Five Myths About Campaign Ads

zachvaughn:

Each election cycle we get news stories about campaign ads, particularly negative ads, and their role in elections. University of Michigan prof Ted Brader has done a good job of addressing some of the more common myths about campaign advertising:

1. Negative ads are more effective than positive ones. And of course, vice versa, which is something I’ve talked about before here and here. Prof Bader also makes a good point about the diversity of ads (ads aren’t just negative or positive - usually a mix of both). The type of ad one uses and its topic has more impact on voters than whether the ads is positive or negative (Source).

2. Campaign ads are uninformative. It’s a constant theme that political ads are banal, nasty, etc. and don’t tell the voters anything. One of the reasons I like “negative” ads is that they are usually more informative, and you also have contrast ads. Prof Bader makes two good points here: 1) ads boost name recognition at the very least and 2) ads provide voters with information about the policy differences between candidates that media outlets rarely cover.

3. Less-informed voters are more easily swayed by ads. This is something I have seen expressed on Twitter with regards to the Texas Senate race, and of course, it’s not true. Political psychology doesn’t just affect the uninformed and uneducated - see Drew Westen’s The Political Brain.

4. A candidate should respond to an attack ad with a counterattack on the same issue. This is a more nuanced myth; it may occasionally be necessary to pursue this strategy, but the myth is that one should always respond on the same issue. It’s better to stay on message.

5. News organizations neutralize misleading ads by fact-checking them. Fact-checking can provide some useful information, and in other cases, they’re kind of ridiculous. Regardless, partisans will generally dismiss or accept fact-checks depending on whether they fit the partisan’s beliefs.

(h/t: MonkeyCage)

In this new series, we will attempt to explore the main characters evolving around the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court decision. Each “card” will represent a character who symbolize one aspect of the Citizen United case. These characters in fact are either directly linked to the case or are acting against or in favor of it. The full consequences of that decision still have to be determined as the 2012 Presidential campaign is still very much in its beginning. Yet, we can already evaluate the tremendous impact that Super PACs have on campaigns and political communication. KARL ROVE | Political Consultant, Founder of American Crossroads The former Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Bush administration is a long time conservative figure. He’s currently adviser and board member of American Crossroads, a 527 organization that has raised and spent tens of millions of dollars to defend and elect Republican candidates to federal office. According to Opensecret.org,  American Crossroads is a conservative group spearheaded by top Republican operatives. Karl Rove, the former top strategist for President George W. Bush, and former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie encouraged the group’s formation and solicited donors for funds. Formed in 2010, American Crossroads initially reported its activities to the Internal Revenue Service as a so-called 527 organization. After the SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission federal court rule, which allowed outside groups that expressly advocate for or against federal candidates to raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions and individuals, American Crossroads registered with the FEC as an independent expenditure-only committee, better than as a super PAC. Steven Law — who previously worked in Bush’s Labor Department, served as Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell’s chief of staff, was the executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and served as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s general counsel — heads the group. It regularly disclosed its donors, but Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, a spin-off registered with the IRS as a 501(c)4 nonprofit group, does not.  See the numbers here American Crossroads is very active during this Presidential Campaign and since the Republican Primaries are over, the organization starts to attack Mitt Romney’s opponent, Barack Obama.  According to Politico reporter Robin Bravender,  The Karl Rove-backed super PAC American Crossroads picked up steam in fundraising last month, raking in $4.6 million and stockpiling nearly $30 million to use against President Barack Obama and other Democrats. American Crossroads raised more in May than it has in any month since January after raising less than $2 million in both March and April. But despite the slight dropoff in recent months, the super PAC has continued to grow its cash reserves by spending relatively little. Read more on politico.com Part of the Rove’s organization, Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (Crossroads GPS) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation that works in conjunction with American Crossroads. As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, Crossroads GPS’s primary purpose is the advancement of social welfare including public policy advocacy, although it is permitted to engage in political spending as well. Crossroads GPS is required to report what it spends, but it is not required to publicly disclose any donor information. Mid june 2012, in a letter to Crossroads — and a complaint to the Federal Elections Commission — the president’s lawyer, Robert F. Bauer, demanded that Crossroads divulge its donors because it is a political committee and not, as it calls itself, a “social welfare” organization. The GOP-aligned group Crossroads GPS has spent $7 million to air a new ad attacking President Barack Obama for “growing our debt faster than our economy.” The ad, called “Stopwatch,” begins airing in 10 states on Tuesday night. It is part of a $25 million effort to focus national attention on jobs, the economy, taxes and debt. (Read more on the Huffington Post) Next Post: Stephen Colbert
View Separately

In this new series, we will attempt to explore the main characters evolving around the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court decision. Each “card” will represent a character who symbolize one aspect of the Citizen United case.

These characters in fact are either directly linked to the case or are acting against or in favor of it. The full consequences of that decision still have to be determined as the 2012 Presidential campaign is still very much in its beginning. Yet, we can already evaluate the tremendous impact that Super PACs have on campaigns and political communication.

KARL ROVE | Political Consultant, Founder of American Crossroads

The former Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Bush administration is a long time conservative figure. He’s currently adviser and board member of American Crossroads, a 527 organization that has raised and spent tens of millions of dollars to defend and elect Republican candidates to federal office.

