* I’ve been telling subscribers about this ad since Tuesday and have been waiting for someone else to report on it so I could post it here. Dave Dahl did it…
“Remember when JB Pritzker ripped out his toilets to dodge paying property taxes?”
That’s the opening line of a new commercial from a group that says it wants to hold “Springfield politicians” accountable. It’s actually Democrats under the “Illinois Rising Action” microscope.
The PAC’s executive director, Kayleen Carlson, says Gov. Pritzker is just another tax-and-spend Democrat whose solution to anything is to raise taxes. Pritzker is not on the ballot this year, but the ad campaign wants you to remember two words: Vote Republican.
Seems pretty much canned ham. I’ll give an ‘A’ for throwing red meat to people already voting Republican. And a ‘D’ for an ad that is actually trying to accomplish anything. If you remember the unfunded 8 billion Rauner spent, you know why taxes went up.
Big old C. The toilets thing didn’t work in 2018. Trying to tarnish a largely popular governor who is going to be very tough to beat in 2022. With all that is going on in the world, an “$1,800 raise for politicians” is supposed to get me worked up? No.
This ad is a fail. Totally wrong emotional cues. To beat the referendum, the ads need to elicit the emotion of fear. This ad goes for anger. Wrong emotion to persuade any voters but the GOP base
It’s an A for the ridiculously ill-informed Raunerite-Trumpkins, the “but Madigan”, old, white, racist, who are confused about both Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter.
For them, it’s an A
The rest?
It moves nothing away, peels no support away, and it reminds all that was bad about Raunerism, and the racist ways of Trumpkins, with “taxes” as a pretending reason to ignore why they lose.
Carlson is just another shill for 1% who would gladly allow the 99% to suffer before the rich had to pay their fair share. We’ll begin to rectify that when the Progressive “Fair” tax amendment gets overwhelmingly approved this November.
The boogymen continue to shift for the moribund ILGOP. Where’d Madigan go? The big question is where are all the Republican ideas here? Just more whining as usual, while offering no solutions to Illinois issues.
I guess it depends on who the target is. If the target is folks who already don’t like the governor and wouldn’t vote for him in a million years, then I guess it gets a C.
If your goal is to go after folks who might break one way or the other going after the governor who seems to actually have succeeded in keeping COVID somewhat in check here is not the way to go right now. It would seem to me that spending money in the Chicago TV market right now on this is just a good way to waste some rich guy money on stuff.
Also some free advice ‘Remember the toilets’ is a stupid underlying concept.
- Back to the Future - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:02 am:
C. I don’t think it moves the needle much, but the anti-Pritzker base will like it.
The issue of changing the tax system isn’t helped or hurt.
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:06 am:
That add sounds like a 3 year old spinning some yarn off the top their head about who actually broke the vase.
About what I’d expect from those “messagin’” expert raunerites.
- Heat of Summer - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:14 am:
I literally LOLd when I saw this on tv last night. Then I wondered after ‘what did the spot ask me to take action on?’ After rewatching I now hear/see they want me to call the guv to complain. Failing grade assigned.
Rate is an A. The toilet and tax issues appeal to the usual base. The SNAFU with Unemployment benefits - Which JB had to address in his briefings, is a good approach to independent voters.
Great ad for those feeling a bit of 2018 nostalgia.
- Just a thought - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:47 am:
Everyone saying that this ad doesn’t speak to those who aren’t already anti-Pritzker need to realize that it also speaks to the tens of thousands who are now unemployed.
A big fat F. These people need to get a new hobby.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:12 am:
What. Is. The. Point.
I’ve gone through several ideas in my mind but other than Trump doesn’t like JB going after him on Corona, I’m kind of stumped. I mean I get the bank shot idea but even that makes no sense. All they’re doing is giving JB’s political team a chance to exercise and flex their muscles in an off year. So…
That having been said, this ad is completely lame. I mean I don’t even think I can give it a D. Completely pointless and a total fail in execution.
Probably would have been better off to take that million bucks and light it on fire. Or better yet, give it to me.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:13 am:
“…it also speaks to the tens of thousands who are now unemployed.”
