Sept. 11, 2010
Political Analysis 2010: Manchin's First TV Ad of the General Election
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
Joe Manchin is generating talk about his first TV ad of the fall campaign for U.S. Senate campaign, but not in the way he had hoped. People around the state are curious as to why their Governor seems addled so early in the race against Republican John Raese.
In the ad, Manchin is shown in an almost exaggerated close-up, looking either into the camera or the teleprompter, depending on one's angle. The ad is a thirty second gripe against Raese, who has been running hard-hitting, issue-based ads lately on Manchin and his support of President Obama's healthcare plan.
But instead of bringing out a specific charge against Raese, Manchin states generalized attacks, saying that Raese is "tearing me down." He goes on to defend his record as Governor, claiming that he's spent six years Governor, "tackling our greatest challenges" and that his administration has succeeded in those challenges.
"The Governor appears rather spooked, doesn't he? This really is a strange ad, especially so early on," said Jack Ellis, HNN's chief political analyst. "It just comes across as so defensive, which is worrisome to some of the Manchin people I've talked with. Here's a guy who is a two term Governor, the early favorite in this race, yet he frankly looks like he's running scared. I don't know who's advising the Governor, but this ad doesn't exactly build confidence in the people he needs to vote for him."
"The other point here is that for the Governor to go negative so soon indicates that he thinks he's in real trouble," said Ellis. "This kind of ' personal attack ad is something you don't usually see until the last weeks of the campaign, mostly because people don't like them. Raese's ads have been tough but issue-oriented. Manchin answering with this odd ad just looks like he can't take the heat. If after six years as Governor, you don't have more substance to talk about than this, well, you can draw your own conclusions. I mean, he says his administration has met the challenges, but he doesn't give any specifics at all."
"Voters on the fence in this race will look at this ad and conclude that their Governor just isn't ready for Washington, D.C.," said Ellis. "They play tough up there, and there's no room for a mama's boy whining about being hit with issues-based ads in a statewide race."
"Worse, if Manchin goes even more negative after this one, how will that look?" asked Ellis. "He's trying to appear like the martyr, the victim in this strange ad, but if he goes on the attack next time, he'll look very insincere and hypocritical. He's put himself in a box. This ranks as one of the worst starting ads of a fall campaign I can ever recall. The Governor has not been well-served by this ad. It makes you wonder about what's going on behind the scenes at Manchin's campaign about now."
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Political Analysis 2010: Manchin's First TV Ad of the General Election
By Huntingtonnews.net Staff
Joe Manchin is generating talk about his first TV ad of the fall campaign for U.S. Senate campaign, but not in the way he had hoped. People around the state are curious as to why their Governor seems addled so early in the race against Republican John Raese.
In the ad, Manchin is shown in an almost exaggerated close-up, looking either into the camera or the teleprompter, depending on one's angle. The ad is a thirty second gripe against Raese, who has been running hard-hitting, issue-based ads lately on Manchin and his support of President Obama's healthcare plan.
But instead of bringing out a specific charge against Raese, Manchin states generalized attacks, saying that Raese is "tearing me down." He goes on to defend his record as Governor, claiming that he's spent six years Governor, "tackling our greatest challenges" and that his administration has succeeded in those challenges.
"The Governor appears rather spooked, doesn't he? This really is a strange ad, especially so early on," said Jack Ellis, HNN's chief political analyst. "It just comes across as so defensive, which is worrisome to some of the Manchin people I've talked with. Here's a guy who is a two term Governor, the early favorite in this race, yet he frankly looks like he's running scared. I don't know who's advising the Governor, but this ad doesn't exactly build confidence in the people he needs to vote for him."
"The other point here is that for the Governor to go negative so soon indicates that he thinks he's in real trouble," said Ellis. "This kind of ' personal attack ad is something you don't usually see until the last weeks of the campaign, mostly because people don't like them. Raese's ads have been tough but issue-oriented. Manchin answering with this odd ad just looks like he can't take the heat. If after six years as Governor, you don't have more substance to talk about than this, well, you can draw your own conclusions. I mean, he says his administration has met the challenges, but he doesn't give any specifics at all."
"Voters on the fence in this race will look at this ad and conclude that their Governor just isn't ready for Washington, D.C.," said Ellis. "They play tough up there, and there's no room for a mama's boy whining about being hit with issues-based ads in a statewide race."
"Worse, if Manchin goes even more negative after this one, how will that look?" asked Ellis. "He's trying to appear like the martyr, the victim in this strange ad, but if he goes on the attack next time, he'll look very insincere and hypocritical. He's put himself in a box. This ranks as one of the worst starting ads of a fall campaign I can ever recall. The Governor has not been well-served by this ad. It makes you wonder about what's going on behind the scenes at Manchin's campaign about now."
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