Today, the JB Pritzker campaign released a new TV ad, “Illinois Cares.” The ad highlights Donald Trump’s attacks on healthcare, Bruce Rauner’s deafening silence, and JB’s commitment to expanding healthcare in Illinois.
Earlier this month, JB released his healthcare plan: Illinois Cares. This public health insurance option provides every Illinois resident with the opportunity to buy low-cost health insurance. Illinois Cares expands health care in Illinois and lowers premiums at no additional cost to taxpayers.
“Healthcare is a right, not a privilege and I will never be complacent in defending and expanding that right,” said JB Pritzker. “That’s why I proposed Illinois Cares, a plan that would have Illinois lead the nation as the first to allow every resident to buy into a state healthcare plan. For far too long, we’ve seen cowardice and silence from Bruce Rauner as Donald Trump attacks the healthcare of Illinoisans. It’s time for Illinois to boldly lead the way in standing up to Trump and providing the affordable healthcare that all of our families need to thrive.”
Governor Bruce Rauner’s disastrous veto of a school funding bill that would have re-worked a school funding formula currently considered to be the most inequitable in the country also leaves schools with no certainty of funding for the upcoming school year.
Rauner’s veto leaves schools administrators and teachers in the lurch, wondering how long before jobs are threatened. Rauner’s veto leaves Illinois schoolchildren unsure how long their school year might last - and what opportunities they’ll miss out on. Rauner’s veto leaves parents desperately concerned about what will happen if their school shuts down mid-year.
In response, American Bridge launched an online ad campaign that clarifies who really suffers from Governor Rauner’s bullying tactics - Illinois’ children.
American Bridge spokesperson Lizzy Price made the following statement:
“Governor Rauner is the definition of a bully - he’s abused his veto power to intimidate and harm children and entire communities to make a political point. No child should learn from Rauner’s example, because politics should never be more important than a child’s education.”
That’s the ball game. That’s the whole ball game and then some.
You want to hold Rauner accountable? “Rauner vetoed that”
The coward that is Bruce Rauner thinks “vetoing” a “massive, massive tax increase” is really the end.
Nope. Can’t be.
Vetoes reach so much more, and in this case, “Rauner vetoed that” is education funding.
The key to make this work is the continual drum beat, “Rauner vetoed that” because the simple fact Rauner himself is countin on, is still true even here with education
People understand vetoes.
You can’t make the argument to me and say “this won’t work”, then turnaround and say “Rauner vetoed a tax hike”
Huh?
So people only understand vetoes… understand vetoes… selectively?
Hmm.
“Rate the ad”?
It’s a “B+”
“Why?”… The bully theme to start, which are we promoting, the veto hurting, or Rauner is a bully?
In a minute, it’s long enough to try to have both work, but both, just by the two prongs, takes a lil away from both.
Otherwise, it would be an “A”, but that two prong splicing takes away just enough of both to lose that lil bit.
Solid B for the Pritzker spot. There’s only so much you can do within the context of tying Rauner to the national GOP, and it’s a straight-ahead execution of that play, but well done for what it is. And that’s good enough for now. When you have limitless resources, you don’t have to make every spot uniquely memorable.
Close to an A for the Bully spot, and I’m a tough grader. Rauner is very vulnerable on the mere fact of blocking progress / having no achievements, and (separate but related) on refusing to compromise / being a bully. Using the third-party verifiers - news anchors and, even better, parents in their words - adds to the power. My only quibble is it could be punchier. Minute-long spots always feel long to me.
- Trapped in the 'burbs - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:38 am:
Bruce and his team of superstars continue to commit unforced errors while the pressure is just beginning to build. The ’system is broken” and it’s “Madigan’s fault” can only take you so far. At some point you have to advocate specific ideas and plans to succeed. Amanda Vinicky tried very hard to pin him down with strong follow up questions last night. It appears that sticking to his talking points won’t be enough to hide the fact that he just doesn’t understand the legislative process, his role in it or how to govern.
==This public health insurance option provides every Illinois resident with the opportunity to buy low-cost health insurance. Illinois Cares expands health care in Illinois and lowers premiums at no additional cost to taxpayers.==
Gee it’s so simple, JD. It’s amazing that no one else has ever proposed this before
I liked both ads. Short, to the point, and with issues that should play well in Illinois.
I also like the fact that JB is framing the issues over a year out and he’s re-defining his opponent.
Last time, Rauner was able to paint itself as he saw fit. This time, JB is painting Rauner as a far right Republican who doesn’t care about Illinois.
I’m impressed with these efforts.
