (control of the agenda) approved.
Can you really run government like a business? Doubtful in this case, the “shareholders “ aren’t interested. But Governor Rauner apparently still has that mindset.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:55 am:
Well said, 47th Ward.
CharlieKratos: Rauner cannot veto a budget he does not have. Just like he cannot defeat Democrats in an election that does not exist. Just like he cannot claim savings from a constitutional amendment regarding pensions that wouldn’t take effect until 2016 at the earliest.
Willy, I think it is possible that Team Rauner is suffering from some form of chronostasis where future events are happening concurrent with the present.
Well, if the point is simply to demonstrate that the Governor is willing to blow a million bucks, the ad gets an “A”. As a campaign ad, I’ll be generous and give it a “B”, since for a campaign anti-reform, anti-change and wants to raise taxes is a decent message (if shallow).
But alas, this is not a campaign ad, the purpose of this is for governing, and for that I give it a “D”. In a campaign, massaging the truth is expected, but in governing there is a much greater weight placed on honesty, so let’s start with the Governor’s complaint about spending discipline. His budget made no real structural changes, but whacked funding that is largely pass through, but did not change or alter the functioning of state government in any significant way. And he proposed shorting pensions and group health by three billion. That’s not spending discipline either, Governor, that’s just fiscal insanity and budgetary malfeasance.
Which gets me to the next point about the Speaker wanting to raise taxes. Again, this is false. The Speaker is capable of doing math, and recognizes that even if all of the actual cuts in the Governor’s budget were implemented, despite how foolish some of them are, we would still need a significant tax increase. Which means the Governor needs it as much if not more than the Speaker, but just isn’t willing to own up to it. But yeah, I’m sure campaigning against it now will certainly help him find 24 Democratic votes in the house when the time comes for him to own up to it. I’m sure it will. “D”
- A Guy -, I’m literary… not complaining… about how others actually comment. lol
- YDD -, there’s somethin’ goin’ on, and your diagnosis is as solid as any out there. Of course, then there is the state of denial of any diagnosis of the operations…
Actually, I’m really glad, at the simplest of simple, it didn’t go too far. Right now, that’s my silver lining.
Rauner’s (campaign) staff has always said this will be an ad campaign. For an opener it works a lot better than sledgehammer, watch, and jacket. #1 lays out the problem as Rauner sees it. #2 will probably lay out his simple solutions as he sees it. If it is well planned the call for action is at ad #3 or #4.
Rauner, or his advisers, must know that TV ads are not going to make Madigan cave. They must know that TV ads are not going to win a majority of legislative races.
That’s why these ads are not designed to actually “make” Madigan do anything, or even to suggest that voters take action. They’re designed to build Rauner’s image.
- Way South of I-80 - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:09 am:
First I have to admit that last night I had to be talked down off the ledge when a campaign ad for Congress was on during the evening news. My spouse reminded me that there is a special election coming up - which I momentarily forgot in my horror of seeing a campaign ad.
I give the Governor’s ad a FAILING grade mainly because I hate campaign ads and it is so disingenuous. Also, “fightin” is just plain insulting and grates like nails on a chalkboard. Agree he is painting himself in a corner because there will be a tax increase - there’s no way around it. Bottom line, I think he really just likes seeing his “good ol’ boy” self on TV.
I just wish the gov would learn to speak proper english. It just makes be sick to listen to such a supposedly educated man and have to here him talk. I can’t emagine what an enlish teacher might think. I sure don’t want my kids listening to it.
I like Rauner. Someone needs to get Madigan and Cullerton, among others, straight about power versus results. They have proven that their power has provided bad results. Now is time for some hard decisions and me thinks Rauner is just the guy to do it. Using ‘reason’ hasn’t worked, so…..what’s ‘your’ plan?
As bad a Citizen’s United is at the federal level with the flood of IE money, this shows the IL IE law is a sham. Without a “non-coordination” clause, there’s nothing preventing an IE group from organizing with a candidate or elected official. Sure, they can’t swap money back and forth, but this is ridiculous.==
There is a non-coordination clause in the IE law, but Rauner and his committee ignored it.
For some reason he only wants to fight a war of public opinion, as compared to the technical governing battles that should be being long penned in treaty.
As in any war of public opinion, the journalist and media outlets play a hugely important role. Hopefully, more outlets/writers/producers understand that covering both sides of the war is important to citizens. All hypocrisy, twist on truth, inaccurate claims, from either side should be reported. Please. (I have read way to many articles from different outlets that omit the crazy disconnections from truth which the Rauner camp continues to present.)
Is the ad money going to outlets which report only Rauner’s public messaging and not those outlets that report his actual actions? (He has shown that he uses cash to encourage behavior)
Folks - this is the ad you get when you have zero political acumen, zero governing acumen and $1,000,000 to pay to some political firm which is ready to take your money.
Once Rauner signs the bill for a tax increase to balance the budget, everyone will have forgotten about these commercials. And they will have been for naught.
1. MJM did not want to raise taxes on the middle and lower class population. He wanted to raise taxes on the rich,corporations, and close tax loopholes for them that they use to ovoid paying taxes that we the middle class and lower class have to make up for
2. Yes MJM didn’t go with rauners job creation plan because Rauners plan put us in way lower poverty wages and no insurance or retirement
3. Yes guys like Rauner wants term limits because of guys like MJM because MJM is the person leading the charge on stopping people like Rauner from taking from the middle class and lower class! What Rauner wants is a new guy to come in and then since he is new there is a better chance he can slip his agenda to destroy the middle class by and/or it give Rauner the chance to pretty much buy the seat for a person that will push his agenda through and not have anything stopping him!
I made my case at 8:20 am. Are you just not reading anything?+++
Actually I did read it where you made your case for a B. Then criticized the question I posed about an A or an F. You got it right the first time and then your Willyness got the best of you to argue for the sake of arguing. No worries, I got it.
LOL, well, it’s not like we want him rushing into being the chief executive of the state or anything. But the training wheels need to come off pretty soon.
Many commenters mention Rauner dropping his ‘g’. I watched Daly on a Sunday news show and noticed he said ’somtin’. Could it be a rich guy from chicago accent?
A lot of people are saying that they were fooled during the campaign by Rauner’s advertising, and that while they voted for change, they didn’t want the kind of change that Rauner is pushing now. They remember the Rauner Campaign commercials that they were fooled by, and they’ll recognize this as more of the same, but they aren’t going to get fooled twice. While it’s the best ad that money can buy, it’s advocating a message whose points are purposefully vague and/or misleading, and they’ll place this one in the circular file post-haste. Impact slim to none and you know what they say about slim…
Late to the game here. It’s a Rauner campaign ad. Perfectly fine as that. BUT HE’S NOT RUNNING! I’ve showed this to average folks, and they’re confused. They ask if he wasn’t just elected. They loathe Madigan, but say Raunder isn’t proposing solutions. They don’t know his turnaround agenda. They don’t get the point.
Running ads like this might serve to elevate Speaker Madigan with his party members.
It could remind them that without his political savvy and power they could be in much weaker positions faced with an onslaught of attacks from opponents with seemingly unlimited financial resources.
And soon this will be just another commercial sandwiched between US Senate and Congressional and Presidential primary ads. Even less of an impact then.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 12:55 pm:
Willy: unfortunately, it doesn’t matter whether I, Rich, you, President Cullerton, or Rauner’s staff think that the ad is mild or goes too far.
Actually, it doesn’t matter that much whether House Democrats think it went too far, only whether it was a step in the right direction or not.
Hard to make the case it’s a step in the right direction.
Unless you think we’re playing some version of Twain’s “The Great French Duel.” You know, Madigan and Rauner meet at dawn to fire their pistols in the air and declare it a draw.
Personally, while a lot of scenarios are still possible, the one seeming most likely now is Democrats sending Rauner a budget based on Doomsday revenues that does stuff like close ISU.
- YDD -, all you say has truth. Even the idea of if this gets us any closer; it doesn’t.
I look at this very simply. It’s a proportional response to the level of frustration Bruce Rauner personally… personally… feels Mike Madigan is causing him.
This isn’t the governor calling out the speaker.
This is Bruce taking his personal, measured, swipe at Mike.
It’s going to be up to adults, recognizing both phony budgets are off about $3 billion, and working on that as professionals.
If Bruce went nuclear on Mike, governor, speaker, whatever, the governmental wouldn’t recover here in the short term.
It’s not how I would’ve gone, but if Bruce needs to ding Mike, it’s not irreversible, this tweak, but they are not on the same wavelength, that’s for sure.
Agreed. Bruce’s fake dialect (whatever the hell it is) is as phony as George’s was. The latter was not born in Texas and that accent is the figment of a marketers imagination. Same as Bruce!
I really like the cigarette ads in the background of that one segment. Kind of explains why Rauner wants to cut funding for smoking cessation programs…
Rauner appears weak. He claimed a year ago he could do the job, effect change, shake up the state with our help. Now he’s back with the same pre-election message, asking for help…again?
Soccermom, the Governor owns stock in three tobacco companies (according to his Statement of Economic Interest). Maybe it has something to do with that. /s (mostly)
Nothing more than a replay of Rauner’s campaign ads. Rauner will not have to worry about term limits for himself, in the short period of time that he has been in office, he already has made himself a “one termer”
Rauner certainly has turned me pro-Madigan. Rauner can run around the state and run ads on TV, but he can’t hide what he wants - to bury labor in a poison pill in his scaled down turn back agenda.
