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Now or Never PAC goes big for Walsh

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* A super conservative Super PAC is spending super bucks on Joe Walsh…

The group, which was formed earlier this year to support Sarah Steelman in the Missouri Republican Senate primary, released a new TV ad Tuesday supporting Rep. Joe Walsh, R-Ill., possibly the most endangered incumbent member of Congress. The spot is running on five broadcast stations in Chicago for a cost of over $810,000, according to Federal Election Commission filings — more in one buy than the group spent in total for Steelman, who lost her primary.

Unlike most third-party ads, this spot is completely positive, touting Walsh’s record of holding town hall meetings and turning down congressional perks — just like Walsh’s minute-long opening TV ad released in August. To get a sense of the size of the buy, Walsh had just over $830,000 cash on-hand at the last FEC disclosure deadline at the end of June.

* Rate it…

* Meanwhile…

Congressman Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) said Tuesday that the recent arrest of a Muslim teenager from Hillside for allegedly plotting to detonate a car bomb outside a downtown bar proves his point about radical Islam is a real threat that exists in the Chicago suburbs.

WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports 18-year-old Adel Daoud is accused of trying to set off what he thought was a car bomb outside a downtown tavern on Friday. […]

Last month, the 8th District Republican said at a town hall meeting that “there is a radical strain of Islam in this country – it’s not just over there – trying to kill Americans every week. It is a real threat, and it is a threat that is much more at home now than it was after 9/11.”

The congressman went on to claim that radical Islam had found its way into the Chicago suburbs, including parts of his district. […]

“I’ve been very disappointed in Tammy Duckworth, because she sort of wants to score political points, and said that the fact that … I brought this issue up is reckless. I hope now that she’s been reminded that this is a serious threat,” he said. “We know this is going on in towns big and small throughout the country. And here we’ve got a young man who belonged to worship at a mosque in Villa Park; in, you know, the 8th District.”

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 10:59 am

Comments

Well all of those people at that mosque in Villa Park must be terrorists, Congressman. What an idiot.

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 11:03 am
He can’t really win, can he?

Comment by Carlos S. Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 11:04 am
Let’s be honest, just like Alan Keyes we’re going to miss him when he’s gone.

Comment by The Captain Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 11:07 am
is that a picture of Suzi Schmidt in the AD? despite her problems I like Suzi, but wow, talk about straining to find a republican willing to stand up with you…..
The ad is solid and if we didn’t know better…, but we do.

Comment by in the know Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 11:12 am
Well that’s $810,000 that can’t be spent elsewhere to help a GOP incumbent who, you know, actually has a shot of winning.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 11:13 am
It’s a great spot, but it’s way too late to try and introduce Walsh to his constituents. I think they know him.

As far as the 18-year-old Hillside suspect, I’m not sure that anything’s been demonstrated so far.

He’s been described in reports “as intellectually challenged” and in other words that aren’t p.c.

He’s also been called “easily led.” What’s troubling about that is leaders at his mosque and his father say they told him to knock off the violent jihad talk.

But on the basis of a few emails, the FBI invented an overseas, Internet iman to encourage him, then supplied and enabled him every step of the way for weeks until he found himself in the Jeep outside Cal’s.

Who’s to say he could have done anything without the FBI?

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 11:17 am
Do NOT underestimate Walsh’s ability to campaign and win. He does have grassroots activist supporters. He exudes sincerity and a desire to fix what’s broken, for the right crowd. And now he has big money behind him. His predecessor didn’t fully see his strengths til too late.

Interesting that this “third party” money, is spent on positive ads. Perhaps they think that directly attacking Duckworth will backfire, given Walsh’s current image of nastiness.

Of course the Walsh campaign has nothing to do with this ad. I wonder where they got the footage to use in the ad.

Comment by walkinfool Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 11:24 am
Wallsh may be a nincompoop policy-wise but don’t write him off just yet. Events in the Middle East could have an impact on this race.

Comment by Esteban Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 11:38 am
I do not think that one wayward teenager in Hillside “proves” much of anything. However, there are likely radical strains of Islam right here in our backyard that should not be ignored. That being said, there are radical strains of other groups too.

Comment by Just Observing Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 11:42 am
did he generalize about all those Muslims, or note that it is not racism to understand extremists of every stripe are potenially dangerous.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 11:45 am
Very smart to do a positive ad and it was well done; the candidate could learn a lot from the SuperPAC supporting him.

There’s really not much material available to attack Duckworth as she doesn’t have a legislative record of votes to pick apart, and it is hard to demonize a war hero.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 11:45 am
If I had to say one positive thing about Joe Walsh is that he works his butt off for a campaign. You’re going to see him walking up and down the district from here until two minutes after the polls close, trying to meet as many people as possible to rally the base and keep the crazy somewhat toned down to the moderates so as to not scare him off.

