"I'm SoAndSo, and I approve this message": Is that required by law or is it simply a custom ?

[steve2470]

I know it got started with campaign commercials years ago, but I forget why. Anyone know ? Thank you kindly in advance.

[Recursion]

1. It's part of McCain Feingold

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_by_Your_Ad_provision

[steve2470]

2. ok thank you Recursion! I hope the monkeys are respecting the cabana! :) nt

[Arkansas Granny]

3. I've often wondered about those monkeys.

That was one of the best posts I've read on DU.

[Recursion]

4. I like to think they're sipping banana daiquiris at Bollywood afterparties

More realistically, they probably just went back to the national park.

I do love that that little memoir seems to have made a lot of people happy

[Karma13612]

5. Not sure. But, for me

It clearly indicates that the candidate themselves are aware of and rubber-stamped the ad.

All other ads are dubious to me.

[steve2470]

6. Recursion nailed it, it's McCain-Feingold campaign finance law nt

[Karma13612]

7. Thanks! I just read the wiki link.

And am very disheartened that the subsequent attempt to require superpac spokespeople to appear at the end of their ads did not pass the Senate.

But at least we have a partial step.