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* OK, campers, let’s rate the new TV ads from the two Democratic gubernatorial candidates. First up, Gov. Pat Quinn…
Script…
More attacks from Dan Hynes, grossly distorting Governor Quinn’s record.
The truth?
Quinn supports moving some non-violent offenders to halfway houses so we can use our prison space to keep violent criminals behind bars.
And Hynes? Just this week he admitted an aide had stolen $100,000 in taxpayer funds. Another aide is under investigation for using state computers to commit securities fraud.
Instead of attacking, shouldn’t Hynes be explaining?
Now, Comptroller Dan Hynes…
Script…
1,700 prisoners let out of prison early by Pat Quinn.
Domestic abusers. Sex offenders. Murderers.
Now, 56 have committed new crimes, including attempted murder.
Newspapers say the whole episode rattles the public’s faith in the governor, and call Quinn’s actions “inexcusable,” an “epic failure,” a “breach of trust that jeopardizes our safety.”
On February 2nd, let’s vote to release Pat Quinn from his job.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 7:22 am
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Nasty nasty ad from Hynes. Fear mongering ain’t going to do the trick. All it will do is depress turnout and the Dem organizations supporting Quinn will get their voters out.
When was the last time anyone say a positive ad from Dan? When the campaign started, he had to drive Quinn’s negatives to a point where people were looking for an alternative. THEN he had to show himself as that alternative. He may drive Quinn’s negatives up, but he won’t boost his positives with only 3 weeks left. As usual Hynes strategy is flawed and this nuclear ad is more like a cherry bomb.
Quinn’s response is ok but not great. It was necessary for him to communicate his response directly to voters. The pivot to attacking Dan was a nice touch. It looks like those stories are getting some legs. I glossed over the Pippy story the first time, but after realizing he was doing it to short Illinois companies the significance became more apparent.
Comment by Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 7:55 am
Up until recently I sort of liked dan hynes. No mmore.He is a fear mongerer of the worse sort. Pat Quinn is clearly the best democratic candidate.
Comment by bill ryan Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 8:18 am
I hate all these negative ads. Shouldn’t we make the Republicans pay for their own ads, instead of doing their work for them?
Comment by soccermom Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 8:22 am
Hynes ad is good, it is simple and strikes a core with an easy to understand concern. But its too little too late.
To identify the Hynes ad as “fear mongering” without applying the same level to the quinn stuff is either blatant political pandering for a canidate or pure hypocrisy. That said, voters tend to respond to attack ads; the public decry’s such ads, but tends to reflect their influence when we reache for the ballots.
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 8:24 am
Should not Quinn remember he has a DOC director who totally defied (according to Quinn) orders before he starts demanding Dan explain an employee that was caught doing bad?
One employee is defiant and ignores direct orders at the risk of public safety, one employee (two?) are corrupt and dishonest. Which boss is more accountable for the runway employee?
Comment by Cindy Lou Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 8:25 am
Cindy Lou —
this is why I think these kinds of ads should carry a “Paid for by Friends of Jim Ryan” disclaimer. If voters think neither candidate is capable, they can run over to the GOP.
Comment by soccermom Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 8:32 am
Ghost - There’s a difference between attack ads and fear mongering.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 8:36 am
Maybe so, soccermom, but for vote I don’t think just jumping over to the Republicans is going to be a solution, just changing party head can’t address the huge issues the state and budget are facing. Some of the issues are not ‘party’ caused nor can be solved by just changing to ‘change’.
Comment by Cindy Lou Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 8:38 am
The Hynes ad is very powerful. The titles — “Domestic abusers. Sex offenders. Murderers” — really sell it, and the newspaper commentary gives it credibility.
Hynes might just ride this early release thing to the nomination.
I guess Quinn felt he had to respond, but his spot doesn’t put the issue to rest. It just brings it up again, to his detriment. The pivot to the Hynes’ aides is clunky and doesn’t resonate.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 8:41 am
Not a game changer from Hynes…Gott wonder if the gummer up GOPS will represent much of a challenge to The Governor in the fall
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 8:41 am
These negative ads will not work. Fear mongering at it’s worst. It’s a big turn off. Make Quinn look bad with his indecisiveness and flip flopping. The average voter does not actually believe Quinn let these guys out on purpose. Hynes looks bad.
Comment by anon Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 8:51 am
There’s a difference between attack ads and fear mongering.
If this was an attack ad, Hynes’ ad would have said:
1,700 prisoners let out of prison early by Pat Quinn. Domestic abusers. Sex offenders. Murderers.