Yeah, I’m going to be this site all day, every day. It’s very high on my list of “things that feel like you’re doing work, even though they don’t actually bring in, you know, money…”
Sounds a bit out of the Quinn playbook and it smells.
Lots of flash, with little substance. I believe Rauner sadly spent his money to get himself elected Gov., so that he could position himself running for President.
With his track record he ain’t got a chance in hell.
It’s not “soothsaying” to say that unlikely things are unlikely. It is unlikely that people will, unprompted, begin swamping Mike Madigan’s phone lines, demanding he give Governor Rauner everything he wants. If you have evidence or reasoning to say it is likely, you’re free to present it.
I don’t see how this advances his long term agenda, either. No one likes Mike Madigan. You don’t need to drive up his negatives to set up something else.
The ad tells a lot about an ineffective governor who spends millions of dollars asking viewers to help him “the governor” to do his job. I thought he was elected because he could do a better job than Quinn. Hello… Quinn was able to work with Madigan in passing a budget without producing TV ads asking for help. Rauner’s TV ad is saying he cannot perform his duties as the governor.
Gov Thompson and Gov Edgar were able to hammer out a budget with Madigan. People do not like people who play dirty, and Rauner likes to play dirty. I don’t trust him. I will never vote republican again.
- Robert the Bruce - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 5:30 pm:
D.
=====Not everyone associates their local rep with Madigan. Yet.======
==This Ad has nothing to do with connecting the two.==
Connect Madigan with local Dem legislator probably wouldn’t work but at least would be a strategy. Not a strategy I saw from that ad.
This ad just seems pointless, so far from any election, no call to action. Gov. Rauner throws a tantrum, orders a pointless TV buy while his team and vendors say “Yes, Sir.”
I gave it a C-, mostly due to the fact that Bruce still thinks that he can portray himself as Mr. Carhartt, Champion of the Working Man. He’ll keep fightin’ for the little guy. Cuts to the poor and a war against unions are more indicative of billionaire Bruce’s true intentions.
I’m thinking the news stories showing poor mothers pleading to Rauner (That’s right. RAUNER not Madigan.) are weighted much more than a campaign ad in a non-election year.
The Governor owns the cuts as he has final say and is the figurehead of the state. In the end it won’t matter who Bruce blames regardless of how many ads he puts out. If the ship sinks, the Captain takes the fall.
Bruce is playing a longer game but countless sob stories from the sick and elderly will likely resonate much more than Bruce’s push for workers comp,term limits, and those corrupt judges and union bosses.
Money buys votes. Rauner’s millions will have an effect on House Seats. No doubt about it. Analyze it any way you want, but if you put lipstick on a pig, it is still a pig.
I agree whole-heartedly with what Juice said at 10:58.
As an English teacher (responding to someone’s earlier “wonderings”), I am skeptical that any 30 second spot or even series of 30 second spots can move any political discussion out of an intellectual graveyard. Unfortunately, that seems to be what our political discourse has degenerated into.
And the fact that Bruce, who rightfully doesn’t refer to himself as our Governor–after all he was “Bruce” before he condescended to “fix our mess” by “shaking up Springfield”– really thinks he can move a real political discussion/negotiation through ads is frightening.
He is either:
1. not as smart as we thought (Social Darwinism is not Gospel…$$$$doesnot=IQ)
2. certain that we’re not very smart
3. hiding from the truth because he finally looked at the budget and discovered reality
4. all of the above
I am hopelessly biased. No campai—er—political ad can achieve more than a C- in my gradebook. As for achieving its intended purpose (unknown) for its target audience (unknown) it gets an F for lack of originality, facts, or solutions.
Which is consistent since his campaign met that litmus test:
unoriginal- borrow from Gov. Walker/Brownback/ALEC
vapid- “shake up” but then what?
listless- what do we do now? why can’t we campaign in perpituity?
It is #4 and the general public, who are confused, do not quite understand #3, which is why he is going after local municipalities and NOT those lazy people living off of food stamps, etc… There I said it for you..
I give it a C. The first half is standard political stereotypes - the Dems want to raise your taxes and spend your money. It will likely play well with his base but most people will just turn off because it is just political nonsense. The second half is more interesting to me. He just doesn’t take charge, exert any leadership, or display any gravitas. If I didn’t know he was a high powered businessman, I would have never guessed it. I don’t think this part will play well with his base. They want a tough guy.
I rate it a B- (I am trying to err on the side of kindness, for a first attempt) — for its overall quality.
I do think the best advertisement is the one that Madigan has announced that he is not going to run.
In other words, I think running any commercial at all is not going to work, and will be counterproductive. And, i believe this to be counterproductive, despite its “B-” production value.
==Not everyone associates their local rep with Madigan.==
I’m not sure that’s true, but assuming arguendo, this ad doesn’t even try to change that.
==I’ll get back to you on the calls when I get an update from Steve Brown.==
No matter what Steve Brown says, or what you hope he says, the idea that people will respond to an ad that doesn’t ask them to call Mike Madigan by calling Mike Madigan is unlikely. Sure, anything can happen in this crazy ol’ world, but that’s a hell of a thing to pin your hopes on.
- Spliff - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:07 am:
This should make the Speaker cooperate. But it is a regular campaign ad. This won’t get his turnaround agenda passed because the only two issues he names are term limits and raising taxes ….
- Louis G. Atsaves - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:09 am:
B-. Should have posted Madigan’s phone number. Otherwise, the impact is more muffled.
- AC - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:12 am:
It’s a good thing Rauner won’t ultimately support higher taxes, because if he did he’d be just like Madigan. /s. Maybe higher taxes are OK, if they’re seasoned with other ideas, the way popcorn is better with salt and butter. The ad was just average, and predictable.
- Lobby - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:12 am:
This sets up MJM for future and worse hits. It reminds people that they should not like MJM and if no deal happens then Gov can follow up with tougher ads, mail, calls, etc.
It’s the opening round. Hopefully it will be a short game.
- Lost in Translation - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:15 am:
C.
“I’m gonna keep fightin’…”
It’s summer, I don’t know how many will see it.
- Send an angel - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:18 am:
Much ado about nothing.
- Roadbuilder - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:19 am:
And how does this gets the budget deal done that much quicker?!? Or the state worker contracts?? He and his staff ought to be doing more business of the government and less campaigning for next year’s elections!
- Midway Gardens - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:19 am:
Needs a call to action…contact your rep, contact Madigan.
- AC - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:19 am:
Also, what is the add supposed to have me do?
- jazzy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:19 am:
I thought we had guidelines for age eith running for office? Maybe we should take out 25 and insert maturity level of an adult.
Attacking people gets you zip in life.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:20 am:
Rated it a “solid B”
“Why?”
It clarified the Givernor’s thoughts, it put blame squarely where the Governor wants it, and it frames the Governor as the only hero in this opera.
Why not an “A”?. The canned “B roll” was so campaign, almost flying in the face of what the Ad was trying to convey; Rauner is actually doing the people’s business.
Really? Getting flowers?
“Fightin’…”
No “A” for a contrived campaign Ad, but it hit all it wanted to accomplish.
Coulda been a thousand times worse, coulda been more divisive. Coulda been.
I don’t think this is an “ad series”.
Thank goodbess this isn’t;
===Every time you see a House Dem name or a Sen Dem name on a ballot, the association with Madigan needs to be second nature. …===
It’s Rauner just passing blame, and asking for support.
Ok, run ‘em, with “fightin’…” in it and canned “B roll”.
It’s a “Solid B”, but I dunno how much it helps in the long or short term, the immediate, and everything in between.
Governors own their budgets, hires, fires, “fires”, agencies, programs… and cuts.
This Ad doesn’t change that.
- Abe the Babe - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:23 am:
Weak sauce.
Doesn’t move the tiniest of needles.
- Under Further Review - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:25 am:
B- because too much of the commercial is generic. If Rauner is going to make an impact, there will have to be a series of television and radio spots.
If this was merely an introduction with more to follow, it will be okay. If it is a one shot deal, it is not going to be enough to shift the discussion.
- Hit or Miss - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:25 am:
The basic message is the same as he presented during his election campaign. Rauner presents no new plan for what he will do to “fix” Illinois and asks nothing of the voters. I would rate it a “C”.
- From the 'Dale to HP - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:28 am:
Pretty weak, Democrats will have no problem dealing with this if this is among the best Rauner’s got.
Rauner’s has to be careful here, it takes two to tango, and most know this. If he’s out there saying Madigan is the reason there isn’t a deal, most people are going to ask, ‘well who is he dealing with’ and then Rauner pops up on the screen…
- Tony - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:31 am:
Instead of campaigning and making sure compromise is impossible by assaulting the people he’s supposed to be working with, Rauner should drop the extremist approach and try actually working with the legislature. They’ve provided proposal bills for dealing with some of the things he wants, such as the property tax freeze, and it’s time for him to start negotiating in good faith via willingness to compromise, rather than simply making demands.
- Chicago PR Guy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:31 am:
Meh.
If you think about brand loyals, brand switchers and other brand loyal….this ad only resonates with the brand loyals who Rauner already has.