According to Opensecret.org, 

American Crossroads is a conservative group spearheaded by top Republican operatives. Karl Rove, the former top strategist for President George W. Bush, and former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie encouraged the group’s formation and solicited donors for funds. Formed in 2010, American Crossroads initially reported its activities to the Internal Revenue Service as a so-called 527 organization. After the SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission federal court rule, which allowed outside groups that expressly advocate for or against federal candidates to raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions and individuals, American Crossroads registered with the FEC as an independent expenditure-only committee, better than as a super PAC. Steven Law — who previously worked in Bush’s Labor Department, served as Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell’s chief of staff, was the executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and served as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s general counsel — heads the group. It regularly disclosed its donors, but Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, a spin-off registered with the IRS as a 501(c)4 nonprofit group, does not. 

See the numbers here

American Crossroads is very active during this Presidential Campaign and since the Republican Primaries are over, the organization starts to attack Mitt Romney’s opponent, Barack Obama. 

According to Politico reporter Robin Bravender, 

The Karl Rove-backed super PAC American Crossroads picked up steam in fundraising last month, raking in $4.6 million and stockpiling nearly $30 million to use against President Barack Obama and other Democrats. American Crossroads raised more in May than it has in any month since January after raising less than $2 million in both March and April. But despite the slight dropoff in recent months, the super PAC has continued to grow its cash reserves by spending relatively little. 
Read more on politico.com

Part of the Rove’s organization, Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (Crossroads GPS) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation that works in conjunction with American Crossroads. As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, Crossroads GPS’s primary purpose is the advancement of social welfare including public policy advocacy, although it is permitted to engage in political spending as well. Crossroads GPS is required to report what it spends, but it is not required to publicly disclose any donor information.

Mid june 2012, in a letter to Crossroads — and a complaint to the Federal Elections Commission — the president’s lawyer, Robert F. Bauer, demanded that Crossroads divulge its donors because it is a political committee and not, as it calls itself, a “social welfare” organization.

The GOP-aligned group Crossroads GPS has spent $7 million to air a new ad attacking President Barack Obama for “growing our debt faster than our economy.”

The ad, called “Stopwatch,” begins airing in 10 states on Tuesday night. It is part of a $25 million effort to focus national attention on jobs, the economy, taxes and debt. (Read more on the Huffington Post)

Next Post: Stephen Colbert

In this new series, we will attempt to explore the main characters evolving around the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court decision. Each “card” will represent a character who symbolize one aspect of the Citizen United case. These characters in fact are either directly linked to the case or are acting against or in favor of it. The full consequences of that decision still have to be determined as the 2012 Presidential campaign is still very much in its beginning. Yet, we can already evaluate the tremendous impact that Super PACs have on campaigns and political communication. BARACK OBAMA | 44th President of the United States  As a politician, Barack Obama faces the same constraints when it comes to the elections. The 44th President of the U.S needs to raise money if he hopes to win the general election in November. Problem, a week after the Citizens United decision, during the State of the Union Presidential address, Barack Obama clearly stated that he was against the Supreme Court justices ruling: “Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign companies — to spend without limit in our elections,” Obama said tonight. “Well, I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, and worse, by foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people, and that’s why I’m urging Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to right this wrong.” (Read mor on L.A Times) As a result, in May 2012,  The pro-Barack Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action is still struggling to keep up with GOP super PACs preparing to unleash millions of dollars in independent advertisements. Priorities USA Action raised $1.6 million in April, according to federal records released late Sunday. It’s the smallest haul the group has pulled in since the meager $59,000 the group raised in January. (Read More on Politico) Not surprisingly, wealthy liberal donors are reluctant to give to a Super PAC the President himself didn’t backed in the first place. His strategy is to adapt the successful 2008 grassroot campaign to the needs of the 2012 election, focusing on getting people involved more than high-dollar fundraiser.  At the end of the day, these efforts to raise money will probably make Barack Obama the first Billion dollar President (in terms of campaign money).
View Separately

In this new series, we will attempt to explore the main characters evolving around the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court decision. Each “card” will represent a character who symbolize one aspect of the Citizen United case.

These characters in fact are either directly linked to the case or are acting against or in favor of it. The full consequences of that decision still have to be determined as the 2012 Presidential campaign is still very much in its beginning. Yet, we can already evaluate the tremendous impact that Super PACs have on campaigns and political communication.

BARACK OBAMA | 44th President of the United States 

As a politician, Barack Obama faces the same constraints when it comes to the elections. The 44th President of the U.S needs to raise money if he hopes to win the general election in November. Problem, a week after the Citizens United decision, during the State of the Union Presidential address, Barack Obama clearly stated that he was against the Supreme Court justices ruling:

“Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign companies — to spend without limit in our elections,” Obama said tonight. “Well, I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, and worse, by foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people, and that’s why I’m urging Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to right this wrong.” (Read mor on L.A Times)

As a result, in May 2012, 

The pro-Barack Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action is still struggling to keep up with GOP super PACs preparing to unleash millions of dollars in independent advertisements.

Priorities USA Action raised $1.6 million in April, according to federal records released late Sunday. It’s the smallest haul the group has pulled in since the meager $59,000 the group raised in January. (Read More on Politico)

Not surprisingly, wealthy liberal donors are reluctant to give to a Super PAC the President himself didn’t backed in the first place. 
His strategy is to adapt the successful 2008 grassroot campaign to the needs of the 2012 election, focusing on getting people involved more than high-dollar fundraiser. 

At the end of the day, these efforts to raise money will probably make Barack Obama the first Billion dollar President (in terms of campaign money).