State Sen. Daniel Biss released a new television ad Friday, attempting a quick somersault after a slip from the gubernatorial debate hosted by WBEZ and Politico Illinois on Thursday night.
The ad, titled “Chance,” features Biss and his running mate state Rep. Litesa Wallace talking to voters around the state inside restaurants, at campaign rallies and marching in protests as they ask Illinois voters to give them a shot in the race’s final weeks.
“Most people didn’t give us much of a chance,” Biss says in the 30-second TV spot. “But there’s even less of a chance those billionaires will fix a broken system that benefits them.”
The ad comes less than a day after WBEZ reporter and debate moderator Dave McKinney asked gubernatorial candidates to guess the everyday costs of the average consumer, noting that “this campaign has been framed as a battle for the heart of middle and low-income voters” in Illinois.
I doubt that the debate had a huge impact on this decision.
Despite what everyone else is writing, those Pritzker attack ads have had an impact on Biss’ numbers. He needed to respond. Is it enough?
Daniel Biss: A former teacher with kids in public school. A single mom who became a counselor to at-risk youth. I’m Daniel Biss. And against the billionaires, most people didn’t give us much of a chance. But there’s even less chance those billionaires will change the broken system that benefits them. That’s why they’re attacking me. Because we’ll make them pay their fair share in taxes and finally get the chance to level the playing field.
Announcer: Daniel Biss, the middle-class governor.
I really hate that he keeps referring to himself as a teacher. Implies he taught in the public schools, K-12. Best that I’ve found he was a professor at U of Chicago. Not really the same experiences as a middle class public school teacher.
The thing is he didn’t respond. He acknowledged that he’s being attacked but didn’t respond to any of the attacks, and like you said they’re having an effect. I don’t think this is anywhere near good enough, especially now that he’s sunk to third place.
He calls himself a teacher, and yet he tried to strip earned benefits from all the retired teachers. How can you tout you are a teacher and do that? He can say anything now and in the future, and still not get most union votes. The teachers, nurses, etc. know a “Pension Thief” when they see one. He is toast.
It’s basically an ad to highlight Litesa with the words “they’re attacking me” buried 23 seconds in. For purposes of a general ad, it’s a solid B. For purposes of a response ad, it’s a C- because they buried the “response” and didn’t really respond to anything.
He is making promises he can’t keep. He keeps saying he will “make them pay their fair share in taxes”. He doesn’t explain HOW he will do it. He would have to change the Illinois constitution and get the Illinois house and senate to pass the legislation to change the tax laws. He can’t just do this by decree. Rauner thought he could govern by decree, and look how that has worked out. Same goes for Kennedy.
All 3 major Dem candidates are making the exact same promise on a progressive income tax. At least Biss has some other ideas (lasalle st tax, carried interest loophole) separate from a progressive income tax.
==That’s basically the same thing JB did in response to the tape ads, though. ==
Yeah, but pensions are a bigger problem for Biss than the tapes were for Pritzker.
At the end of the day Pritzker was still in the lead after the tapes dropped. If he lost some people because of the tapes, well, he could afford to lose them. All he needed to do was not completely botch his response — and he didn’t.
Biss, on the other hand, was behind to begin with and now he’s falling *really* far behind. He needs a game changer. This ain’t it.
That’s not to mention the fact that I think far more people care about pensions than care about the tapes.
==Yeah, but pensions are a bigger problem for Biss than the tapes were for Pritzker.==
I think I’d need some convincing on that. But I’d also say, in a bad sign for Biss, that this kind of non-response response didn’t prevent any damage. At best, it limited it. And as you said, JB had some votes to lose. Biss right now needs to be gaining votes, not keeping his losses manageable.
- Saluki64 - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:07 pm:
I really hate that he keeps referring to himself as a teacher. Implies he taught in the public schools, K-12. Best that I’ve found he was a professor at U of Chicago. Not really the same experiences as a middle class public school teacher.
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:12 pm:
-State Sen. Daniel Biss released a new television ad Friday, attempting a quick somersault after a slip from the gubernatorial debate …–
Say what? –..a quick somersault after a slip..?
I think the analogy is gymastics, maybe? Floor exercise? Balance beam?
Either way, what a great lede. Good on you, Anonymous, Underpaid and Unappreciated TV News Writer; you’ve got some style.
Friday, I will soon do a Bud and bud in your honor. Well done.
- wordslinger - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:16 pm:
Pardon, gadget problems. 3:12 was me.
- Angel's Sword - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:16 pm:
The thing is he didn’t respond. He acknowledged that he’s being attacked but didn’t respond to any of the attacks, and like you said they’re having an effect. I don’t think this is anywhere near good enough, especially now that he’s sunk to third place.
