Bush Campaign Plans Break in Its Television Commercials

[UpInArms]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/17/politics/17ads.html?ex=1088049600&?en=5c079950cc4c424b&?ei=5062&?partner=GOOGLE

WASHINGTON, June 16 - President Bush's campaign said Wednesday that it would stop running commercials for several days starting next week, the first significant halt in his advertising campaign since it began on March 4.

The pause would seem to bring to a close Mr. Bush's springtime strategy of broadcasting a relentless and precisely planned set of commercials. They were devised to send voters into the summer vacation season with the perception that Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, was a high-taxing, flip-flopping liberal who was weak on defense.

<snip>

In Mr. Bush's latest advertisement, an announcer ticks off the president's economic accomplishments and criticizes Mr. Kerry as pessimistic. Advisers to Mr. Bush said the commercial would stop running on network television stations in the 19 states where he has primarily been advertising starting Sunday. They said the commercial would continue to run on cable channels through June 24.

The advisers did not indicate how long the pause would last, though Nicolle Devenish, Mr. Bush's campaign communications director, said it would be a matter of days, not weeks.

Some campaign officials hinted earlier in the week that a pause could last until at least a few days after the June 30 deadline for the United States to hand over limited sovereignty to Iraqis, but Ms. Devenish said no date had been set for a resumption of commercials.

...more...

What? Have they run out of ways to spin their bullshit sale of this cretin? Nah, they will just come up with something even more dangerous and dirty.

[Skip Intro]

1. This telegraphs much, imho.

First, I think this is an admission that the ads weren't working. If bush were hurting Kerry with these ads, do you have any doubt they'd continue. They are re-thinking things, and starting to wonder, for the first time I'll bet, if maybe there are some things that can't be bought, no matter how much money you throw at it.

The other thing that seems clear is that they are going to try to use the "handover" of Iraqi power to the installed Iraqi authorities as bush's big chance to turn things around. We are going to witness an event, I'm sure. And I have no doubt it will go over just as well as the "mission accomplished" gala.

[dusty64]

9. True but the

article seems to give the impression that they were wildly effective. Whatever!

[Beetwasher]

2. IOW, They Were Completey Ineffective

And they have to regroup.

Let's face it. The commercials were total duds and did nothing. Kerry is going into the summer with an amazing and historic lead and Bush ads at best only stopped him from plummeting furhther and possibly hurt him.

They will rely on other orgs to run ads in the interim. Real doozy's comparing the Chimp to Reagan. One's that he doesn't have to say he endorses.

Honestly, I'm psyched about this. Those Reagan ads will merely be the next in a series of profound and embarrassing PR blunders.

[grytpype]

3. They are planning a HUGE media event for the "handover."

Huge. Honor guards marching, flyovers... I'm talking Reagan Funeral big.

That's why they are saving their money until then.

[daleo]

4. If the handover ceremony is in Baghdad

They better have incredible security, because you know that will be one hell of a target.

[DoYouEverWonder]

8. So will flyboy parachute into the middle of the ceremonies

I can't wait to see what the big banner will say.

[Lugnut]

20. Oh, I hope!

I'd set the VCR for that.

[Tight_rope]

6. "Planning a HUGE media event for the "handover."? Bomb time again!

[Justice]

10. These People Are Truly Crazy

Why not just do it quietly and then talk about it as an ongoing process - which is really what it is.

consider how success the big media splash for "Mission Accomplished" was.

[Beetwasher]

14. They Don't Learn! And I'm Loving It! Mission Accomplished on

steroids and brown acid. This will blow up in their faces like nothing before it...Ha Ha!

[0007]

29. junior's having a bad trip for sure, give the sucker another

brown tab.

[progressivebydesign]

24. I've been saying that for months!! The "Indenpendence Day" hoopla!

This is WHY Bush/Rove have been pushing the June 30th date. It's close to July 4th.. it will give them that Mom & Apple Pie July 4th vibe. Regardless of how much disarray and carnage is still going on, no matter how many years our troops will STILL be there, they are doing this for three reasons:

1) Photo op near Independence Day
2) So Bush can go on vacation again this year
3) So Bush can use this for political gain in the heavy election season.

[Tight_rope]

5. They mean that they have to work on the new lies that they will use...

on the new commercials. I'll bet both my big toes that the new commercials will focus on criticizing Kerry.