However, if viewed as one piece of a long continuum and Rauner is able to maintain his orthodoxy and also get something positive….even small….done, it could begin to draw in “switchers” or independents.
- Tony - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:32 am:
^I realize Madigan has used words like the need for “moderation” and the need to avoid “extremism” ad nausea (which I find very obnoxious) to describe Rauner, but I think these are accurate descriptions of him nonetheless.
- DDR - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:34 am:
I wish our governor would do more governin’ instead if smilin’ and talkin’
- Joe M - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:34 am:
Just more of his same campaign talking points that we have been hearing for almost two years. I am tired of hearing his same rhetoric, without any proof of how his turnaround ideas are going to help the 2016, 2017, 2016 and 2019 state budgets. Now that the campaign is over, it should only be specifics on his budget ideas.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:38 am:
The ads are terrible.
Pull the line about “All they want to do is raise your taxes.”
Democrats are willing to give this governor more revenue, but it is not an easy lift. Contrary to GOP wisdom, Democratic voters do not “like” paying higher taxes, but we are willing to do what is necessary to protect the most vulnerable in our society.
If this message runs for two weeks, Democrats could decide to tell Rauner they’ve decided not to support his tax hike after all, and ask him to present the General Assembly with a new budget plan that isn’t based on phony pension savings.
- Bruce (No not him) - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:38 am:
Not bad. As a lifelong Democrat, I don’t like Madigan, but he’s not my representative to vote for. This will resonate with lots of people. I think the Governor needs to negotiate and not campaign, but this will resonate with a lot of people.
- AnonymousOne - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:39 am:
All it did was remind us who our governor is now.
- What is to be done? - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:41 am:
ORDO AB CHAO is Latin for Order Out of Chaos or Order from Disorder. This term was invented by Freemasons and is the actual motto of the 33rd Degree of Scottish
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:41 am:
So the governor has dropped his anti-worker, wage-cutting agenda? Or does that not poll well like term limits?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:41 am:
My belief is that people who actually vote already have an opinion about MJM. This ad will be ineffective with those who either like or previously disliked the Speaker.
The ad is ok as a campaign ad, but it will not have any impact on the stalemate.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:43 am:
No call to action? What’s the objective?
It would have been an average, decent spot in October 2014 (with a vote-for-me call to action).
I don’t understand the strategy, or the point, in June 2015. Not a game-changer by any means.
- CharlieKratos - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:44 am:
YDD, the problem with a new budget proposal is that Rauner has proven that the cuts he’s going to make are going to have more to do with who supports those programs than anything else. Rauner cuts are going to be Dem punishments, regardless of how much fiscal sense they’ll make.
- the Patriot - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:47 am:
Good opening, but needs a better punch. You sent me here to do this, stay the course. What to do to help, call your legislator, no more spending, no more taxes.
I would have closed with more power to the people, and less Bruce.
- cdog - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:47 am:
“MJM and the politicians he controls REFUSE TO CHANGE”
Pure messaging and lacks integrity.
Rauner will keep repeating these carefully crafted logical conclusions that are valid, but are not so truthful.
He forgot to include the established fact that every change he is trying to affect includes “poison pills” for labor, etc.
If you repeat it enough times it becomes someone’s truth.
- cdog - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:49 am:
additionally…
He can afford to repeat it at a level not experienced at this level of politics. Pretty scary development.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:50 am:
I saw it, thought it was nice, but forgot what it was about when I went here to comment!
Campaign stuff. I think. It didn’t tell me anything.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:50 am:
Have no idea why Rauner is affirming the job he was elected to do.
It’s like a nervous kid who just learned he’s valedictorian. “I’m gonna do a great job, guy. Really, I am.”
It’s bizarre and a bit (or a lot) impotent.
- Publius - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:50 am:
The Governor is running for reelection already? We move up the election or what? This is what the ad reminds me of. He’s campaigning and it sounds like an election ad. A solid C since most people won’t care and hate campaign ads
- Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:52 am:
BTW — if I didn’t know better, I’d think it was mistakenly aired. If you’re not listening to the words, it looks like a commercial he might have ran eight months ago.
It’s confusing to anyone vaguely tuned in the election cycle. Plus, it’s nowhere near persuasive enough to convince a mysterious “undecided”. It’s like, um … okay .. what?
- 13thone - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:52 am:
Just finished viewin. Can’t stop chucklin. He claims he’s negotiatin? How is this helpin? He keeps diggin a deeper hole for himself. Very disappointin.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:53 am:
“I elected you. What other help do you need? Is this some plea for cash from a billionaire?”
- anon - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:53 am:
Or, we could continue taxing and overspending, on and on, until Illinois falls into Lake Michigan. And then people will scratch their heads and wonder what happened, why didn’t someone try to change things.
- dude - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:54 am:
Colossal waste of $$$$$$. Jeesh.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:54 am:
Finally, it’s interesting that Rauner never spends airtime berating labor. He’ll berate Madigan. He’ll berate some mysterious “Man” — but he never spends money on his actual message: outlaw collective bargaining.
Let’s see that one.
- Gooner - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:55 am:
I give it a D. It is an absolutely routine and completely mundane campaign ad.
There is no election soon. People are going to completely ignore this.
Seriously, who does Rauner think will be moved by this?
Wow, what a waste. It will have a minimal impact if any.
I gave it a D rather than a F because it pumped money into the economy to create the ad and purchase the airtime, and that has some benefit.
- Mittuns - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:56 am:
Just what grandma and grandpa want to hear as they nod off to reruns of NCIS.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:56 am:
Another million dollars that would have been better spent on state programs. Why? The election is over. This is a campaign ad. What is he asking citizens to do? Most citizens will have no idea.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:59 am:
Have to say some interesting responses to
‘rate the governor’s new TV ad’
Well, never pass up a chance to complain about Rauner I guess…
As for the actual question.
C+
The idea he is running ads now is a bit different than anyone has done in the past. I suspect it is a first pass at setting the narrative, but I forgot who mentioned it first there is no call to action… Not sure a call Madigan is the answer to that, but it needed something along those lines.
- Missing G - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:59 am:
It should be “job-creating” reforms. It’s a compound adjective. Also, the word “fightin” doesn’t exist, please stop trying to seem folksy, it is painful. Or at least be consistent and say that Madigan and his cronies say no to job-creatin’ reforms
- Tough Guy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:01 am:
Yawn. Most downstaters don’t have a positive perspective of MJM anyway, not sure what this does. I guess what it doesn’t do is draw a line in the sand and leaves an opening for continuing negotiations. The Raunerites need to be very careful they don’t up the tempo and turn this into a scorched earth campaign. Nobody wins in that scenario.
- Bedbug - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:01 am:
Have the Republicans voted for Madigan’s property tax freeze legislation?
- Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:03 am:
He wants everybody to be reminded that he’s governor. He is coming across as a kind of nervous-nellie — especially after this.
“Guys, I’m relevant. It’s kinda hard with the people I’m working with, but I’m here.”
Imagine if Rauner had an employee this ineffectual. “My job is really hard! I can’t move the needle! I’m fightin’ — but, gosh, it’s hard. Really hard.”
Pause.
“Hello? Guys? Is anybody there?”
- downstate - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:03 am:
When this ad airs this summer a lot of people are going to be saying, “Wait, didn’t we just have an election?”
Also, Rauner’s line “With your help…” is pretty ridiculous as he doesn’t follow it up with any specific call to action. What does he expect people in a barber shop viewing this ad during breaks from a baseball game to do? Go out and donate to a super rich guy?
Or maybe his target audience is registered voters in the 22nd House District. If that’s the case then you just set fire to 1M dollars Mr. Rauner
- Blah - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:04 am:
==- Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:52 am:
BTW — if I didn’t know better, I’d think it was mistakenly aired. If you’re not listening to the words, it looks like a commercial he might have ran eight months ago. ==
Because it is close to an ad he rand 8 months ago. I think so of the footage is from those ads.
- Austin Blvd - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:05 am:
Will the ad quiet the people and special interests hurt by his cuts?
- Bluefish - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:06 am:
“All they want is higher taxes. Again.”
Doesn’t this just further paint Rauner into his corner? Especially when he knows he eventually must sign a budget with you know…higher taxes?
- John A Logan - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:06 am:
It’s a good shot across the bow for starters. I am guessing that these are going to get harsher as the summer moves along. Remember, this probably is not the only ad that is in the can.
- Austin Blvd - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:07 am:
Seems to me the ad is designed to raise his positives before he really starts pummelin’.
- Sam Weinberg - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:08 am:
Rauner may have brought a gun to a knife fight, but it’s become clear over the last month that he has no real desire to fire it. Of course, he eventually will have no choice, because he’s going to have to back up his threats.
You see how this works?
August 1914, indeed.
- Southwest - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:09 am:
Bad - there is no info on what we can do to help him. Good - “all they want to do is raise taxes — AGAIN”. I think that line will have people nodding in agreement, but Governor, what should we do?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:10 am:
Sham wow creatin and fightin now that’s a fireside chat
- Bedbug - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:10 am:
Does Rauner want term limits for the Governor? Virginia’s one term system works quite well.
- curtis - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:11 am:
Looked like a standard cookie-cutter campaign ad. Certainly not the best money can buy.