- NeverPoliticallyCorrect - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:48 am:
Oh My goodness, yes-let’s pin everything on Rauner. It’s all his fault. the years of deficit spending, the inequality of school funding, the sweetheart retirement deals for politicians, the refusal to negotiate. Wait, isn’t that what the dems have done. No no no, it’s all Rauner. I’d laugh if I didn’t think that there are enough people who will believe this tripe.
I also like the “Bully” spot best. Illinois voters haven’t bought into Trump’s damaging “Fake News” rhetoric, so using clips from the news still plays well.
I don’t like either one.
Doesn’t speak to his supporters.
It isn’t convincing.
Unoriginal.
Stop dragging a president into a gubernatorial race. You can’t control the race when you do.
- Gruntled University Employee - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 10:11 am:
===Oh My goodness, yes-let’s pin everything on Rauner. It’s all his fault.===
When you spend hundreds of millions of dollars (much of it your own money) to buy the big chair, then yes, you own the good with the bad.
p.s.
There is no good.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 10:13 am:
I really liked the first one, about the public option and Trump’s obsession with repealing Obamacare. It introduces Rauner as doing nothing about saving healthcare. It’s short and has JB speaking about the plan and not pandering with working class costumes. I rate it an A.
The second one is very good, putting future school funding problems on Rauner’s veto. The production I thought was a bit shaky, with a flicker at one point. The bully part was my least favorite part, because the ad was good without it. But, we have a president who this morning reportedly retweeted a cartoon of a train hitting a CNN reporter, and a commenter calling him a fascist. I rate this one a B.
===Oh My goodness, yes-let’s pin everything on Rauner. It’s all his fault===
Only a governor can veto.
You’re welcome.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 10:33 am:
I like the first one better than the second one. It’s short and provides a great contrast between Republicans an JB, who wants to expand healthcare via the public option. It shows Rauner as an ineffective leader. I give it an A.
The second one is good also, but the production was a bit shaky, with a screen flicker at one point. The message is good, about the damaging effects of Rauner’s veto. I didn’t like the bully part and thought it was unnecessary for an otherwise strong ad. B.
- don the legend - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 11:31 am:
Oh My goodness, yes-let’s pin everything on Rauner.
as opposed to
Oh My goodness, yes-let’s pin everything on Madigan.
Sheesh
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 12:52 pm:
Sorry for double-posting Rich. I thought I had not properly sent the first comment and tried doing another one.
Why doesn’t anyone ask the big guy how he plans on dealing with the fiscal issues facing Illinois at the same time he is promising all of these new programs. Wouldn’t if be nice to find out so we don’t end up in the same place we are now in with Rauner
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:25 am:
“Rauner vetoed that”
Sounds good to me.
…
- Evanstonian - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:26 am:
Go to my website to learn about my plan is… odd?
Digital ad is pretty great, though.
- The Captain - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:29 am:
Finally a Pritzker ad that I really like.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:34 am:
To the second ad…
That’s the ball game. That’s the whole ball game and then some.
You want to hold Rauner accountable? “Rauner vetoed that”
The coward that is Bruce Rauner thinks “vetoing” a “massive, massive tax increase” is really the end.
Nope. Can’t be.
Vetoes reach so much more, and in this case, “Rauner vetoed that” is education funding.
The key to make this work is the continual drum beat, “Rauner vetoed that” because the simple fact Rauner himself is countin on, is still true even here with education
People understand vetoes.
You can’t make the argument to me and say “this won’t work”, then turnaround and say “Rauner vetoed a tax hike”
Huh?
So people only understand vetoes… understand vetoes… selectively?
Hmm.
“Rate the ad”?
It’s a “B+”
“Why?”… The bully theme to start, which are we promoting, the veto hurting, or Rauner is a bully?
In a minute, it’s long enough to try to have both work, but both, just by the two prongs, takes a lil away from both.
Otherwise, it would be an “A”, but that two prong splicing takes away just enough of both to lose that lil bit.
- Reality Check - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:37 am:
Solid B for the Pritzker spot. There’s only so much you can do within the context of tying Rauner to the national GOP, and it’s a straight-ahead execution of that play, but well done for what it is. And that’s good enough for now. When you have limitless resources, you don’t have to make every spot uniquely memorable.
Close to an A for the Bully spot, and I’m a tough grader. Rauner is very vulnerable on the mere fact of blocking progress / having no achievements, and (separate but related) on refusing to compromise / being a bully. Using the third-party verifiers - news anchors and, even better, parents in their words - adds to the power. My only quibble is it could be punchier. Minute-long spots always feel long to me.
