Archives: June 2008

Even GOPers are Hoping To Ride Obama's Coattails

Posted by: David Kiley on June 25

You know it’s going to be a rough year for Republicans at the polls when a GOP Senator running for re-election tries to invoke an endorsement from Barack Obama in...

It's Uptown Saturday Night for Imus...Again.

Posted by: David Kiley on June 24

One might think after Don Imus was humiliated and fired last year from his radio and TV gigs for calling the Rutgers University Women's Basketball team, "nappy-headed hos," that he...

JCPenney Debuts 'Teenage Sex' ad - Or Someone Else Debuts It For Them?

Posted by: Burth Helm on June 23

There's an update to this post, below. Social conservatives have had a field day going after brands lately. Now JCPenney, with this ad from its "Every Day Matters" campaign, seems...

Celebrities Play God -- and So Can You

Posted by: Burth Helm on June 23

I’m a fan of Sporevote.com. It’s a promotional site for an upcoming video game from The Sims-creator Will Wright called Spore. The game has an inherent marketing problem. The site...

First Obama Ad Battles Elitist Tag

Posted by: David Kiley on June 19

Barack Obama released his first general election ad today. Slick and well written, the ad is as if the campaign staff ran down a checklist of the issues people report...

Moveon.org's Opening Ad Against McCain Rough. But Not as Rough As It Will Get.

Posted by: David Kiley on June 18

Much is being debated about whether the new anti-McCain ad produced by moveon.org has gone too far. Pundits as diverse as Bill O’Reilly and NBC’s Chuck Todd have said it...

Daisy Girl Revealed.

Posted by: David Kiley on June 18

Gotta Love the Net. I always thought that the little girl in the infamous 1964 "Daisy" ad run by the Johnson campaign against Barry Goldwater was the same girl who...

Obama Problem With Latinos: False Wisdom?

Posted by: David Kiley on June 17

Conventional wisdom has been that Presidential contender Barack Obama has a problem attracting Latinos. This idea was born from the advantage Hillary Clinton showed with latino voters in the California,...

"Daisy Ad" Tony Schwartz Dies. But Who's That Girl?

Posted by: David Kiley on June 17

Tony Schwartz, who helped create the infamous “daisy ad” that ran only once during the 1964 presidential race but changed political advertising forever, has died. He was 84. Schwartz died...

Russert Coverage Ups and Downs

Posted by: David Kiley on June 16

There is no question that the passing of Meet The Press's Tim Russert on Friday leaves a void in Sunday mornings. But it seemed a tad insensitive for www.politico.com's...

Barack Obama Smokes - But What Brand?

Posted by: Burth Helm on June 11

ABC News is reporting that Barack Obama smoked cigarettes in the past few months. A one-time "heavy smoker," he'd been trying to quit. As far as his presidential bid...

The Furor Over Online Polls

Posted by: Burth Helm on June 09

I’ve got a story in this week’s issue about online polling. While reporting it, I was amazed by all the controversy surrounding online surveys. They are the predominant method of...

McCain Golf Gear Shares Equal Billing With "Strategy?"

Posted by: David Kiley on June 09

Go to www.JohnMcCain.com and one item sticks out like a goiter. In a menu of key categories, there is "Strategy," "Decision Center," "General Election," and "Golf Gear." Golf Gear? McCain...

McCain Doubling Down On Military Service

Posted by: David Kiley on June 06

John McCain has begun to respond to Democratic attacks that he a candidate more about war than peace. This new ad, titled: “Safe,” includes biography about the McCain family’s long...

McCain's Town Hall Meeting Invite is Cagey

Posted by: David Kiley on June 06

Even Fox news commentators said the GOP nominee's speech Tuesday night was dreadful. In a fairly pipsqueak voice, the AZ Senator repeated, in his attaacks on Barack Obama, "That's Not...

Philly Inquirer Fake Ads May Mark The End of The Newspaper Model

Posted by: David Kiley on June 06

The Philadelphia Inquirer, apparently hurting from lack of advertising, put 18 fake ads in today’s paper. This one, for Derrie-Air, is for an airline that says it is the only...

Malkin Not Just Wrong...But Lazy. That's What Is Offensive.

Posted by: David Kiley on June 03

Most of the comments about my rant against conservative commentator Michelle Malkin and her cause against paisley and donuts drew support. There were some comments I could not approve...

McCain's Ad Spending Now Will Come Back To Haunt Him in October

Posted by: David Kiley on June 02

The WSJ today notes that GOP presidential hopeful John McCain has been running ads in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania that sell the Arizona Senator as a true conservative who has...