Duckworth, on the other hand, seems more interested in projecting her image than in actually getting elected, a sin that I think is also the fault of her Chicago and D.C. backers. Now, there certainly are obvious physical limitations for why she can’t be out and about like Walsh can, but at the same time I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met that love her, hate her, and everything in between, that just have the impression that she doesn’t want it as much as others like Walsh and Raja (even though she destroyed Raja and will hopefully smack around Joe in November).

Think she’s probably just banking on her name recognition, service record, and a bit of an Obama boost to help her out in November. Just hope that we don’t wake up the day after the election to find out she pulled a Bean out of what should’ve been a landslide.

Comment by TJ Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 11:57 am
” I hope now that she’s been reminded that this is a serious threat,”

I imagine she gets reminded of the ‘terrorist threat’ 2 times every morning as she pulls on her artificial legs, and then with each and every step… Doubt she needs Walsh to keep her ‘aware’.

Comment by Happy Returns Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 12:08 pm
That ad deserves a better candidate.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 12:14 pm
~it is hard to demonize a war hero.~

Max Cleland, anyone?

Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 12:14 pm
I think Mr. Walsh’s adds are a prime example of a terrible product promoted by good advertising.

Comment by Waldi Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 12:15 pm
Oh he’s a “different” kind of leader alright…

Comment by Boone's is Back Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 12:42 pm
I’d compare the Super PAC to toy maker Irwin Mainway (Dan Aykroyd) trying in vain to defend some of his nastier products for children with Joe Walsh staring as the infamous “Bag of glass shards.”

Comment by Mouthy Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 12:58 pm
Very attractively-edited spot, nice technique, but a lot of cognitive dissonance when compared to any news coverage of Walsh opening his mouth. He can run all the spots he wants but the earned media coverage on him is overwhelmingly negative, and I don’t think feel-good spots can do enough to white-wash him before November. The ending headshot also looks just a little bit creepy because of the wide-angle lens.

Comment by Newsclown Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 12:59 pm
==it is hard to demonize a war hero.==
=Max Cleland, anyone?=
Absolutely. And John Kerry. I just think Democrats now do a better job at fighting back against attacks on war heroes than they used to (example: the reaction the dumb things Walsh said about Duckworth earlier in the campaign). And if it was easy to demonize a war hero, then the SuperPAC would be doing so. Instead, the SuperPAC decided it’d actually be easier to run a positive ad about Joe Walsh, which is no easy task!

Comment by Robert the Bruce Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 1:05 pm
Steelman AND Walsh? Wouldn’t it be easier just to flush their money down the toilet?

Comment by Boone Logan Square Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 1:07 pm
===is that a picture of Suzi Schmidt in the AD? ===

Sure looks like her.

Wow.

Don’tcha just love out of state doofuses who think they know everything about the states they work?

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 1:10 pm
The 8th has a large Asian population, but not all Asians are Sunni Muslims. Walsh’s comments on Radical Islam will play well among non-Muslim Asians recalling Chicago’s David Headley and the Mumbai attack. Also note the Shia Community is holding a demonstration Friday in front of the Pak istani Consulate to protest murders by Radical Islamists of Shia Muslims at the rate of three a day in Pakistan. Note Walsh marched and was well received in the India Independence day parade on Devon. Duckworth talked about “white peoples” insecurities at the Villa Park Center, but Walsh’s words are intended for the ears of constituents with non-European heritages and most with family back home still confronting Radical Sunni extremists. I think it will make the difference for him in the race. As a footnote, Duckworth speaks in California on the 27th at Santa Monica College. I assume she’s out west raising money. That strikes me as a mistake regardless how much she rakes in.

Comment by Bill Baar Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 1:29 pm
the tribune posted their ed board interviews with candidates for congress in the general election.

-the walsh duckworth one is the best. walsh sits their like bluto on a fraternity couch and spent most of the 75 minutes talking and jabbing duckworth. He throws a few jabs at hultgren and says “no republican would beat me in a primary”. What comes off in the interview as well is how unprepared and inarticulate of a candidate duckworth is. She’s not a neophyte now and she really couldn’t get beyond whatever her consultants put in her mouth, couldn’t respond to jabs, mumbled. She has a nice story, but she’s not ready for primetime.

-It’s interesting this pac would support walsh, steelman was the moderate in that race and lost to akin, and I can’t imagine the kind of republican that would back walsh and her. Perhaps a moderate businessman from chicago who hates duckworth and also had a tie to the st louis pol establishment.

Comment by Shore Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 1:37 pm
What percentage of Republicans keep their term limit pledges? Biggert pledged and reneged. Did Shimkus? Tim Johnson?

And what does it mean for Walsh to turn down his pension? He’s got to pay into the system no matter what, right? So, saying he’s not taking his pension is just words until he’s eligible, right?

Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 3:52 pm
“Now or Never PAC”

I’ll take “Never”

Comment by walkinfool Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 4:42 pm
One of the reasons I despise Walsh is because he is so good at politics. He is good enough to win again. That would be such a waste.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Sep 19, 12 @ 8:57 pm