- Retired Educator - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:19 pm:
He calls himself a teacher, and yet he tried to strip earned benefits from all the retired teachers. How can you tout you are a teacher and do that? He can say anything now and in the future, and still not get most union votes. The teachers, nurses, etc. know a “Pension Thief” when they see one. He is toast.
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:22 pm:
- Angel’s Sword - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:16 pm:
WHAT
He has been responding all the time
No to Biss
I am still desiding between Pritzker and Kennedy
Biss can not be trusted and is so dishonest and disingenuous
NO to Biss
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:22 pm:
Deciding
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:25 pm:
The only legislator who ever looked good doing a somersault was Elaine Nekritz walking a parade.
- LXB - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:27 pm:
Still waiting to hear what Biss is going to do to fix the broken system.
- ILDemVoter - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:28 pm:
- Dance Band on the Titanic -
I’d say Jesse White was the best somer saulter politician in the state of Illinois
- Careful JB - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:31 pm:
JB’s folks are calling Biss “Lurch.” Careful guys, your boi has his own “least offensive” issues.
- Neverbiss - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:35 pm:
I am not sure if I am voting for Pritzger or Kennedy, but I am not going to vote for biss.
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:36 pm:
- ILDemVoter -
I stand corrected.
- Blue dog dem - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:37 pm:
Wordslinger(aka joybehar). I kinda figured you as a Natty guy.
- Arsenal - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:44 pm:
==The thing is he didn’t respond.==
That’s basically the same thing JB did in response to the tape ads, though.
- dbk - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:45 pm:
Yeah, “former teacher” is disingenuous - if he’d said “former U of C math professor,” it wouldn’t have sounded so middle class-y.
He actually belongs to an elite “classless” class, the intelligentsia, but that probably wouldn’t cut it, either.
Nor would Harvard, MIT, and Princeton’s IAS.
Sheesh.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:47 pm:
Dance Band, excellent. I almost forgave her for SB1 after that.
- TKMH - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:48 pm:
Anyone notice how front and center Rep. Wallace is in this ad? The past few have only shown Biss.
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:53 pm:
- Retired Educator - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 3:19 pm:
You are right
Thank You
- Anon0091 - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 4:00 pm:
It’s basically an ad to highlight Litesa with the words “they’re attacking me” buried 23 seconds in. For purposes of a general ad, it’s a solid B. For purposes of a response ad, it’s a C- because they buried the “response” and didn’t really respond to anything.
- DuPage - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 4:09 pm:
He is making promises he can’t keep. He keeps saying he will “make them pay their fair share in taxes”. He doesn’t explain HOW he will do it. He would have to change the Illinois constitution and get the Illinois house and senate to pass the legislation to change the tax laws. He can’t just do this by decree. Rauner thought he could govern by decree, and look how that has worked out. Same goes for Kennedy.
- SaulGoodman - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 4:14 pm:
**He is making promises he can’t keep. **
All 3 major Dem candidates are making the exact same promise on a progressive income tax. At least Biss has some other ideas (lasalle st tax, carried interest loophole) separate from a progressive income tax.
- City Zen - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 4:19 pm:
Biss was a professor, not a teacher. Both are educators.
- City Zen - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 4:21 pm:
Apologies, didn’t see Saluki64’s comment.
The professor position is something to be proud of. Not sure why he hides it.
- Angel's Sword - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 4:58 pm:
==That’s basically the same thing JB did in response to the tape ads, though. ==
Yeah, but pensions are a bigger problem for Biss than the tapes were for Pritzker.
At the end of the day Pritzker was still in the lead after the tapes dropped. If he lost some people because of the tapes, well, he could afford to lose them. All he needed to do was not completely botch his response — and he didn’t.
Biss, on the other hand, was behind to begin with and now he’s falling *really* far behind. He needs a game changer. This ain’t it.
That’s not to mention the fact that I think far more people care about pensions than care about the tapes.
- m - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 5:12 pm:
=He calls himself a teacher, and yet he tried to strip earned benefits from all the retired teachers.=
And Pritzker was donating tens of thousands to help him do that. They were on the same team on pension reform.
So you’re a Kennedy supporter then?
- CICOM - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 5:27 pm:
D minus
- Arsenal - Friday, Mar 2, 18 @ 5:41 pm:
==Yeah, but pensions are a bigger problem for Biss than the tapes were for Pritzker.==
I think I’d need some convincing on that. But I’d also say, in a bad sign for Biss, that this kind of non-response response didn’t prevent any damage. At best, it limited it. And as you said, JB had some votes to lose. Biss right now needs to be gaining votes, not keeping his losses manageable.