- Thunder Fred - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:13 am:
When are the unions going to air the long promised “killer ad”? The one that was going to knockRauner out of the primary. The one that would guarantee Governor Quinn’s reelection. Why haven’t they aired it yet? Is this the moment they’re waiting for?
- x ace - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:18 am:
D - Stale message - Not Memorable
( Now , Hannah and her Horse , that’s Memory stuff )
- Big Muddy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:18 am:
The Chinese water torture doesn’t drown you, it drives you crazy with a slow, steady, never-ending flow of drops to the forehead.
This was drop one.
- Ghostbusters - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:19 am:
D-
“Wait… Is this an election year?? I’m so sick of these politicians and their angry commercials.”
Said all the voters who Just. Don’t. Care.
PS: unless they’re Blues fans all the people who see this are hearing is echoes of “Chelsea Dagger”.
I would’ve given it an F, but he put a lot of TV points behind this so I suppose someone will see it somewhere sometime once or twice… And maybe a few of those people will have a reaction besides “meh”.
- Peregrine48 - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:20 am:
All Rauner wants to do is tell people who to blame. He’s not interested in actually fixing anything, because if he “fixed” it, there would be no need for him or his extreme opinions.
Considering that he’s already proven what his word is worth, I’d strongly consider buying stock in Morton Salt before taking anything he says at face value, and yes, that absolutely includes his advertising.
- Sage - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:21 am:
C+. This ad appears to be designed to protect the Governor’s approval rating throughout the summer by giving voters a villain, and less about applying political pressure to ILGA Dems. This is a “campaign” style commercial, and I think it would have been more effective to have the Governor talking to the camera, explaining that the old guard is obstructing necessary reforms — reforms he was elected to implement — and encouraging folks to call their state representative and hold them accountable.
- wHATEVER - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:21 am:
I swear he looks like Max Headroom
- 36th Warder - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:21 am:
He (Rauner) does know he won the election right?
- Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:23 am:
It’s red meat for the diehards — the same folks they’ll be polling to prove that it’s moving the needle.
Let’s see Rauner’s numbers after this ad with potential “crossovers”. I’m guessing this’ll just push folks across to the D’s — especially since Rauner is apparently incapable of doing the job he’s doing without whining.
Is there a history — here or elsewhere — of these kinds of ads working on anyone but the faithful? Even downstate — Quincy, for example — I recently overheard folks in Sprouts (one of Rauner’s favorite g-droppin’ hangouts) express exasperation with the governor they just elected. And the retired Sprouts crowd — and the business dudes in their pink Izods — are Rauner’s faithful. They’re the one’s usually whispering and nodding and wanting to secede from Chicago — while still happy they can take the wife and kids to Chicago in the BMW for the summer shopping spree or winter showing of Spamalot.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:24 am:
Good ad. He got his message out to the citizens of IL without being insulting.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:24 am:
The ad would be better if it had Squeezy in it
- Not it - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:25 am:
I don’t get the point of the ad, but maybe that will be more clear in the next round of ads.
- Joe M - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:25 am:
At some point, the Governor is going to have to be part of wanting new taxes. At that point, his rhetoric and ads may come back to haunt him.
- zatoichi - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:26 am:
According to the ad, Madigan says ‘No’ to everything. What is Rauner offering that could be a ‘Yes’ beside the usual vague campaign stuff? A C ad at best, same old bland material.
- Steve - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:26 am:
I’d give it a ‘B’. It helps demonize Mike Madigan. It might also change the mind of some state legislators who might feel they don’t have to go along with Madigan on everything. Only time will tell whether any of these ads are effective. The real report card on this ad is 3 months from now when we can judge what was achieved in Springfield.
- Earnest - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:27 am:
Is the ad itself the statement? Or is he saying: I can spend this much now and not bat an eye about having $1,000,000 x 20 for the next elections, plus more. That freaks me out.
- Arizona Bob - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:28 am:
I’d give it a B+. Gets the message across in a 30 second spot. It makes the simple point that Madigan just wants the corrupt dysfunction to continue, doesn’t want better run state government for the people and just wants to take as much as he can from the people through higher taxes rather than smarter legislative action.
It makes a key point that your ‘evil” enemy needs a face to be effective. Just talking about nameless corrupt government parasites won’t resonate. In WWII, we were fighting “Hitler” not necessarily the Germans.
I do hope in the future he explains his plan and how it’s going to work in the short term to address this budget crisis in words to which families can relate.
“What would you do if your family has 10% less income than it wants to spend? First you look at what you NEED and WHAT you WANT, and cut the “wants” first. You get together as a family and decide what’s fair and what’s unnecessary and selfish. When some in the family selfishly don’t want to share the sacrifice, the adults have to step in and make the tough decisions. That’s where we are in Illinois today with speaker Madigan. I have to cut some spending we’d like to make because our Springfield family won’t share the sacrifice and cut what selfishly suits them best.
We need to work together to get past the crisis created by those who came before me, and we will. Please contact you state senators and representatives and tell them it’s time for Illinois to live within its budget and stop hurting families and killing private sector jobs through higher taxes, and to protect the most vulnerable and spend more wisely in the best interest of all Illinoisans.
My Turnaround agenda addresses these issues.
We can solve this problem if all work together for the good of Illinois and it’s citizens.”
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:29 am:
B for content
F for timing. People already hate campaign ads enough. Minimal impact.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:29 am:
C+ / B-, decent production, frames what Rauner thinks is the problem, portrays him as the savior.
Several problems with it:
(1) no specific solution offered; just more “trust me”
(2) no call to action
(3) Madigan can easily refute the claims by citing last 3 years budget cuts and pointing to the D versions that were either passed or voted down on Rauner’s proposals … and note the R’s refused to stand up and be counted on those votes
(4) politically knowledgeable people know the ad is inaccurate
- Obamas Puppy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:30 am:
Well as long as he keeps FIGHTIN_ and BUYIN_ commercials and does not do any NEGOTIATIN_ then we will be here all summer.
- Skeptic - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:31 am:
“First you look at what you NEED and WHAT you WANT, and cut the “wants” first.” And then you go and get a second job to raise more revenue.
- anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:31 am:
I think response to this ad from the statehouse insiders who read the blog is going to depend on if your are Team Madigan or Team Rauner. Team Madigan. Team Madigan view it as a big ho-hum. Very standard generic campaign message with little specifics. Team Rauner view it as a first step - a warning shot. Madigan is the bad guy, but Rauner is keeping it civil, for now. It could get much worse very quickly, and Rauner has the finances to keep it coming.
- Amuzing Myself - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:32 am:
If the attack at the beginning doesn’t turn off voters, it will be effective. It re-enforces what a majority of voters already agree on. Will it move Madigan? Doubtful - at least until targeted reps’ numbers move. Combined with the disproportionate impact draconian cuts or a government shutdown would have on the Democrats’ constituency, it’s an air strike (no pun intended) in what I’m beginning to believe is a scripted battle plan.
- Sangamo Sam - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:33 am:
It has the sensibility of a Ron Popeil ad without the emotional impact. /s
- Missing G - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:33 am:
I approve of Obamas Puppy’s comment
- RNUG - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:33 am:
== but forgot what it was about when I went here to comment! ==
I had to watch it multiple times while composing my comments because it was so easy to forget.
- walker - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:34 am:
Wow! Expected much better from Rauner Team.
This is a half step at best. Easy tone of voice and soft music behind what was supposed to be hard hitting criticism? If this is simply some sort of soft intro, then let’s see some real ads!
Thought he would either be attacking Madigan harshly, or pushing turnaround agenda items specifically. Instead, old generalities and cold soup.
Let’s see. We’ve underestimated his political team before.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:35 am:
How much money has Bruce Rauner spent trying to change Illinois into a state he can run without compromise?
$25,000,000 to get himself elected
$25,000,000 to get new legislators elected
$20,000,000 to convince legislators to support him
$1,000,000 to run these ads
After spending all this money, what has he gotten?
How could this man spend this kind of money, yet tell us he cares about money being wasted?
Look at what he drops in salaries for his staffers? Where are the superstars and their super ideas? Where is the super budget, super negotiators, super deal makers? How can he justify handing out $30,000 to an economic advisor whose work we never hear about? What ever happened to the ex-governor of Hawaii he was bringing in? What impact has his RTW fiasco had upon how he thinks he can bring around that “shaking” he promised?
So far, this governor has had some magnificent public failures across Illinois - what’s he going to do besides pretend it never happened? How long does he think he can spin his wheels before we notice he has been less productive in office than Rod Blagojevich?
He has been in office since January, and if you wanted to see things changed, how could you be satisfied with him? How many people has he sold on his policies of change?
I’ll believe Bruce Rauner more, if he behaved as though money had value and spending it wisely was important to him. So far, he has spent millions of dollars as though he is the kind of blind corrupt politician he claims his political opponents are.
- Anonin' - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:36 am:
Tentative D- (we will give final once the run is over) Ad fails to live up to pregame hike which reflects on-going skill level of TeamBungle Ad fails to direct viewer. Ad fails to rally “supporters” to action.
Guessin’ these spots will air unnoticed because there is nothing to cause the viewer to look up
Time buyers and TV stations will be happy and hopeful more $$$ is on the way
Now we can examine the Uihlein illegal donations.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:38 am:
It’d be a pretty good ad in October 2018, especially if Mike Madigan is his opponent. But it’s June of 2015, Mike Madigan ain’t running for Governor, and the biggest reason for Illinoisans to turn on their TV ended last night.
