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* Press release…
The Kennedy-Joy campaign will begin airing a new ad tomorrow on broadcast TV in the Chicago market and the ad will be released digitally statewide.
The ad highlights the broken property tax system that our state relies on to fund education. It’s consistent with Chris’s message about the need for property tax reform and the need to fully and fairly fund education at the state level. Chris was the first candidate to bring voice to this issue and just last week he released a comprehensive statewide property tax reform plan.
No word yet on how much the buy is for, but Kennedy ended December with about $737K in the bank and raised $428K since then ($250K from himself). However, the guy has a horrible burn rate. He spent $1.6 million in three months last quarter - mainly on his own operations - so if that rate continued into January he has about $632K cash on hand.
…Adding... From comments…
wasn’t 500k of the 1.6 million to adelstein for an ad buy? and 90k was to P2 which included a lot of quarter 3 backpay. so maybe his burn rate was *only 1 million- he should have 200k more on hand than 632k
OK, so it’s $800K. That’s a somewhat decent week of Chicago TV. And then he’s flat busted.
* Here’s the spot…
Rate it.
* Script from the campaign…
Chris Kennedy: We need…change. not incremental change
but radical change…Chris Kennedy: We must change the way we fund our schools…
and abandon a system that relies predominately on property taxes to do so.Chris Kennedy: it’s crippling our schools, its crippling our economy
The Middle class ends up paying too much in taxes and the wealthiest end up paying way too little.
Springfield will oppose me with everything they’ve got because they know I’m not afraid to change the system.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 1:51 pm
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“We need… change. Not incremental change but radical change…”
But enough about my campaign…
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 1:59 pm
“Springfield”? is he gonna jump on the Madigan bashing bandwagon?
Comment by Sharky Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:05 pm
wasn’t 500k of the 1.6 million to adelstein for an ad buy? and 90k was to P2 which included a lot of quarter 3 backpay. so maybe his burn rate was *only 1 million- he should have 200k more on hand than 632k
Comment by MushroomEater Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:06 pm
Meh.
Bruce Rauner did more with the same exact scripting.
Radical change? That’s some serious Radical Candor.
I give it a “B”
“Why”
If you’re going to be the Bruce Rauner candidate and run the Bruce Rauner scripting, and try to be the Bruce Rauner outsider, this :30 second ad missed the whole point…
… he’s a Kennedy, and he’s ignoring that juice to boost the ad.
Why on earth you’d choose the Rauner and Raunerite lingo over being a Kennedy and the soaring rhetoric is a head scratcher… unless you are co-opted by Rauner.
It’s still a “B”, just like it would be a “B” for Bruce Rauner.
There’s my radical opinion.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:06 pm
Wow. He’s running on change. Never heard that before……snore……zzzzzzzzzzzz
Comment by Saluki Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:07 pm
Reminds me of that old song “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late.”
Also, did anyone else get a YouTube clip following the ad of Rauner and JB acting all buddy-buddy and touting their investment acumen to an interviewer? (It’s a few years old lol)
Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:08 pm
===We need…change. not incremental change
but radical change…===
Great. Another out of touch inexperienced politician who thinks we are all rubes. Seriously. I guess the Rod and Bruce garbage can get them elected, but not you Chris.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:11 pm
It cut off leaving me feeling there was more but time and cash ran out, so half an ad is all there was.
I will say that this is the first I’ve heard Kennedy sound like a Kennedy.
Comment by Cindy Lou Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:11 pm
Nothing like a little summer time b-roll in the middle of winter.
Comment by Summertime Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:15 pm
This guy is like nails on chalkboard at this point. I really can’t stand the pejorative use of “Springfield”… it’s just lazy and dumb.
Comment by Concerned Dem Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:19 pm
Too late. I have already tuned Kennedy out. Too many missteps.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:21 pm
Why does he always sound like he’s on the verge of tears?
Comment by Sharon Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:22 pm
For whatever reason I think Chris is much closer to capturing the mood of the electorate and is addressing their real world concerns better than any of the other candidates right now. This ad is an example of that. Also, for those old enough to remember them in action, the thundering (unseen) voice from the podium is very reminiscent of his father’s and uncle’s campaign style. Extra bang for the buck there. I give this ad an A- grade. He’s at least trying to give people reasons they should vote for him by attacking the system– not just demonizing other individuals he’s running against or having to defend himself at every turn.
Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:22 pm
He’s blowing the last pile of campaign money he has on property tax reform? I’m not sure what I would pick as Illinois’ top problem, but I doubt I’d name property tax reform.
Comment by Christopher Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:27 pm
===I doubt I’d name property tax reform.===
Maybe. But then again, I just got my property tax bill in the mail yesterday, so at least his timing is great.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:39 pm
==For whatever reason I think Chris is much closer to capturing the mood of the electorate and is addressing their real world concerns better than any of the other candidates right now.==
Too bad the electorate disagrees.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:40 pm
47th Ward: Understood.
But I think in my mind Illinois’ biggest problem is who the Governor is right now.
Comment by Christopher Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:40 pm
I’m disappointed in the current Governor’s performance as well but it’s clear that he’s not Illinois’ biggest problem. The issues began well before he entered the picture and unfortunately will continue beyond his departure.
Comment by cgo75 Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:46 pm
Ich bin confused: Is a future spot going to say what that “radical change” that we need is?
Because this one does not.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:48 pm
Was anyone else bugged by the echo in the audio?
Comment by SweetLou86 Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 2:50 pm
cgo75- Of course issues began before Rauner and issues will be around after Rauner but my god man, Rauner has made things so much worse.
Bond rating downgrades, 1B interest on debt, bill backlog, corruption with no bid contracts and leases, lies too numerous to count. The “issues” he has given us will be around for decades.
Comment by don the legend Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 3:08 pm
Agree with @responsa, his voice and accent are reminiscent of his father and uncle(s). That did resonate.
Excuse me for asking, but didn’t IL pass very important and wide-ranging changes to its formula for school funding last summer (SB 1947)? How long did it take the sponsors/writers to work that legislation until it became law?
I don’t get why he’s harping on K-12 education - IL has done about as much as it can with the EBM of school funding for quite a few years to come.
Re: problems (apart from BVR as gov)
I have yet to hear any candidate D or R explain in detail what their plan for paying down the pension debt is - isn’t that kind of key to the state’s financial health? Is this topic taboo? Too hot to handle? Nobody has the courage? Nobody has a clue?
Comment by dbk Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 3:18 pm
The ad is a radical change from the last few weeks for the campaign.
A-
Comment by Red fish blue fish Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 3:19 pm
I agree with Willy. It’s a solid B, which is way better than his first ad which was weak. If this was one of two or three in rotation it might have a decent impact. But he needs a game changer and this is very conventional. It’s one and done so it probably won’t move the needle much at all.
Comment by Anon0091 Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 3:39 pm
Rolling out in Chicago would be a boneheaded move. Plenty of JB, anti-JB and Biss ads on TV 24/7. It’s possible that spending the money to advertise downstate and in certain radio markets would influence as many, if not more voters than in Cook County and conserve what little COH they have.
Knowing how well the Kennedy camp thinks, it’s possible they’ll blow the entire thing on Chicago in one week.
As for the content, meh. Kennedy has moved from talking about big picture state-level issues (gun violence and education) to stuff he’d have little control over as governor (Cook County prop taxes) and bizarre moves (praising Rauner, calling Rahm a racist, not complimenting JB). This ad fits into that sad pattern, as far as I’m concerned. C- with a curve.
Comment by TKMH Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 3:46 pm
Why does his ad say Springfield opposes him? I thought from all his recent public statements his fight was with Berrios and Rahm. Not Springfield.
Such a muddled message.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 3:47 pm
Alexa — mute.
Comment by IllinoisBoi Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 3:50 pm
==I have yet to hear any candidate D or R explain in detail what their plan for paying down the pension debt is - isn’t that kind of key to the state’s financial health?==
Some don’t want to pay it down, they want to think of something that will get us out of paying. Some just want to pay it down by the terms of the Edgar Ramp or something similar. Neither one is that interesting of an answer. And a large, bipartisan majority just wants to be quiet about it all anyway.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 3:58 pm
===I agree with Willy.===
That Kennedy is running an ad that co-ops Rauner talking points?
Hmm.
If you agree that Kennedy is Rauner’s candidate, ok.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 4:01 pm
==I have yet to hear any candidate D or R explain in detail what their plan for paying down the pension debt is - isn’t that kind of key to the state’s financial health? Is this topic taboo? Too hot to handle? Nobody has the courage? Nobody has a clue?==
Biss tried before his uber-leftward turn. It didn’t get him far, politically.