They were convicted of crimes, including attempted murder.
That would be fear mongering…
But his ad doesn’t say that. It sticks with facts.
1,700 prisoners let out of prison early by Pat Quinn. Domestic abusers. Sex offenders. Murderers. Now, 56 have committed new crimes, including attempted murder.
So what part of the truth, don’t you like?
Hynes’ ad works. Quinn is a poor excuse.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 8:58 am
The difference between these two adds is that Hynes add is truthful and Quinns add bends the truth. Hynes add will resonate more with voters.
Comment by siu alum Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 9:02 am
I don’t pay much attention to these ads because after the election, these guys will buddy up if it becomes politically profitable and say the criticisms they are making today are not important. Hynes will endorse Quinn. Or Quinn will endorse Hynes. Think either one of them will endorse Jim Ryan or whoever? Of course not. They’ll stick together. It’s all a game.
We should keep our eyes on the money. Quinn will probably do his best to get a federal bailout to help, but he is unlikely to make his income tax hike more progressive. I guess he hasn’t read the papers about the economic stressors already borne by the middle class in the Great Recession. He still thinks we have plenty of wealth to transfer over to the politicians, the “poor,” a plush and growing state bureaucracy with boundless greed for even higher salaries and perks, and politically connected contractors. And he’s bound and determined to get that wealth, no matter what the consequences to long-term middle class economic stability. As to the concept of shared sacrifice…there won’t be any. He won’t go up against employee unions and he is likely to back down if corporate interests complain about their part of the tax increase (actually, he already did, this spring). As to increased service taxes and the closing of corporate loopholes? Again, that takes political courage and he doesn’t have any.
With Hynes, at least, the middle class will be less of a target for wealth transfer. The wealthy, as many have noted, have benefited hugely from the bubbles that preceded the recession. It’s time for them to pay a teensy bit of that back in the form of more progressive income taxes. Hynes seems to be the only one interested in progressivity. Taking money from the middle class to give to the “poor,” isn’t progressive. For that reason, I’ll stick with Hynes.
Comment by cassandra Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 9:13 am
siu alum, did they not learn you at that school that “ad” is not spelled “add”?
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 9:14 am
Hynes knocks Quinn down in this round. Standing 8-count for Quinn. Hynes’ ad was pretty good, but I think he could’ve taken it a step further and personalized the issue a little more (ala Willie Horton) with a mugshot and a quick rundown of the criminal’s background. The Willie Horton ad was probably the most devastating political attack ad in US history. Maybe that ad is still to come?
Comment by Steve-O Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 9:29 am
cassandra - What you fail to realize is that a progressive income tax in Illinois requires a constitutional amendment. Do you think Hynes will be able to accomplish that soon enough to actually help with the problems we’re facing right now.
VanillaMan - Willie Horton really did what the Republicans said he did in the 1988 election, but that didn’t mean Dukakis was responsible or a threat to public safety. Telling voters that Quinn is going to make Illinois an unsafe place to live is fear mongering.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 9:32 am
When both ads are viewed consecutively (as they will probably often be seen on TV in coming days) the Hynes ad rings much more true and seems to better tap into the public’s concerns. The newspaper excerpts lend authenticity to Hynes charges and therefore do not make them seem to the viewer like a shady poliitical attack out of left field. The Quinn ad stressing halfway houses does not track at all with what the public has been hearing for a month about the early release program and his ad offers no substantiation that it is actually “saving money” or explain why the releases were handled in the secretive fashion they were, which is a large paert of the public’s distress on this issue. Finally the voice over quality of the Hynes ad is far superior to the Quinn one.
Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 9:36 am
Rich, I don’t recall. My time there was a bit of a blur.
Comment by siu alum Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 9:42 am
lol
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 9:42 am
STL, beg to differ. The Hynes ad is not fear mongering. The old presidential ad of a daisy turning into a mushroom cloud is a better example of that. Quinn really screwed up on this and has to wear the saddle. Quinn already made Illinois a less safer palce to live. He should be evaluated on his poor judgement or poor executive management. The ad is accurate.
Comment by RobRoy Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 9:47 am
Quinn’s ad is well produced and done, but it serves to reinforce the fact Pat let criminals out of jail. Explain it to me?
Comment by Mr.Clean Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 9:51 am
Small TL-
I know that. And we need to get started. Hynes wants to get started. Quinn doesn’t. He just wants us to trust him and fork over the cash…forever. Even within the current constraints, Quinn could make his revenue plan more progressive. He won’t.