(This is the spot for shameless basking in the Blackhawks’ dynasty.)
There’s no call to action, no connection to local legislators, no new message, no creative packaging. Nothing that’s going to make any nervous Dems knuckle under, nothing that’s going to stay in people’s heads for a week, let alone 18 months.
It’s fine for what it is, but it is not what the Governor needs right now, either for his legitimate goal (get a budget/legislative agenda through) or his..extracurriculars (punishing Madigan/the unions).
- DE - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:39 am:
I expected a Whole lot more vitriol, ie. ‘confilet of interest’, ‘appearances of impropriety’, ‘fraud on our citizens’. Those bullets must still be in the chamber.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:39 am:
A marshmallow. The “Aw, Shucks” Governor is going to have to do better than this to rally voters behind him and his cuts.
- Rod - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:41 am:
The ad did what it was intended to do, put out the concept for budget control without ever telling the people of Illinois what will have to be cut or the possibility that their own parents, grandparents, or disabled children will in any way be impacted. The ad turned things like allowing elected public boards in Illinois to establish a salary cap and total benefit cap beyond which no public employee could negotiate into simple concepts of “job creating reforms,” or spending control. No explanation in the ad that the job creating reforms the Governor has proposed are attributed in his own turn around document as creating only a small increase in employment in the Republican states that have implemented them. No explanation or consideration of the possibility that these reforms will lower the average household income in Illinois. In short it’s a good ad targeting many voters in Illinois who are more concerned about taxes than anything else and turns Speaker Madigan into the culprit.
- Gooner - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:41 am:
Upon further reflection –
For not running the ad during last night’s Blackhawks game. I raise the grade to D+.
If he does not run it during Bears games, I will give it a C-. If he’s smart enough to realize that soccer fans do not want to hear about it, and as such does not run it during Arsenal matches in the fall and winter, I will give it a B.
That would show that he understands his audience, which to date has been a problem for him.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:41 am:
==Just talking about nameless corrupt government parasites ==
That sort of name calling will get you far in negotiations Bob. I mean, who wouldn’t want to negotiate with a guy who says stuff like that. Sheesh. The fact that the Governor restrained himself is a good sign in my opinion. At least he’s not burning the bridge completely at this point.
==In WWII, we were fighting “Hitler” not necessarily the Germans.==
That is a completely ridiculous sort of comparison to bring up. Pathetic.
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:46 am:
That kinda reminded me of when I’m waiting for a new album to drop and it’s not worth the hype.
It was a good ad, but unless Team Rauner is planning on dropping something more substantive then I guess my grade is an “incomplete”.
- Lee Stern - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:48 am:
Arsenal? Soccer is a sport? Only to Kass.
- too obvious - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:48 am:
Dumb. He’s still bashing Illinois like the campaign is going on, and using depressing black and white photos that make us look like Detroit or the Mississippi Delta.
That’s a crybaby ad. Basically says I’m governor now but I have no idea how to lead.
- Theo's Houseboy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:49 am:
For a guy who bemoans “politics as usual,” he certainly does a lot of generic, muckraking campaigning. And the election is already over.
- MrJM - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:49 am:
It’s a lesser version of the campaign ads that garnered Rauner 50.3% of the vote in November. And that was before he made any unpopular decisions. Right now, I imagine it changing anything in Springfield.
But he’s got plenty of money, so maybe the plan is to off-set the ad’s quality with volume.
– MrJM
- Taxman - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:50 am:
More campaigning and still no governing? I rate him an f- in his ability to lead. His ad will be as effective as his one term in office. It also rates the same failing grade.
- Harry - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:51 am:
C-. OK, he doesn’t think much of Mike Madigan, got that. What does he want to do? Can’t tell from this ad. What Madigan spending does he want to stop? Doesn’t say.
It’s more a negative campaign ad, but there’s no election where people can vote against MJM. Pretty much a waste of money unless there are follow-on ads that build a case for what Rauner wants to do.
My guess is they don’t really know how to message things like RTW in a 30-second spot, and have painted themselves into a corner.
- PJ - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:51 am:
D. It’s no different (other than not mentioning PQ) from the campaign ads that he ran ad nauseum (no pun intended) to the extent that most people probably began to ignore them.
As others have said, it lacks a call to action and does less than nothing to get a budget passed.
The only reason I didn’t give it an F is because it will do a great job of rallying the wingnuts who already think Bruce can do no wrong (like the Trib editorial board).
- Frenchie Mendoza - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:52 am:
—
After spending all this money, what has he gotten?
—
I’ve said that Rauner should have stayed in the background and funded a more charismatic, more intellectually savvy closer.
Rauner’s closed on very little so far — and now he’s asking for unspecified “help” from whoever happens to listen to his ad. He’s like a used car dealer railing against his spiffs by asking a random passer by to help.
Why not front someone that can actually persuade people, build bridges, and successfully push an agenda? At this rate, Rauner will have spent upwards of a quarter-billion dollars when he’s up for the primary — and he’ll probably not get anywhere near what he wants over that time.
- Short Bus Rider - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:54 am:
Went way too easy on the emperor and his merry little band of demos.
- walker - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:54 am:
Arizona Bob: LOL
I would give your proposed ad B+. This Rauner ad obviously pales in comparison.
We shall see if they can raise themselves up to your standards.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:55 am:
– Team Rauner views it as a first step — a warning shot.–
To what end? A warning about what? Without a call to action or objective, that’s just meaningless spin.
And seriously, first step? It’s mid-June. The governor is still on the schneid with a budget he proposed in February that has billions in fantasy pension “savings.”
He’s got the gig, yet the governor has regressed to generic, unfocused campaign mode with no election in sight.
Whatever “it” is, get with it, already.
- Sunshine - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:55 am:
B: Good spot. Turns up the heat and defers any blame onto others. As long as he is ticking off the Madigan’s and Cullerton’s of the state, good for him. They deserve a great share of the blame.
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:56 am:
I know during general election years many people get tired of all the campaign commercials. If these type of commercials are running all summer during a non election year it will get old pretty quick.
The Ad itself is disingenuous but they got a lot of talking points in a 30 second Ad so in that respect they did a good job. It’s red meat for the devoted followers for sure. It will have no impact on Madigan, who is only held accountable by the voters in his own District and those voters will continue to reelect him.
The Ad mentions that the Democrats want to raise your taxes again. It doesn’t mention that the previous tax increase has expired, at Rauner’s request and that allowing the tax rate to expire is responsible for 80% of our budget deficit.
- Skeptic - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:56 am:
MrJM: So maybe it will be like the parody ad..”How do we do it? VOLUME! YES, WE’RE REALLY LOUD!”
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:57 am:
- MrJM -, I think you’re onto something.
===But he’s got plenty of money, so maybe the plan is to off-set the ad’s quality with volume.===
Yesterday… - A Guy -…
===…you can call them Rauner cuts all you want. You can scream “own them” until you grow weary and fall asleep. He will be saying otherwise.
His mic is a lot bigger than yours. And he appears to be using it.===
It’s about being louder and not necessarily being about anything else?
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:58 am:
I think the ad gets a C. It’s too much like a campaign ad. If I were watching it I would think there was an election coming up. Also, just using Mike Madigan in the ad doesn’t really get you anything in my opinion. I’m assuming he didn’t use the word Democrats for a reason.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:59 am:
==As long as he is ticking off the Madigan’s and Cullerton’s of the state, good for him.==
He still has to negotiate with those guys. Do you think ticking them off is the way to go?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:02 am:
===He still has to negotiate with those guys. Do you think ticking them off is the way to go?===
- Demoralized -,
Those Raunerites baptized in the “Fire Madigan” waters don’t want governing or logic. They just want to be happy.
- Gooner - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:08 am:
Lee Stern,
OK, I get it. You don’t like soccer. Fine. But did you have to go so far as to remind the world that John The Tramp Kass is a soccer? There is fair argument, and there are arguments that go to far. Trying to tie Kass to us goes to far.
It is bad enough that Arsenal has that British guy from CNN. At least Kass is not a Gooner.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:09 am:
As long as he is ticking off the Madigan’s and Cullerton’s of the state, good for him.
He is the governor. An important public office. Capable of immense powers. If this is the best he can do - we need someone else as governor.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:11 am:
It’s a solid pass. It probably does what it needs to do depending upon what’s next. I suggested there would probably be a series of ads. If this is the opener and it ramps up based on what’s going on, it gets the job done.
I’m sure there’s some palpable relief out there. What if a lot of people call the Speaker without being urged to with a phone #?
That will register.
He’s playing a longer game here. For decades now, we’ve managed from crisis to crisis. Passing a budget this year is a step on the way, not an end. That’s how I see this strategy playing out.
- the Other Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:11 am:
As an ad B-. Nothing wrong with it, nothing great or memorable.
However, as a strategy I have to give it a D. First, the message is directed solely against Madigan, and it will not change the mind of anyone who actually votes for Madigan. Sure, it also mentions “the politicians he controls.” But we don’t know who they are from the ad. And more importantly, every D member of the House from a swing district has run on issues that show voters independence from Madigan. I think that most D voters refuse to acknowledge that their state rep is controlled by Madigan, even if they think other state reps are controlled by him.