Comment by TKMH Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 4:03 pm
==It’s possible that spending the money to advertise downstate and in certain radio markets would influence as many, if not more voters than in Cook County and conserve what little COH they have.==
That’s a good point. I also think there’s large pockets of downstate ConservaDems who would be open to his message and impressed with the Kennedy namesake.
But here we are. I think he sees his “base”- that is, the people who will carry lit for him- as African Americans (just as it’s unions for JB and liberal activists for Biss).
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 4:04 pm
**It’s possible that spending the money to advertise downstate and in certain radio markets would influence as many, if not more voters than in Cook County and conserve what little COH they have.**
Uhhh… no. The vast majority of the voters are in the Chicago media market. Going up outside of the Chicago market and not in Chicago would be an incredibly foolish and ineffecient use of his money.
Comment by SaulGoodman Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 4:11 pm
Don’t want to be brutal here, but Harvey Korman (the actor from Carol Burnett and Blazing Saddles) was once quoted as saying he could never play a likable character because he simply didn’t have the look or voice for such a role.
That idea keeps coming back to me as I watch Kennedy try his hand in politics.
Comment by Downstate Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 4:17 pm
Which ever candidate wins downstate will win the primary. The history of the Democratic Party gubernatorial primaries is voting to a draw in Cook County and the collars and they head downstate and the campaign that took downstate the most serious wins. The campaign that says all the voters are in Cook and that’s where all the money goes - they lose.
Comment by Downstate D Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 4:18 pm
How many Kennedys running for elective office have lost?
Just wondering if the family will come to the rescue as they have other Kennedys on the East Coast.
Thoughts anyone?
Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 4:20 pm
@Commonsense in Illinois,
Off the top of my head, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend lost for Maryland governor in 2002. Teddy lost the 1980 nomination as well. Shriver as part of the losing 1972 ticket is a stretch but could count.
Comment by TKMH Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 4:23 pm
@ TKMH
Good points. I’d take Kathleen’s gubernatorial race as comparable. I think the presidency is a whole level separate from anything else.
So, I’m wondering if the family will reach out to Chris Kennedy as they normally do? I haven’t seen much if any family in the state.
Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 4:30 pm
We are less than two months from the primaries. What are the latest polls showing? Anybody have inside scoop to dish on the governor, attorney General, congress, state rep, senator races?
Comment by Al Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 5:04 pm
I love ‘radical change.’
“Less reliance on property taxes to fund schools” is not a radical idea.
It is not a new idea.
It is not Chris Kennedy’s idea.
It is an idea that has a been around since atleast 1994. And the chief architect of school funding reform, the champion of school refunding reforn is Senator Andy Manar. And Manar believes that Pritzker is the guy to get the job done.
Kennedy just isn’t terribly believable on this issue.
I am not even gonna go into the questionable decision to put your candidate in slow motion with his mouth gaping. Because nothing really says “radical change” like slow motion close-ups of a guy in a suit.
Not one picket, parade or March?
Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 5:30 pm
-Radical Change-
Hey Chris, legalizing recreational cannabis would be radical change compared to current policy. Oh yea, you are against recreational cannabis. I guess you are not for radical change like you say you are.
Comment by Illinois Resident Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 6:15 pm
–Don’t want to be brutal here, but Harvey Korman (the actor from Carol Burnett and Blazing Saddles) was once quoted as saying he could never play a likable character because he simply didn’t have the look or voice for such a role. That idea keeps coming back to me as I watch Kennedy try his hand in politics.–
I think you are spot on. Kennedy has little to no charisma. Furthermore, his policies are subpar to bad.
Comment by Illinois Resident Tuesday, Jan 30, 18 @ 6:53 pm
I don’t know. I kinda, if I had to pick one of the lonesome three, thought I might like Kennedy the most. Then the DNC gives us yet another Kennedy. Enough is enough. Sorry.
Comment by blue dog dem Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 4:23 am
So, Kennedy is declaring war on Springfield? I guess the Democrats would have another governor who wants to come in as an adversary instead of working cooperatively towards change? That doesn’t seem like a winning theme.
Comment by Aldyth Wednesday, Jan 31, 18 @ 7:09 am