Comment by cassandra Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 9:55 am
As an Illinois Republican I would like to offer my feelings about these ads, in the words of
C. Montgomery Burns — Excellent!
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 9:58 am
Spelling is a hamper on creativity.
Is that the Tribune editorial in Hynes’ ad(d) refusing to endorse either Quinn or Hynes? If so, kinda deceptive.
Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:02 am
Hynes 2nd attack ad is better than the 1st-it’s pretty devistating. It’s about time Quinn responded-and his response is pretty good-but could be better.
It really doesn’t matter because I don’t think Hynes has done anything to get votes in the minority communities which will be the majority voters in the primary.
Hynes is doing all he can to elect a Republican Governor but that is a fight for another day.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:07 am
Did the “I’m so and so and I approve this message” law change or does it just not apply to state candidates?
Comment by Scooby Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:12 am
Liberal Lady: My suggestion on what Quinn should do: couple his proposed income tax raise with even stiffer limits on new state employee pension benefits, restructure the discretionary part of Medicaid, loosen up smoking in casinos and open up on in Chicago (bitter pill for me there as it’s a regressive tax).
Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:16 am
Disclaimer is only for federal ads.
Hynes spending $2M with this garbage when he is 20 pts down makes me question is loyalty to the party.
Comment by Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:27 am
You could argue Hynes is doing it to save the party b/c Quinn is toast in the general election. The Rasmussen polls show that to be quite clear that Quinn is a drag on the ticket. And those polls came out before the early release stuff broke.
Comment by Cosmic Charlie Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:32 am
Cosmic Charlie,
How does helping to ruin the party’s eventual nominee save the ticket?
For every vote Hynes gains by scaring the DuPage soccer moms, he loses in the minority community where they think he is stereotyping them as criminals.
The Repubs should be paying Hynes for this.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:44 am
===the minority community where they think he is stereotyping them as criminals.===
How, exactly, is that the case? I think you’re over-thinking here.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:46 am
It’s typical white candidate fear mongering. Quinn is letting out all the murderers-who all happen to be minorities. But Hynes will keep us safe. Hynes commercial actually says that.
I don’t think I’m overthinking and I think the % of the minority vote Hynes gets will bear me out. For every action there is a reaction.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 10:54 am
===all the murderers-who all happen to be minorities===
You’re either a racist or an idiot.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:05 am
or both
Comment by Bill Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:09 am
The Hynes ad is not hard enought and I thihnk Quinn-however distorted–gets his message across. This round goes to the Gov.
Comment by Tom Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:09 am
With respect to the question about “stereotyping” or “Willie Hortoning”, if you look at Hynes first ad on the prison issue, seven of the ten criminals Hynes ad featured are African-American or Latino. That is where the Willie Horton criticism comes from.
Comment by Big Policy Nerd Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:10 am
Over the course of the past year I have had to come to the brutual realization that Pat Quinn is a political opportunist and just another career politician. It’s sad because I had been told this several years ago, but decided to dismiss it because like most people I was impressed with his efforts on military-related issues and his squeaky clean political image etc.
But, in thinking over the course of the past year I’ve wondered why someone who never served in the military is so “passionate” about those who have and do. I couldn’t find a good answer. The argument could be made that he was draft dodger (ala Bill Clinton). So maybe he is so passionate today out of a sense of guilt? Maybe that’s not fair to think, but the thought has crossed my mind. Then again from what I have gathered his “passion” on miltary issues does not seem to predate his time in the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, so then that suggests to me that it’s not out of guilt that he dodes on the military-related issues. So, something else is driving the passion and something tells me it is proably not the sincerest of motives. But, I’m just one woman and that’s just my opinion.
He goes to military funerals, which is nice and very good on his part. But, then I look at someone like late 40s or early 50s something year-old Mark Kirk who actually puts on a uniform in service to the U.S. and goes into dangerous combat situations, over the Holidays no less. To me that is way more impressive! Mark kirk puts his life on the line and his money where his mouth is, unfortunately the same cannot be said of most (i.e. 99 percent) politicians.
In looking at the Quinn camapaign ad here, it’s political opportunism 101. The two news stories about Hynes’ political and administration staff came out over the weekend and clearly Quinn was just waiting for an opportunuity and ran with it when it presented itself. The ink on the newspapers hadn’t even dried yet and Quinn was making an attack ad. While it is political opportunism on Quinn’s part, I’m not knocking it because I think it’s fair game here. On Hynes’ part in both instances it’s adminstrative failures. I’m just glad that for once Quinn has found something truthful to complain about in an attack ad against Hynes this election cycle. So see, I don’t ask for much.