- Trapped in the 'burbs - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:38 am:
Bruce and his team of superstars continue to commit unforced errors while the pressure is just beginning to build. The ’system is broken” and it’s “Madigan’s fault” can only take you so far. At some point you have to advocate specific ideas and plans to succeed. Amanda Vinicky tried very hard to pin him down with strong follow up questions last night. It appears that sticking to his talking points won’t be enough to hide the fact that he just doesn’t understand the legislative process, his role in it or how to govern.
- Responsa - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:40 am:
==This public health insurance option provides every Illinois resident with the opportunity to buy low-cost health insurance. Illinois Cares expands health care in Illinois and lowers premiums at no additional cost to taxpayers.==
Gee it’s so simple, JD. It’s amazing that no one else has ever proposed this before
- Arsenal - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:40 am:
I hate labeling political opponents as “bullies”. Victimization.
OTOH, I think heath care is the #1 thing depressing Republican approval ratings, so that’s a well-chosen target.
- Gooner - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:40 am:
I liked both ads. Short, to the point, and with issues that should play well in Illinois.
I also like the fact that JB is framing the issues over a year out and he’s re-defining his opponent.
Last time, Rauner was able to paint itself as he saw fit. This time, JB is painting Rauner as a far right Republican who doesn’t care about Illinois.
I’m impressed with these efforts.
- NeverPoliticallyCorrect - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:48 am:
Oh My goodness, yes-let’s pin everything on Rauner. It’s all his fault. the years of deficit spending, the inequality of school funding, the sweetheart retirement deals for politicians, the refusal to negotiate. Wait, isn’t that what the dems have done. No no no, it’s all Rauner. I’d laugh if I didn’t think that there are enough people who will believe this tripe.
- Dome Gnome - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 9:57 am:
I also like the “Bully” spot best. Illinois voters haven’t bought into Trump’s damaging “Fake News” rhetoric, so using clips from the news still plays well.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 10:03 am:
I don’t like either one.
Doesn’t speak to his supporters.
It isn’t convincing.
Unoriginal.
Stop dragging a president into a gubernatorial race. You can’t control the race when you do.
- Gruntled University Employee - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 10:11 am:
===Oh My goodness, yes-let’s pin everything on Rauner. It’s all his fault.===
When you spend hundreds of millions of dollars (much of it your own money) to buy the big chair, then yes, you own the good with the bad.
p.s.
There is no good.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 10:13 am:
I really liked the first one, about the public option and Trump’s obsession with repealing Obamacare. It introduces Rauner as doing nothing about saving healthcare. It’s short and has JB speaking about the plan and not pandering with working class costumes. I rate it an A.
The second one is very good, putting future school funding problems on Rauner’s veto. The production I thought was a bit shaky, with a flicker at one point. The bully part was my least favorite part, because the ad was good without it. But, we have a president who this morning reportedly retweeted a cartoon of a train hitting a CNN reporter, and a commenter calling him a fascist. I rate this one a B.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 10:16 am:
===Oh My goodness, yes-let’s pin everything on Rauner. It’s all his fault===
Only a governor can veto.
You’re welcome.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 10:33 am:
I like the first one better than the second one. It’s short and provides a great contrast between Republicans an JB, who wants to expand healthcare via the public option. It shows Rauner as an ineffective leader. I give it an A.
The second one is good also, but the production was a bit shaky, with a screen flicker at one point. The message is good, about the damaging effects of Rauner’s veto. I didn’t like the bully part and thought it was unnecessary for an otherwise strong ad. B.
- don the legend - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 11:31 am:
Oh My goodness, yes-let’s pin everything on Rauner.
as opposed to
Oh My goodness, yes-let’s pin everything on Madigan.
Sheesh
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 12:52 pm:
Sorry for double-posting Rich. I thought I had not properly sent the first comment and tried doing another one.
- Sue - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 2:06 pm:
Why doesn’t anyone ask the big guy how he plans on dealing with the fiscal issues facing Illinois at the same time he is promising all of these new programs. Wouldn’t if be nice to find out so we don’t end up in the same place we are now in with Rauner
- IllinoisBoi - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 2:07 pm:
==Oh My goodness, yes-let’s pin everything on Rauner.As opposed to Oh My goodness, yes-let’s pin everything on Madigan.
Sheesh==
Let’s try: pin Rauner’s failures on Rauner, and pin Madigan’s on Madigan. But only one of them is Governor of Illinois.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Aug 15, 17 @ 2:22 pm:
To the Pritzker Ad,
There was too much of the time focused on the National GOP and the pivot to Rauner was a walk-up to the microphones and podium.
Maybe a “side by side” would be better if you’re going to go :30 seconds, then point to a website.
The best way to connect is to have side by side, words below then all… in a :30 ad like this.
It’s a “B-, C+” on execution.