How? Is it hitting him on his Corona response? In what way does it speak to the newly unemployed?
Because there was not 100’s of billions in debt before Rauner took office that had no way of being paid but let us place the blame of any tax increases on him and not the politicians that have not passed a balanced budget for decades. Keep voting for the majority party that is more into corruption than paying for the programs they have instituted and have failed to pay the state’s share of the education funding. The majority party that has been in control of the police department that is one of the most corrupt in the nation with politicians to match in the City of Chicago. All these problems that the majority party has failed address for decades and is a large contributor to the racism problem in the larger cities in Illinois.
The ILGOP if nothing else is consistent. I rate this ad at no more than a C. It will resonate with the audience that already agrees with the message. But the problem facing the ILGOP is that they don’t have a winning message to grow beyond their base. The fact that they continue to make the same arguments, and run the same type of ads year after year, leads me to wonder if they really care. It’s as if the GOP is waiting for us to catch up with their outdated message while completely ignoring how the state and country are changing.
Instead of blowing all that money on these useless ads, they should spend their money helping people. People will remember who helped them during the crisis - not their political ads.
So I have often times been quite impressed with some of the attack ads the GOP/Right Leaning organizations come up with — but this really seems like something that came out of a firm that’s trying to copy Karl Rove’s success by pretending to be like Rove firm, but without any of the research and excellence.
Is there some kind of polling out there that shows that people really care about the toilets? Who really gives a s— about toilets during a pandemic? It’s also blaming him for the Wayfair decision? I’m not sure if whoever made this was aware or not that the biggest online vendors were already assessing Sales & Use Taxes either voluntarily or because they already had a nexus. And saying he failed at unemployment when there are literally hundreds of thousands of people receiving benefits right now in the state, including many of the GOPs voters?
It just seems like they picked some stuff to try to make a negative add, didn’t put much thought into it, and didn’t do much polling, focus grouping, or anything to find issues that might resonate with voters.
It’s just the same stuff that didn’t work that will rile up the same people that were already riled up.
Someone with too much money is getting ripped off.
- West Side the Best Side - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:03 pm:
Just saw it on Jeopardy. Asking as a lifelong Cook County resident: “Dee-fraud” Is that the south of I80 pronunciation? And, if so, maybe that’s where the ad is mostly aimed. It didn’t go over well with my wife. She gave it an F, with a few other banned words.
With that HUGE millstone at the top of the ticket, Illinois Republican party will need a bit more than ads like this to have any hope of gaining seats in the house and senate (That is the goal of this ad, right? Because its a long time before anyone can vote the governor out of office, no matter how many “Pritzker S*%ks” signs they put on their front lawns)
- Just a thought - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:47 am:
Everyone saying that this ad doesn’t speak to those who aren’t already anti-Pritzker need to realize that it also speaks to the tens of thousands who are now unemployed.
Yes, they all blame Pritzker for the national failure to take Covid19 seriously. Unemployment would have risen as much (if not more) if somehow Pritzker would have done nothing and let this monster of a disease do what it could unchecked, resulting in overflowing hospitals and a much higher death count. If you can’t understand that, then blaming the unemployment on the governor probably makes sense to you
Willy- do you think they are done blaming Madigan, or is this just a new line of attack that polled well with right wing focus groups? Because I can;t see how this adds any new voters to their side of the column
I find the timing peculiar because these ads could have been running during the entire stay at home order. Now Illinois is in late phase 3 starting phase 4, the Governor is getting hit with the ads.
=== do you think they are done blaming Madigan, or is this just a new line of attack that polled well with right wing focus groups? Because I can;t see how this adds any new voters to their side of the column===
You’re on it, it’s not adding a single voter or growing the party.
Is it new? You’re probably on that too, it polls well today, it’s the hot play… but only got to keep their super minority from moving.
Sad after all of the great work that Governor Pritzker has done protecting us from the Covid crisis. He has shown true leadership. Spend your time and money addressing your president and his admin.