The other part that’s jarring is Rauner appearing at the end. It makes the commercial look exactly like a campaign ad. And if it is a campaign ad, can Turnaround Illinois actually pay for it? Turnaround can certainly run issues ads, and it can engage in independent expenditures, but when the Governor appears in the ad it’s no longer an independent expenditure. Is the ad so much like a campaign commercial that it should not be treated like an issue ad? I think the State Board of Elections would find that a decent question.
- Dee Lay - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:13 am:
I’m starting to believe his team only knows how to campaign and not govern. I expected better. “C-”
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:14 am:
VMan
I don’t think this is the best he can do. I view this as more of a “progressive discipline” approach. He’s making it clear he can flood the airwaves with ads. It’s negative but fairly benign in its negativity. It’s sort of the “I warned you there would be ads. I wasn’t kidding. Shape up or you’ll be sorry.”
- Jack Stephens - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:20 am:
F.
See the new Coke ad “Happy” (with vending machine) for an effective commercial.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:23 am:
I don’t want to underestimate a man with his resources who is willing to throw away money on spots like this. To me, this ad says, “See? I told you I would run ads.” If this is some kind of punishment or warning, fine, consider it delivered and consider it for what it’s worth.
But remember, Rauner spent at least half a day in front of the camera reading the teleprompter to make this ad. Imagine if he spent that much time getting into the policy weeds on Worker’s Comp and tax caps. Imagine how he could have brokered a deal that made him look like he really was changing business as usual. He would find willing partners if he put in the work required, but he’s not interested in work apparently. With millions to burn, why would you bother doing any work?
Instead, he’s just playing with himself.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:30 am:
I realize I’m a bit different by only using a pass/fail rating system on ads, but how anyone could give this an A or an F is utterly beyond me. This is why stats folks throw out the goofy extremes. Tin cans just wanna be heard. Oy.
- Arizona Bob - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:32 am:
@Dem
==Just talking about nameless corrupt government parasites ==
That sort of name calling will get you far in negotiations Bob. I mean, who wouldn’t want to negotiate with a guy who says stuff like that. Sheesh. The fact that the Governor restrained himself is a good sign in my opinion. At least he’s not burning the bridge completely at this point.
Jeez, Dem, this isn’t a negotiation talk here. I’m talking about presentation options. take a chill pill and stop being so picky.
==In WWII, we were fighting “Hitler” not necessarily the Germans.==
That is a completely ridiculous sort of comparison to bring up. Pathetic.==
The issue is putting a face to the problem, which is done in the spot. In no way was I comparing MJM to Hitler. Jeez, dem, get a sense of perspective here and stop leaning over Wacker Drive to grab at something that isn’t there. You might fall.
- foster brooks - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:33 am:
I think everyone is going to be sick of seeing bruce Rauner on TV….his ad campaign will back fire over the long run
- Lt. Guv. - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:37 am:
As bad a Citizen’s United is at the federal level with the flood of IE money, this shows the IL IE law is a sham. Without a “non-coordination” clause, there’s nothing preventing an IE group from organizing with a candidate or elected official. Sure, they can’t swap money back and forth, but this is ridiculous.
As far as the ad goes C+/Incomplete. It’s a campaign ad with good production values and bad diction. How effective it will ultimately be probably can not be judged until placed into the larger context of what may follow. As many have pointed out, this may well be laying groundwork for a larger, longer campaign. Lord help us.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:37 am:
===Tin cans just wanna be heard.===
…says the “guy” wanting his own point heard.
- Century Club - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:37 am:
This seems clearly designed to boost Rauner’s positives and frame the issue (Madigan wants to raise taxes) and the enemy (Madigan). I agree with previous comments that this message is undercut because it looks exactly like a campaign ad, which makes it look self-serving where it needs to look genuine.
I think there’s no call to action because he doesn’t really want action. He wants a government shut down and hopes this ad will help people lay the blame on the Democrats when that happens. I don’t think it will.
C+
- K3 - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:42 am:
Not a bad piece, but I don’t see how this moves anyone *new* to engage in the political process. Isn’t that Rauner’s goal? Create a groundswell of support that pressures the GA? All of us who read this blog are already tuned in.
- Snucka - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:42 am:
There’s also the possibility that people had enough of these ads last fall. Millions upon millions of dollars ensured that we saw this same ad — scary announcer, minor chords in the background, followed by smiling Bruce and major chords — constantly last year. Are people really sitting around watching TV commercials in the summer? Is hearing about Mike Madigan going to shock them? Is any of this going to affect Madgian at all?
The ad campaign is over. Voters elected Rauner and an overwhelming majority of Democratic legislators. Now is the time to govern, not to run campaign ads.
- Bedbug - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:43 am:
It’s pretty clear from this ad that Rauner’s “plan” for bringing new business to Illinois involves extensive giveaways to the rich at the expense of the middle class and which will exacerbate the divide between rich and poor in the United States. Not sure how he explains his obstructionism to families once the start of school is delayed in August. It seems like he’s willing to hold school children hostage for lower wages and the destruction of basic safety net laws for severely injured workers.
- hisgirlfriday - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:43 am:
Watched it without sound out of necessity. in this context, it looks like an ad one would air if Mike Madigan was running for governor against Rauner. That “politicians he controls” thing just isn’t communicated at all visually, nor is that this ad is ostensibly about a budget battle or the future of illinois, so I wonder what it accomplishes for Rauner.
- Louis Capricious - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:44 am:
This ad seems more about protecting the governor’s positives than beating his opponents into submission.
A month from now, there will be no paychecks for state workers and, worse (from a PR perspective), human service providers across the state will be shutting their doors. Two months from now, a number of public schools won’t open.
Presumably, there is some recognition on the part of the governor’s advisers that (notwithstanding their protestations to the contrary) the governor is the individual likely to be saddled with disproportionate responsibility for those respective debacles.
To me, this ad seems like an attempt to bolster his positives before he starts taking those negative hits.
- Albany Park Patriot - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:44 am:
You don’t need to go positive if you’re winning the war. He knows the public is against him on these cuts. This is a sign of weakness, not the other way around.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:49 am:
==What if a lot of people call the Speaker without being urged to with a phone #?==
What if the Speaker learns how to teleport? It’s just as likely to happen as that is.
- William j Kelly - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:50 am:
Is that the best Rahm’s people can do with all that money?
- Snucka - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:50 am:
The ads would need to spur people to take some action. People outside his district can’t vote against Madigan. Based on this ad, what actions does Rauner realistically think that people will take to “help” him?
- Langhorne - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:51 am:
D. Basic, ordinary, generic campaign type ad.
For those who only pay attention right before an election, or when events intrude on their lives, the ad tells them nothing new: madigan bad, all politicians are jerks who cant get the job done. For those who pay closer attention, rauners ad is fraudulent. He is still campaigning, not governing.
Even w more ads coming, i think they will get one view, then be tuned out.
- Sangamo Sam - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:51 am:
It looks to me that Governor Rauner is attempting to use the hostile takeover tactics he learned in business to accomplish his political goals. The definition of a hostile takeover from Investopedia:
The acquisition of one company called the target company (control of the agenda) by another called the acquirer (Governor Rauner) that is accomplished NOT by coming to an agreement with the target company’s management (Speaker Madigan), but by going directly to the company’s shareholders (voters) or fighting to replace management (Madigan) in order to get the acquisition (control of the agenda) approved.
Can you really run government like a business? Doubtful in this case, the “shareholders “ aren’t interested. But Governor Rauner apparently still has that mindset.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:52 am:
=== Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:37 am:
===Tin cans just wanna be heard.===
…says the “guy” wanting his own point heard.===
Make a case for an A or an F. I’ll wait.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:55 am:
Well said, 47th Ward.
CharlieKratos: Rauner cannot veto a budget he does not have. Just like he cannot defeat Democrats in an election that does not exist. Just like he cannot claim savings from a constitutional amendment regarding pensions that wouldn’t take effect until 2016 at the earliest.
Willy, I think it is possible that Team Rauner is suffering from some form of chronostasis where future events are happening concurrent with the present.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:55 am:
=== Arsenal - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:49 am:
==What if a lot of people call the Speaker without being urged to with a phone #?==
What if the Speaker learns how to teleport? It’s just as likely to happen as that is.===
Cool that you’re a soothsayer. I think I’ll wait and see. I’m sure someone in that office will report the call volume-te hee.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:57 am:
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:52 am:
=== Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:37 am:
===Tin cans just wanna be heard.===
…says the “guy” wanting his own point heard.===
Says the guy who posts 20 times + on every thread….Glass house dude.
- Juice - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:58 am:
Well, if the point is simply to demonstrate that the Governor is willing to blow a million bucks, the ad gets an “A”. As a campaign ad, I’ll be generous and give it a “B”, since for a campaign anti-reform, anti-change and wants to raise taxes is a decent message (if shallow).
But alas, this is not a campaign ad, the purpose of this is for governing, and for that I give it a “D”. In a campaign, massaging the truth is expected, but in governing there is a much greater weight placed on honesty, so let’s start with the Governor’s complaint about spending discipline. His budget made no real structural changes, but whacked funding that is largely pass through, but did not change or alter the functioning of state government in any significant way. And he proposed shorting pensions and group health by three billion. That’s not spending discipline either, Governor, that’s just fiscal insanity and budgetary malfeasance.
