President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign launched two new television commercials this week in Iowa and six other swing states. That makes seven different television ads the president’s team has aired in Iowa during the past two months. The extent of the advertising here, along with yet another presidential visit to Iowa yesterday, signal that Obama campaign managers do not believe their boss has a comfortable lead on Mitt Romney in this state.
The latest Obama commercials focus on Medicare and policies to help veterans. Videos and transcripts are after the jump.
“Personal” is a 30-second commercial targeting senior citizens. According to the Obama campaign, it’s running in Florida, North Carolina, Iowa, Ohio, and Virginia:
My annotated transcript:
Female voice-over: To you and your loved ones, Medicare is personal. [Footage of a senior couple taking a walk down the street, cuts to a different older woman looking into the camera.]
And to a president raised by his grandparents, it’s personal too. [Photo of young Barack Obama sitting in between his mother’s parents, cuts to footage of the president signing papers at a desk.]
And starts with protecting your Medicare from health care scam artists who prey on seniors. [Photo of Obama shaking a woman’s hand at some event in a room full of seniors, Shadowy footage of two men talking to each other, words on screen “Obama Gets Tough on Health Care Fraud” The New York Times, 3/10/2010]
President Obama is leading the most successful crackdown on health care fraud ever. [Obama talking next to two administration officials, footage of sheriff leading someone to jail, words on screen PRESIDENT OBAMA The Most Successful Crackdown on Health Care Fraud in U.S. History Business Week, 2/14/12]
Already recovered $4 billion dollars from health care scams last year alone [footage of empty courtroom, words on screen “Fight Against Health Care Fraud Recovers $4.1 Billion” USA Today, 2/14/12]
To preserve Medicare now and for the future. [footage that looks like an older woman in a kitchen, making cookies with her grandson and grandson]
A commitment to Medicare as personal as yours. [footage of Obama walking outside next to the White House, cuts to close-up shot of a older woman stroking an older man’s hand, maybe in a hospital or a nursing home]
Obama’s voice: I’m Barack Obama, and I approved this message. [Photo of Obama sitting around someone’s kitchen table, talking with several people, words on screen APPROVED BY BARACK OBAMA. PAID FOR BY OBAMA FOR AMERICA]
The 30-second spot “Sacred Trust” focuses on veterans’ issues, just in time for Memorial Day. It’s running in Florida, North Carolina, Iowa, Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, and Nevada.
Obama speaks to someone off-camera: The sacrifices that our troops have made have been incredible.
Obama’s voice continues: It’s because of what they’ve done that we’ve been able to go after Al Qaeda and kill bin Laden. [viewer sees footage of troops taking off in helicopters; looks like it was filmed though night vision glasses]
And when they come home, we have a sacred trust to make sure that we are doing everything we can to heal all of their wounds, [footage of airplane landing, little girl running up to hug her returning father in military uniform, footage of troops marching through mud, carrying packs, close-up view of man’s legs, one real and one prosthetic, running on a track; words on screen THE OBAMA RECORD: Historic Funding for Veterans Health Care, The Washington Post 2/1/10]
giving them the opportunities that they deserve to find a job [footage of three men viewed from behind, walking out of what might be a warehouse; words on screen THE OBAMA RECORD: Tax Credits to Hire Veterans, The New York Times 11/21/11]
and get the education that they need. [footage of smiling woman wearing cap as if graduating from college, words on screen THE OBAMA RECORD: Expanded Education Benefits for Veterans, Army Times 1/4/11]
View switches back to Obama talking to off-screen person: It’s not enough just to make a speech about how much we value veterans. It’s not enough just to remember them on Memorial Day. [footage of Obama talking, switches to footage of Obama shaking hands with veterans at some event]
I’m Barack Obama, and I approved this message. [photo of Obama saluting, words on screen FORWARD BARACKOBAMA.COM/FORWARD]
The seven states where “Sacred Trust” is on the air are being targeted by Karl Rove’s super-PAC Crossroads GPS. However, the new anti-Obama Crossroads commercials are also running in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Hampshire. I guess the president’s campaign advisers are not as worried about those states.
Any relevant comments are welcome in this thread.
3 Comments
I agree
Iowa is not perceived by TeamBO as a lock. Polling isn’t even required to arrive at this conclusion, particularly this far out. Let’s see, 1) IA-03/IA-04 organizing by Republicans, namely Latham’s fieldwork and King’s fundraising + considerable GOP assets in the district 2) CYA ad buys in QC by DCCC 3) Braley’s capitulation on BBA 4) the ghost of 2010 5) Seltzer’s grim comments in the Beaumont piece.
albert Fri 25 May 11:18 AM
I agree with Selzer
on this: “You hear disaffection. You hear them say, ‘This isn’t what I paid for,'” Selzer said. “The guy they sent there to recast things wasn’t able to do it.”
From my perspective, the most disappointing thing about Obama is that he didn’t even try to do a lot of the transformational things he promised to do.
I still think he will end up winning Iowa, but only because Romney is a weak candidate with no organized network of support here. I certainly don’t think he will have a 2008-sized margin here, and that (among other things) makes me concerned abut the Iowa House and Senate races.
desmoinesdem Sun 27 May 8:12 AM
certain things are a given at this point
Iowa has been close more often than not, so 2008 should be viewed as exceptional. OFA/DNC are signaling that the presidential campaign is expected to dominate resources, so I expect the “coordinated” campaigns to reflect these priorities.
I don’t have an opinion yet on how things will shake out. I’m curious whether the Latham campaign will execute as promised, the precinct-level organization. Irrespective of outcome, I think King/GOP have more resources to draw on in IA-04. One wild card is union organizing in the eastern half of the state if Walker wins in WI. One particularly cynical friend believes that OFA/DNC have always preferred a scenario where they get to run “against” Walker in November. This would be a miscalculation, IMO. More generally, I can see BO getting swallowed up whole in a sea of Dem disaffection. Stories about hogging the communal joint while meting out harsh punishment as president; the comfortable shoes that remained in the closet; the deportation rates, etc may all take their toll in aggregate. For some, it goes beyond “he didn’t even try” to “we got screwed.”
I’m also not on board with the “Rubio won’t help, might hurt” bandwagon. This reminds me of the bravado when HRC dominated the AA vote. Rubio may not be chosen for other reasons, like some of his political associations, but the Romney campaign doesn’t take shape for me before knowing what that ticket will look like.
Romney definitely doesn’t inspire anyone, but I do see some possibility of people warming up to the earnestness (for lack of better term) he projects.
albert Mon 28 May 6:50 AM