This rightwing nut job will never give up now they tired of Madigan with all attack now it’s pritzker they must have dark money to spend. Please kindly donate those money to our school districts instead of attack the governor
Just think how much could have been done to help people in Illinois if Illinois Rising Action put the $1 million spent on these ads into pandemic help, education, mental health instead of wasting their time on an ad that won’t help conservatives…
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:31 am:
Seems pretty much canned ham. I’ll give an ‘A’ for throwing red meat to people already voting Republican. And a ‘D’ for an ad that is actually trying to accomplish anything. If you remember the unfunded 8 billion Rauner spent, you know why taxes went up.
- efudd - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:35 am:
My, that was chocked full of new and innovative thinking.
With strong messaging like that the ILGOP should have no problem re-taking the GA this fall.
- The Opinions Bureau - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:35 am:
Yeah, that dastardly Pritzker, treating remote online sellers the same as Illinois-based companies. Won’t somebody think of the Zappos??
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:35 am:
Big old C. The toilets thing didn’t work in 2018. Trying to tarnish a largely popular governor who is going to be very tough to beat in 2022. With all that is going on in the world, an “$1,800 raise for politicians” is supposed to get me worked up? No.
- Altgelds Ghost - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:42 am:
This ad is a fail. Totally wrong emotional cues. To beat the referendum, the ads need to elicit the emotion of fear. This ad goes for anger. Wrong emotion to persuade any voters but the GOP base
- Flat Bed Ford - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:43 am:
B. It is a reminder that other things are going on in Illinois besides Covid and BLM.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:45 am:
It’s an A for the ridiculously ill-informed Raunerite-Trumpkins, the “but Madigan”, old, white, racist, who are confused about both Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter.
For them, it’s an A
The rest?
It moves nothing away, peels no support away, and it reminds all that was bad about Raunerism, and the racist ways of Trumpkins, with “taxes” as a pretending reason to ignore why they lose.
- PublicServant - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:47 am:
Carlson is just another shill for 1% who would gladly allow the 99% to suffer before the rich had to pay their fair share. We’ll begin to rectify that when the Progressive “Fair” tax amendment gets overwhelmingly approved this November.
- PublicServant - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:51 am:
The boogymen continue to shift for the moribund ILGOP. Where’d Madigan go? The big question is where are all the Republican ideas here? Just more whining as usual, while offering no solutions to Illinois issues.
- OneMan - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 9:59 am:
I guess it depends on who the target is. If the target is folks who already don’t like the governor and wouldn’t vote for him in a million years, then I guess it gets a C.
If your goal is to go after folks who might break one way or the other going after the governor who seems to actually have succeeded in keeping COVID somewhat in check here is not the way to go right now. It would seem to me that spending money in the Chicago TV market right now on this is just a good way to waste some rich guy money on stuff.
Also some free advice ‘Remember the toilets’ is a stupid underlying concept.
- Back to the Future - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:02 am:
C. I don’t think it moves the needle much, but the anti-Pritzker base will like it.
The issue of changing the tax system isn’t helped or hurt.
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:06 am:
That add sounds like a 3 year old spinning some yarn off the top their head about who actually broke the vase.
About what I’d expect from those “messagin’” expert raunerites.
- Heat of Summer - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:14 am:
I literally LOLd when I saw this on tv last night. Then I wondered after ‘what did the spot ask me to take action on?’ After rewatching I now hear/see they want me to call the guv to complain. Failing grade assigned.
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:18 am:
Rate is an A. The toilet and tax issues appeal to the usual base. The SNAFU with Unemployment benefits - Which JB had to address in his briefings, is a good approach to independent voters.
- Abbey - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:39 am:
Great ad for those feeling a bit of 2018 nostalgia.
- Just a thought - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:47 am:
Everyone saying that this ad doesn’t speak to those who aren’t already anti-Pritzker need to realize that it also speaks to the tens of thousands who are now unemployed.
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:08 am:
A big fat F. These people need to get a new hobby.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:12 am:
What. Is. The. Point.
I’ve gone through several ideas in my mind but other than Trump doesn’t like JB going after him on Corona, I’m kind of stumped. I mean I get the bank shot idea but even that makes no sense. All they’re doing is giving JB’s political team a chance to exercise and flex their muscles in an off year. So…
That having been said, this ad is completely lame. I mean I don’t even think I can give it a D. Completely pointless and a total fail in execution.