Which gets me to the next point about the Speaker wanting to raise taxes. Again, this is false. The Speaker is capable of doing math, and recognizes that even if all of the actual cuts in the Governor’s budget were implemented, despite how foolish some of them are, we would still need a significant tax increase. Which means the Governor needs it as much if not more than the Speaker, but just isn’t willing to own up to it. But yeah, I’m sure campaigning against it now will certainly help him find 24 Democratic votes in the house when the time comes for him to own up to it. I’m sure it will. “D”
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:02 am:
- A Guy -, I’m literary… not complaining… about how others actually comment. lol
- YDD -, there’s somethin’ goin’ on, and your diagnosis is as solid as any out there. Of course, then there is the state of denial of any diagnosis of the operations…
Actually, I’m really glad, at the simplest of simple, it didn’t go too far. Right now, that’s my silver lining.
- Anonin' - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:03 am:
Just watched with our new Uihlein 3-D Goggles. There are shadowy images of SchockKirkHastsert dancin’ on the EL tracks. Far out
- crazybleedingheart - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:03 am:
==He’s got the gig, yet the governor has regressed to generic, unfocused campaign mode with no election in sight.==
So much so that, as far as the ad is concerned, he’s not even the governor.
“you sent me here”
“Join Bruce Rauner”
He’s just a simple advocate for the average joe. Not a boss. Not a leader. Not someone with the job of governin’ to do.
He’s a simple shaker-upper and he seems to still be asking for your vote for class president, assuming you want a coke machine in the cafeteria.
At least he didn’t run these during the Cup?
- crazybleedingheart - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:04 am:
Dear Governor, please refer to yourself as the Governor. Thanks.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:05 am:
===Make a case for an A or an F. I’ll wait.===
I made my case at 8:20 am. Are you just not reading anything?
- Tourés Latte - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:07 am:
Rauner’s (campaign) staff has always said this will be an ad campaign. For an opener it works a lot better than sledgehammer, watch, and jacket. #1 lays out the problem as Rauner sees it. #2 will probably lay out his simple solutions as he sees it. If it is well planned the call for action is at ad #3 or #4.
Oh, to be his media buyer.
- Snucka - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:07 am:
Rauner, or his advisers, must know that TV ads are not going to make Madigan cave. They must know that TV ads are not going to win a majority of legislative races.
That’s why these ads are not designed to actually “make” Madigan do anything, or even to suggest that voters take action. They’re designed to build Rauner’s image.
- Way South of I-80 - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:09 am:
First I have to admit that last night I had to be talked down off the ledge when a campaign ad for Congress was on during the evening news. My spouse reminded me that there is a special election coming up - which I momentarily forgot in my horror of seeing a campaign ad.
I give the Governor’s ad a FAILING grade mainly because I hate campaign ads and it is so disingenuous. Also, “fightin” is just plain insulting and grates like nails on a chalkboard. Agree he is painting himself in a corner because there will be a tax increase - there’s no way around it. Bottom line, I think he really just likes seeing his “good ol’ boy” self on TV.
- D.P.Gumby - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:12 am:
This is an “Oakland”…there is no “there” there…it’s just empty space. Now the new Coneheads State Farm ad is brilliant!
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:16 am:
I just wish the gov would learn to speak proper english. It just makes be sick to listen to such a supposedly educated man and have to here him talk. I can’t emagine what an enlish teacher might think. I sure don’t want my kids listening to it.
- Sunshine - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:17 am:
I like Rauner. Someone needs to get Madigan and Cullerton, among others, straight about power versus results. They have proven that their power has provided bad results. Now is time for some hard decisions and me thinks Rauner is just the guy to do it. Using ‘reason’ hasn’t worked, so…..what’s ‘your’ plan?
- wowsers - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:19 am:
==- Lt. Guv. - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 10:37 am:
As bad a Citizen’s United is at the federal level with the flood of IE money, this shows the IL IE law is a sham. Without a “non-coordination” clause, there’s nothing preventing an IE group from organizing with a candidate or elected official. Sure, they can’t swap money back and forth, but this is ridiculous.==
There is a non-coordination clause in the IE law, but Rauner and his committee ignored it.
- cdog - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:19 am:
For some reason he only wants to fight a war of public opinion, as compared to the technical governing battles that should be being long penned in treaty.
As in any war of public opinion, the journalist and media outlets play a hugely important role. Hopefully, more outlets/writers/producers understand that covering both sides of the war is important to citizens. All hypocrisy, twist on truth, inaccurate claims, from either side should be reported. Please. (I have read way to many articles from different outlets that omit the crazy disconnections from truth which the Rauner camp continues to present.)
Is the ad money going to outlets which report only Rauner’s public messaging and not those outlets that report his actual actions? (He has shown that he uses cash to encourage behavior)
- Ghostbusters - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:23 am:
Folks - this is the ad you get when you have zero political acumen, zero governing acumen and $1,000,000 to pay to some political firm which is ready to take your money.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:32 am:
– He’s playing a longer game.–
What is that?
He’s five months into office and he’s running last year’s TV spots.
Is there a governmental purpose to all this or is he just a partisan politician all the time?
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:35 am:
Sling, stay tuned. We’ll see.
- Joe M - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:37 am:
Once Rauner signs the bill for a tax increase to balance the budget, everyone will have forgotten about these commercials. And they will have been for naught.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:40 am:
===Sling, stay tuned. We’ll see.===
If that’s all you can add to strengthen your argument, you don’t have much of an argument.
- Dave - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:40 am:
1. MJM did not want to raise taxes on the middle and lower class population. He wanted to raise taxes on the rich,corporations, and close tax loopholes for them that they use to ovoid paying taxes that we the middle class and lower class have to make up for
2. Yes MJM didn’t go with rauners job creation plan because Rauners plan put us in way lower poverty wages and no insurance or retirement
3. Yes guys like Rauner wants term limits because of guys like MJM because MJM is the person leading the charge on stopping people like Rauner from taking from the middle class and lower class! What Rauner wants is a new guy to come in and then since he is new there is a better chance he can slip his agenda to destroy the middle class by and/or it give Rauner the chance to pretty much buy the seat for a person that will push his agenda through and not have anything stopping him!
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:42 am:
+++Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:05 am:
===Make a case for an A or an F. I’ll wait.===
I made my case at 8:20 am. Are you just not reading anything?+++
Actually I did read it where you made your case for a B. Then criticized the question I posed about an A or an F. You got it right the first time and then your Willyness got the best of you to argue for the sake of arguing. No worries, I got it.
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:47 am:
– Stay tuned, we’ll see.–
LOL, well, it’s not like we want him rushing into being the chief executive of the state or anything. But the training wheels need to come off pretty soon.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:47 am:
- A Guy -,
My point is… you are just as wanting to hear your point… as those saying “A” or “F”.
Your reading comprehension is failing you.
- vole - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:53 am:
I was hopin’ he’d say sumptin’ ’bout campaignin’ term limits but that’d be too much irony for a politician to own.
- Southwest - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:54 am:
Many commenters mention Rauner dropping his ‘g’. I watched Daly on a Sunday news show and noticed he said ’somtin’. Could it be a rich guy from chicago accent?
- PublicServant - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:57 am:
A lot of people are saying that they were fooled during the campaign by Rauner’s advertising, and that while they voted for change, they didn’t want the kind of change that Rauner is pushing now. They remember the Rauner Campaign commercials that they were fooled by, and they’ll recognize this as more of the same, but they aren’t going to get fooled twice. While it’s the best ad that money can buy, it’s advocating a message whose points are purposefully vague and/or misleading, and they’ll place this one in the circular file post-haste. Impact slim to none and you know what they say about slim…
- Archiesmom - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 12:10 pm:
Late to the game here. It’s a Rauner campaign ad. Perfectly fine as that. BUT HE’S NOT RUNNING! I’ve showed this to average folks, and they’re confused. They ask if he wasn’t just elected. They loathe Madigan, but say Raunder isn’t proposing solutions. They don’t know his turnaround agenda. They don’t get the point.
- Emily Booth - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 12:11 pm:
Really? It’s a campaign ad. He’s looking more and more like a yo-yo.
- burbanite - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 12:14 pm:
Southwest
Daley is from Bridgeport, his accent is Bridgeport not necessarily Chicago…
- east central - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 12:18 pm:
Running ads like this might serve to elevate Speaker Madigan with his party members.
It could remind them that without his political savvy and power they could be in much weaker positions faced with an onslaught of attacks from opponents with seemingly unlimited financial resources.
- Archiesmom - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 12:21 pm:
Vanilla Man, I’ve found myself appreciating the perspicacity of your comments frequently post-election. Amen, brother.
- Archiesmom - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 12:28 pm:
And soon this will be just another commercial sandwiched between US Senate and Congressional and Presidential primary ads. Even less of an impact then.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 12:55 pm:
Willy: unfortunately, it doesn’t matter whether I, Rich, you, President Cullerton, or Rauner’s staff think that the ad is mild or goes too far.
Actually, it doesn’t matter that much whether House Democrats think it went too far, only whether it was a step in the right direction or not.
Hard to make the case it’s a step in the right direction.
