Presidential campaign adverti$ing takes no August break

[Nambe]

WASHINGTON (AP)

In late summer when most people expect a break from presidential campaign ads, both sides in this year's White House race are blitzing the airwaves with more than $60 million worth of commercials.

Political campaigns traditionally spend less on advertising in August, when voters are thinking more about vacations and less about politics. But with the race between President Bush and John Kerry still tight, both sides are running wall-to-wall commercials in nearly two dozen competitive states and on national cable networks.

"The race is so close and it will be decided by so few voters in so few states that neither side can afford to go down," said Ken Goldstein, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor who studies campaign ads.

Bush is spending at least $28 million on TV and radio ads. Kerry is not advertising until September to save money, but the Democratic National Committee is spending more than $20 million on TV ads and other liberal groups have committed more than $11 million. Conservative groups also are on the air but to a much lower extent. ..

Ride Don’t Drive * * It’s Global Cool