Probably would have been better off to take that million bucks and light it on fire. Or better yet, give it to me.
- Chicago Cynic - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:13 am:
“…it also speaks to the tens of thousands who are now unemployed.”
How? Is it hitting him on his Corona response? In what way does it speak to the newly unemployed?
- Arock - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:50 am:
Because there was not 100’s of billions in debt before Rauner took office that had no way of being paid but let us place the blame of any tax increases on him and not the politicians that have not passed a balanced budget for decades. Keep voting for the majority party that is more into corruption than paying for the programs they have instituted and have failed to pay the state’s share of the education funding. The majority party that has been in control of the police department that is one of the most corrupt in the nation with politicians to match in the City of Chicago. All these problems that the majority party has failed address for decades and is a large contributor to the racism problem in the larger cities in Illinois.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 11:55 am:
Oh - Arock -… lol…
Ask yourself… if *any* of that is remotely relevant outside mouth breathing…
…
… why can’t Republicans do well in Chicago?
I mean, New York, Los Angeles… not conservative hotbeds… they elected Republican mayors…
All ya really did, besides write something to feel real good, is lay out an indictment against the Chicago GOP, Cook County GOP, and the state GOP.
How grossly inept they ALL are if even a tenth of what you wrote is honest to… well, anything outside frustration.
Why are you not angry at the GOP?
- ah HA - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:12 pm:
Don’t you find it odd on the timing of the ads?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 12:17 pm:
=== Don’t you find it odd on the timing of the ads?===
“No”
Ok, now explain why it’s odd.
- Pundent - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 1:41 pm:
The ILGOP if nothing else is consistent. I rate this ad at no more than a C. It will resonate with the audience that already agrees with the message. But the problem facing the ILGOP is that they don’t have a winning message to grow beyond their base. The fact that they continue to make the same arguments, and run the same type of ads year after year, leads me to wonder if they really care. It’s as if the GOP is waiting for us to catch up with their outdated message while completely ignoring how the state and country are changing.
- Mama - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 1:48 pm:
“If you remember the unfunded 8 billion Rauner spent, you know why taxes went up.”
That should be the ad Pritzker should run right after the Republican’s ad. This name- smearing ad has Rauner’s name all over it.
- Mama - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 1:51 pm:
“Ok, now explain why it’s odd.”
Pritzker will not be running for office for 2 years so what is their point?
- High Socks - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 1:53 pm:
Remember when this attack line fell flat two years ago?
C- and that’s only because I don’t want you back in my class next year.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 1:53 pm:
=== Pritzker will not be running for office for 2 years so what is their point?===
Raunerites want to connect the progressive income tax to Pritzker, and the Governor’s numbers right now are looking pretty good, not hurting the CA.
So… try to muddy the Governor.
The “failed” graphic made me giggle out loud.
- Token Conservative - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 2:19 pm:
Packs too much into :30. If the goal is to soften up Pritzker, take each issue and take a whack. The laundry list doesn’t move emotion.
- Mama - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 2:31 pm:
Instead of blowing all that money on these useless ads, they should spend their money helping people. People will remember who helped them during the crisis - not their political ads.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 3:12 pm:
D+ — It’s not passing, but not quite a failure.
So I have often times been quite impressed with some of the attack ads the GOP/Right Leaning organizations come up with — but this really seems like something that came out of a firm that’s trying to copy Karl Rove’s success by pretending to be like Rove firm, but without any of the research and excellence.
Is there some kind of polling out there that shows that people really care about the toilets? Who really gives a s— about toilets during a pandemic? It’s also blaming him for the Wayfair decision? I’m not sure if whoever made this was aware or not that the biggest online vendors were already assessing Sales & Use Taxes either voluntarily or because they already had a nexus. And saying he failed at unemployment when there are literally hundreds of thousands of people receiving benefits right now in the state, including many of the GOPs voters?
It just seems like they picked some stuff to try to make a negative add, didn’t put much thought into it, and didn’t do much polling, focus grouping, or anything to find issues that might resonate with voters.