Unless you think we’re playing some version of Twain’s “The Great French Duel.” You know, Madigan and Rauner meet at dawn to fire their pistols in the air and declare it a draw.
Personally, while a lot of scenarios are still possible, the one seeming most likely now is Democrats sending Rauner a budget based on Doomsday revenues that does stuff like close ISU.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 1:08 pm:
- YDD -, all you say has truth. Even the idea of if this gets us any closer; it doesn’t.
I look at this very simply. It’s a proportional response to the level of frustration Bruce Rauner personally… personally… feels Mike Madigan is causing him.
This isn’t the governor calling out the speaker.
This is Bruce taking his personal, measured, swipe at Mike.
It’s going to be up to adults, recognizing both phony budgets are off about $3 billion, and working on that as professionals.
If Bruce went nuclear on Mike, governor, speaker, whatever, the governmental wouldn’t recover here in the short term.
It’s not how I would’ve gone, but if Bruce needs to ding Mike, it’s not irreversible, this tweak, but they are not on the same wavelength, that’s for sure.
- Buzzie - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 1:34 pm:
Thank goodness for television remote controls.
- Jack Stephens - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 1:49 pm:
@anonymous:
Agreed. Bruce’s fake dialect (whatever the hell it is) is as phony as George’s was. The latter was not born in Texas and that accent is the figment of a marketers imagination. Same as Bruce!
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 2:03 pm:
I really like the cigarette ads in the background of that one segment. Kind of explains why Rauner wants to cut funding for smoking cessation programs…
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 2:35 pm:
This commercial is out of place and time.
Rauner appears weak. He claimed a year ago he could do the job, effect change, shake up the state with our help. Now he’s back with the same pre-election message, asking for help…again?
- Juice - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 2:37 pm:
Soccermom, the Governor owns stock in three tobacco companies (according to his Statement of Economic Interest). Maybe it has something to do with that. /s (mostly)
- James - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 3:05 pm:
I’ll rate him on his accomplishments, not his talk or his checkbook. I already know he has lots of loot and a big mouth. Fail.
- Facts 'r Us - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 3:12 pm:
Nothing more than a replay of Rauner’s campaign ads. Rauner will not have to worry about term limits for himself, in the short period of time that he has been in office, he already has made himself a “one termer”
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 3:18 pm:
Thanks Mom!
I know you don’t think I’m listening to you, but me and the guys think we’re kind of lucky to have you around!
- Anon - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 3:20 pm:
Rauner certainly has turned me pro-Madigan. Rauner can run around the state and run ads on TV, but he can’t hide what he wants - to bury labor in a poison pill in his scaled down turn back agenda.
- Tommydanger - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 3:21 pm:
Soccermom: Missed you! Welcome back.
- Soccermom - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 3:30 pm:
Yeah, I’m going to be this site all day, every day. It’s very high on my list of “things that feel like you’re doing work, even though they don’t actually bring in, you know, money…”
- The Governor - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 3:47 pm:
Sounds a bit out of the Quinn playbook and it smells.
Lots of flash, with little substance. I believe Rauner sadly spent his money to get himself elected Gov., so that he could position himself running for President.
With his track record he ain’t got a chance in hell.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 4:34 pm:
==Cool that you’re a soothsayer.==
It’s not “soothsaying” to say that unlikely things are unlikely. It is unlikely that people will, unprompted, begin swamping Mike Madigan’s phone lines, demanding he give Governor Rauner everything he wants. If you have evidence or reasoning to say it is likely, you’re free to present it.
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 4:39 pm:
==He’s playing a longer game.==
I don’t see how this advances his long term agenda, either. No one likes Mike Madigan. You don’t need to drive up his negatives to set up something else.
- A guy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 4:45 pm:
Not everyone associates their local rep with Madigan. Yet.
I’ll get back to you on the calls when I get an update from Steve Brown. Stay by the phone. It could come at any time.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 4:54 pm:
===Not everyone associates their local rep with Madigan. Yet.===
This Ad has nothing to do with connecting the two.
You admitted you know nothing to the game plan.
These comments are just disingenuous.
- Michael - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 5:17 pm:
Madigan is my rep and this makes me only want to support him more…
- Mama - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 5:18 pm:
The ad tells a lot about an ineffective governor who spends millions of dollars asking viewers to help him “the governor” to do his job. I thought he was elected because he could do a better job than Quinn. Hello… Quinn was able to work with Madigan in passing a budget without producing TV ads asking for help. Rauner’s TV ad is saying he cannot perform his duties as the governor.
- Mama - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 5:27 pm:
Gov Thompson and Gov Edgar were able to hammer out a budget with Madigan. People do not like people who play dirty, and Rauner likes to play dirty. I don’t trust him. I will never vote republican again.
- Robert the Bruce - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 5:30 pm:
D.
=====Not everyone associates their local rep with Madigan. Yet.======
==This Ad has nothing to do with connecting the two.==
Connect Madigan with local Dem legislator probably wouldn’t work but at least would be a strategy. Not a strategy I saw from that ad.
This ad just seems pointless, so far from any election, no call to action. Gov. Rauner throws a tantrum, orders a pointless TV buy while his team and vendors say “Yes, Sir.”
The “Closed” sign was the only part that I liked.
- Mama - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 5:30 pm:
Are the tobacco companies paying for Rauner’s ads so they can advertise cigs on TV again?
- Ugly Rumours - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 5:31 pm:
F. Why didn’t he donate the money to help get the State out of debt? A better use for his gazillions.
- CrazyHorse - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 5:45 pm:
I gave it a C-, mostly due to the fact that Bruce still thinks that he can portray himself as Mr. Carhartt, Champion of the Working Man. He’ll keep fightin’ for the little guy. Cuts to the poor and a war against unions are more indicative of billionaire Bruce’s true intentions.
I’m thinking the news stories showing poor mothers pleading to Rauner (That’s right. RAUNER not Madigan.) are weighted much more than a campaign ad in a non-election year.
The Governor owns the cuts as he has final say and is the figurehead of the state. In the end it won’t matter who Bruce blames regardless of how many ads he puts out. If the ship sinks, the Captain takes the fall.
Bruce is playing a longer game but countless sob stories from the sick and elderly will likely resonate much more than Bruce’s push for workers comp,term limits, and those corrupt judges and union bosses.
- anon - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 6:56 pm:
Money buys votes. Rauner’s millions will have an effect on House Seats. No doubt about it. Analyze it any way you want, but if you put lipstick on a pig, it is still a pig.
- Exasperated Teacher - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 7:29 pm:
I agree whole-heartedly with what Juice said at 10:58.
As an English teacher (responding to someone’s earlier “wonderings”), I am skeptical that any 30 second spot or even series of 30 second spots can move any political discussion out of an intellectual graveyard. Unfortunately, that seems to be what our political discourse has degenerated into.
And the fact that Bruce, who rightfully doesn’t refer to himself as our Governor–after all he was “Bruce” before he condescended to “fix our mess” by “shaking up Springfield”– really thinks he can move a real political discussion/negotiation through ads is frightening.
He is either:
1. not as smart as we thought (Social Darwinism is not Gospel…$$$$doesnot=IQ)
2. certain that we’re not very smart
3. hiding from the truth because he finally looked at the budget and discovered reality
4. all of the above
I am hopelessly biased. No campai—er—political ad can achieve more than a C- in my gradebook. As for achieving its intended purpose (unknown) for its target audience (unknown) it gets an F for lack of originality, facts, or solutions.
Which is consistent since his campaign met that litmus test:
unoriginal- borrow from Gov. Walker/Brownback/ALEC
vapid- “shake up” but then what?
listless- what do we do now? why can’t we campaign in perpituity?
- Kelly Speaks - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:02 pm:
- Exasperated Teacher -
It is #4 and the general public, who are confused, do not quite understand #3, which is why he is going after local municipalities and NOT those lazy people living off of food stamps, etc… There I said it for you..
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 8:25 pm:
Pull the ad your making the speaker a martyr the public can rally behind someone that will stand up to you
- Chicago Guy - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 9:19 pm:
I give it a C. The first half is standard political stereotypes - the Dems want to raise your taxes and spend your money. It will likely play well with his base but most people will just turn off because it is just political nonsense. The second half is more interesting to me. He just doesn’t take charge, exert any leadership, or display any gravitas. If I didn’t know he was a high powered businessman, I would have never guessed it. I don’t think this part will play well with his base. They want a tough guy.
- Justan Observer - Tuesday, Jun 16, 15 @ 11:31 pm:
I rate it a B- (I am trying to err on the side of kindness, for a first attempt) — for its overall quality.
I do think the best advertisement is the one that Madigan has announced that he is not going to run.
In other words, I think running any commercial at all is not going to work, and will be counterproductive. And, i believe this to be counterproductive, despite its “B-” production value.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Jun 17, 15 @ 9:24 am:
==Not everyone associates their local rep with Madigan.==
I’m not sure that’s true, but assuming arguendo, this ad doesn’t even try to change that.
==I’ll get back to you on the calls when I get an update from Steve Brown.==
No matter what Steve Brown says, or what you hope he says, the idea that people will respond to an ad that doesn’t ask them to call Mike Madigan by calling Mike Madigan is unlikely. Sure, anything can happen in this crazy ol’ world, but that’s a hell of a thing to pin your hopes on.