Unlike Quinn it appears that Hynes is going to man up and admit that these things happened, and won’t try to lie about ‘em or try to insult anyone’s intelligence.
The early prison release issue became a problem for Quinn in mid-December when the AP exposed the secret early release program. And the story lingered for the duration of December as the Sun-Times and Tribune picked on other elements of the two early release programs. So, by the first of the year Hynes came out with his first ad on the matter. And rightfully so. Quinn’s early release programs proved to be policy blunders that had, as it turned out, serious public saftey consequences. In one case he had to round up freed DUI convicts and re-incacerate them. And in the other, well we all know what happened. In a political contest policy issues are absolutely fair game (got that Mark Brown columinst of the Sun-Times?).
For what it is worth, I don’t find either of Hynes’ recent ads to be fear-mongering. Maybe I have a high threshold for what passes as fear-mongering because I didn’t think Mark Kirk was fear-mongering about the relocation of Gitmo from Cuba to Illinois, and I think the Christmas Day attempted terrorist attack pretty much vindicated him and everyone who agreed with him on the Thomson/Gitmo issue.
Comment by Will County Woman Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:13 am
Look at the photos when the Sun-times released the story. All the photos where of black men except one.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:14 am
I don’t care what was in the CS-T, that doesn’t mean that all but one were black. There were 1700 of them, ya know. Just stop it. Now.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:32 am
OK, I’ll stop but I don’t think I’m a racist for not liking Hynes’s campaign strategy but on the idiot front, I’ll admit I have my moments.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 11:42 am
Hynes’s ad is very good and very hard-hitting. I hate negative ads as much as anyone, but Quinn’s program was an unmitigated disaster and caused a threat to public safety. Hynes’s ad brings attention to that fact and visualizes the scathing articles/editorials in major newspapers.
Comment by Team Sleep Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 12:04 pm
Willie Horton!
Willie Horton!
Swift Boat!
Swift Boat!
It sounds like a bunch of Chicken Littles running in circles, doesn’t it?
Those of us who remember these ads know that they were factual, opinionated, and devistatingly effective. The opposition to them couldn’t respond, except by crying to the media referees. The Media felt an obligation to support their favored political partiers by questioning the ads. This fed right into the claim that these ads were fraudulent - which they were not.
Politics ain’t bean bags. Quinn should have had at least one staffer that could have told him this would be a campaign issue if he allowed it to become one. Did you read what Rich wrote as soon as it was uncovered by AP’s John O’Connor? Rich basically said what has always been a political truth regarding governors and pardons - governors have to pray that those they release from prison do not commit new crimes, or they will pay a high cost. This isn’t new. How could Quinn have been so blind here?
So don’t cry “fear mongering!” just because Hynes pointed out that Quinn’s actions were dangerous, and that the record clearly shows that the felons he released committed new felonies. Regardless of the felon’s race - this is not fear mongering, or race baiting, or anything remotely similar.
Accusing your neighbors to be racist, and unable to determine for themselves what is a racist ad, or a fear mongering ad shows a lack of respect to voters. Honestly, people are not as stupid, or as racist, as you fear.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 12:05 pm
Vanilla Man,
The ads may work in a general election but not in a primary when half your target audience is offended by them.
Comment by Charles Barkley Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 1:09 pm
The feel-gooders already back the incumbant.
The worry-warts already back the challenger.
This ad will demonstrate the real world outside the primary, and motivate the independants away from Quinn.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 1:14 pm
VMan - You’re calling the swift boat ads factual? Are you kidding me?
Comment by Small Town Liberal Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 1:36 pm
Charles Barkley, so Hynes should have just sat mum on early prison release?????
The last poll suggested that there were still 30 percent or something undecided on the dem side. Quinn’s strong support was about equal to his somewhat support. To some extent there was/is an opportunity for Hynes to pick off some votes.
I’m real curious to see what the polling looks like now. In early December the Tribune had 49 to 23 in favor of Quinn.
Comment by Will County Woman Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 1:42 pm
Voters are concerned about jobs and the economy. Hynes should go after Quinn about raising taxes. Most voters don’t believe Quinn purposely let these convicts out, and now they are back in prison. I guess I understand why Hynes is doing this, but most people seem to really trust Quinn after Blago. I see no change in Polling. Ask yourself if you’re finding friends and/or associates that are saying “I just can’t wait to vote for Dan Hynes.” His campaign just never caught fire.
Comment by anon Wednesday, Jan 13, 10 @ 4:10 pm