It’s just the same stuff that didn’t work that will rile up the same people that were already riled up.
Someone with too much money is getting ripped off.
- West Side the Best Side - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:03 pm:
Just saw it on Jeopardy. Asking as a lifelong Cook County resident: “Dee-fraud” Is that the south of I80 pronunciation? And, if so, maybe that’s where the ad is mostly aimed. It didn’t go over well with my wife. She gave it an F, with a few other banned words.
- Roadiepig - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:35 pm:
With that HUGE millstone at the top of the ticket, Illinois Republican party will need a bit more than ads like this to have any hope of gaining seats in the house and senate (That is the goal of this ad, right? Because its a long time before anyone can vote the governor out of office, no matter how many “Pritzker S*%ks” signs they put on their front lawns)
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:41 pm:
- Roadiepig -
Do *we* think this is an improvement from the “Fire Madigan” signs?
Moving from one ridiculousness to another is like never mistaking activity for achievement?
:)
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:44 pm:
- Just a thought - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 10:47 am:
Everyone saying that this ad doesn’t speak to those who aren’t already anti-Pritzker need to realize that it also speaks to the tens of thousands who are now unemployed.
Yes, they all blame Pritzker for the national failure to take Covid19 seriously. Unemployment would have risen as much (if not more) if somehow Pritzker would have done nothing and let this monster of a disease do what it could unchecked, resulting in overflowing hospitals and a much higher death count. If you can’t understand that, then blaming the unemployment on the governor probably makes sense to you
- Roadiepig - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:44 pm:
4:44 was me ^^^
- Roadiepig - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:46 pm:
Willy- do you think they are done blaming Madigan, or is this just a new line of attack that polled well with right wing focus groups? Because I can;t see how this adds any new voters to their side of the column
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:49 pm:
===“Dee-fraud” Is that the south of I80 pronunciation?===
Sounds like the Omaha accent to me. How would you pronounce defraud?
- ah HA - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:49 pm:
I find the timing peculiar because these ads could have been running during the entire stay at home order. Now Illinois is in late phase 3 starting phase 4, the Governor is getting hit with the ads.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 4:58 pm:
=== do you think they are done blaming Madigan, or is this just a new line of attack that polled well with right wing focus groups? Because I can;t see how this adds any new voters to their side of the column===
You’re on it, it’s not adding a single voter or growing the party.
Is it new? You’re probably on that too, it polls well today, it’s the hot play… but only got to keep their super minority from moving.
Be well.
- romeovillin - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 5:42 pm:
this is nothing but a GOP hiding under an other name
just glad Rowner is not in office we would really be
in bad shape
- West Side the Best Side - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 7:17 pm:
Candy - I’d use the Google machine pronunciation. Definitely not emphasise on the “de” which is the way the ad sounded to me.
- West Side the Best Side - Thursday, Jun 25, 20 @ 7:29 pm:
Almost always a losing battle to fight with auto-miscorrect.
- Tina - Monday, Jun 29, 20 @ 12:00 pm:
Sad after all of the great work that Governor Pritzker has done protecting us from the Covid crisis. He has shown true leadership. Spend your time and money addressing your president and his admin.
- jos - Monday, Jun 29, 20 @ 5:22 pm:
governor pritzker is one of the most successful and accomplished governors in the country…thank you governor
- Remi - Monday, Jun 29, 20 @ 7:05 pm:
This rightwing nut job will never give up now they tired of Madigan with all attack now it’s pritzker they must have dark money to spend. Please kindly donate those money to our school districts instead of attack the governor
- DJ - Monday, Jun 29, 20 @ 10:33 pm:
In the middle of all this bad my person is now subjected to this.
- Mary - Tuesday, Jul 14, 20 @ 5:06 pm:
OUR Governor did what was right regarding this disastrous virus regardless of blowback. I am so proud to be an Illinoisan rather than a Floridian.
- Mary - Wednesday, Jul 15, 20 @ 7:02 pm:
Just think how much could have been done to help people in Illinois if Illinois Rising Action put the $1 million spent on these ads into pandemic help, education, mental health instead of wasting their time on an ad that won’t help conservatives…