I know I'll keep my big toes.:beer:

[Hamlette]

7. wonder if some bad news is coming for Bush

that was my first reaction. . .prez doesn't look so good bashing his opponent when it comes out he ordered torture, or he outed a CIA agent...

maybe just my wishful thinking but I think something bad is gonna happen soon. Something they can't spin.

[Dhalgren]

11. The new Bush commercials will drop all the bullshit

and go straight to "support our wonderful leader because God loves him and he loves you". They will be big special effects "mini-documantaries" about how our Great Leader shoulders the burdens for his children (citizens) - ala "Sleeper". He has no other option besides going for broke; "Democracy" without supreme leadership is Godless and therefore "bad", but with our Great Leader guiding us to God's will, we will be that shining city on a hill, etc., etc., blah-blah-blah. I would really love to see a 100 million dollar melt down on national tee-vee. Have the pundicrats avoiding eye-contact and shaking their heads over "too many burdens and too much stress", "a good man, but overwhelmed by events"; that sort of thing.

[DFWJock]

12. "The president's economic accomplishments"

Huh? Did I miss something????

[Thor_MN]

31. The tag line at the end is "Pessimism never created a single job."

Whereby I have to yell at the TV "You have over a million to go before you do, Dumbass...."

[underpants]

13. Time for yet another "Campaign kickoff"?

:eyes:

[Tellurian]

15. Besides all the other reasons mentioned above...it could be pure economics

Clinton and Moore will be big news for the next few weeks.
Saving their money for the next spinathon..

while hoping for a "fresh" approach.

[gratuitous]

16. I like the "pure economics" approach

Kerry's been raising funds like crazy, and the Bushistas have been burning through their funds in similar fashion. If the ads had been effective, Stupidhead would keep running them. But they're not; he's trailing in every poll and the Democrats haven't even held their convention yet.

The Bush campaign is in trouble on several fronts, and money is just one of them. Kerry has a chance to really lock in his lead and start building his constituency in states that the campaign might formerly have thought unattainable.

Bush is floundering; let's throw him an anchor or two.

[Beetwasher]

18. And Kerry Is VERY Wisely Holding Back His Spending

He doesn't need to spend right now, or is doing so selectively...So many other outlets are doing the job for him he can hold back and have enough money going into the home stretch to really go toe to toe w/ Chimpy. Very wise move on his part.

[kungfugrip]

33. sounds like what Dean did in Iowa and N.H.

[daa]

17. Iraq handover as big a scam

as going to war with Iraq in the first place. What mileage do they get from this? I say zero becuase nobody cares and July 4, 2004 it will still be Americans paying with their dollars and lives for this shitheads stupidy.

[David__77]

19. I wish they weren't stopping.

They've blown so much already, with minimal effect outside of their own "base." I certainly hope they continue spending at a high rate.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

21. More exposure is now HURTING the GOP. I recommend donating!

Every time my mother tells me she's sent more money to Kerry and Kucinich I joke with her that I've sent money to the Bush*/Cheney campaign to keep up their negatives from their lousy ads.

[ElementaryPenguin]

22. He'll film the next spots wearing his newly tailored Reagan costume...

Perhaps incorporating another flight suit & supported by some computer graphic showing brave commander Bunnypants actually manning one of the fire hoses that doused the evil 9-11 flames!

:evilgrin:
:puke:

[arwalden]

23. Five Words: Pig. Lipstick. Still. Not. Pretty.

[opihimoimoi]

25. Pig speeches, pig ads, pig photos, pig plans, pig excuses, pig shit

all not, NOT working, just blew 80 million$$$$ polls got worse instead.

Pig just don get it. Most Americans know pig shit when they see it, smell it: Bush is Pig Shit.

[arwalden]

26. Pig Shit? Hey! That's *MY* Pejorative!!

Well... okay it's not really MINE... I just like to use it too.

-- Allen

[opihimoimoi]

27. LOL, Pig Shit is contagious, its gone Ebolaesque for Gods Sake

Its everywhere!

Come, we go drink, my treat.

[opihimoimoi]

28. oops , dupe

[moondust]

30. Will dump truckloads of $10 bills on bonfire instead.

"It's a lot faster and easier this way," said a spokesperson.

[Thor_MN]

32. To make room for the new Reagan $10s????