Parting Shots From The Left

It's the final push, folks, and they're pushing hard. Here's a wave of liberal ads hoping to unseat Senate Republicans -- and a video representation of Republican fear.

People for the American Way rolls out TV ads criticizing Republican senators for supporting "judges who hurt our families." The ads say that Susan Collins of Maine, Norm Coleman of Minnesota, John Sununu of New Hampshire, Gordon Smith of Oregon and Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina "stood with George Bush and helped put his extreme nominees on our nation's highest court." Here's the one about Collins, who is the group's focus:

Patriot Majority continues to batter Republican incumbents and continues to receive giant bundles of union cash. Recent ads include one accusing Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) of siding with "corporate interests and one faulting Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) for supporting free trade agreements.

Another takes on Dole, saying, "They know us as Tar Heels for standing our ground. But when Elizabeth Dole votes with George Bush 92 percent of the time, the ground starts to crumble." The ground-crumbling metaphor is aided by a visual in the ad.

Patriot Majority reported getting $1.5 million from AFSCME this month, as well as $125,000 from the Teamsters and $25,000 from Patricia Bauman, who is president of the liberal Bauman Foundation and board member of Catalist, a data-mining firm that works for Democrats.

It's enough to drive Freedom's Watch crazy. The conservative group has been one of biggest players running ads to stem the onslaught of Democratic Senate candidates.(Here's a recent one taking on Jeff Merkley, who's challenging Smith in Oregon.) In a video to be e-mailed to the Freedom's Watch rank and file tomorrow, you can feel the fear of the nightmare scenario: a filibuster-proof Democratic majority.

The dark and ominous video takes aim at Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, calling his "reckless policies" the cause of current economic woes. It warns that the DSCC is "spending nearly $100 million on a smear campaign funded by special interests." It continues, "A filibuster-proof Senate means unchecked power to pass their tax increases, their pork-barrel spending, and no ability to block activist judicial nominees." And the capper: "Too much power in one party's hand is too risky for America."

The irony of the last line -- since it was merely two years ago that voters ended six years of one-party GOP rule by giving congressional majorities to the Democrats -- is only surpassed by the sense of frustration, just days before the eleciton.

After the jump, even more liberal Senate ads -- silly and serious.

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3:19 PM ET | 10-29-2008 | permalink

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Electioneering By Hypnosis In Oregon

The Democrats have figured it out. The key to defeating Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) is hynosis. How else to explain these similarly transfixing anti-Smith ads from two liberal groups?

The Service Employees International Union offers a spinning kaleidoscope of money, symbolizing the "deep dark hole" of the economy. Add ominous music, show Smith's face; then bring back the kaleidoscope, cue the feel-good chords and show Smith's competition, Democrat Jeff Merkley. In Youtube format, you can watch again and again!

If that didn't work, try this: 30 seconds of water spiraling down the drain, countesy of Patriot Majority, a union-funded 527 trying to defeat Smith because he's "draining the middle class." Then the words on the screen dissolve into water and spiral down too....woah. For the full effect, we suggest playing both ads at the same time.

Did it work on you? If not, more ads (of the non-whirling variety) after the jump:

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6:01 PM ET | 10-23-2008 | permalink

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Senate Roundup: The Usual Attacks And A Puzzler

The campaign clock is running down, and it's tough keeping up with the new ads. Here's a new crop from Senate races -- advertisers include the American Future Fund, League of Conservation Voters, Chamber of Commerce, Freedom's Watch and Susan B. Anthony List.

Let's start with one that presents a logical challenge.

The American Future Fund released a new ad in its ongoing campaign against Democratic Senate candidate Mark Udall in Colorado. The ad implies Udall is bad on education, needs a "reality check," and then -- curiously -- urges him to support Senate bill 12.

First of all, the bill was introduced by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in February and hasn't gone anywhere since. Second, the bill's only education provision is an "enhanced charitable deducation for corporate contributions of computer equipment for educational purposes." Third and perhaps most important, Udall is a member of the House of Representatives, not the Senate. He wouldn't be able to vote for S. 12 unless he gets elected, an ambition the American Future Fund hopes to thwart. Right?

Meanwhile, the League of Conservation Voters produced an ad tying Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) to "Big Oil;" Freedom's Watch, in a rare positive ad, boosts Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) as an anti-tax crusader; and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hits Minnesota Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken on taxes and being funny.

Franken also takes a beating in a radio ad by the Susan B. Anthony List, which supports anti-abortion Republicans. A woman calls in to the "Delusional Politician Hotline" to report an angry, foul-mouthed politician with "funny glasses" -- that would be Franken. The woman is concerned about Franken's support of abortion rights. "'Does sort of make his support of pornography make sense," says the hotline operator. The woman asks fearfully, "Is he -- serious?" The laconic operator responds: "He's a comedian, ma'am."

-- Will Evans

4:40 PM ET | 10-18-2008 | permalink

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McCain's "Waterloo"?

It probably doesn't mean much to folks in Pennyslvania or Ohio, but in the battleground state of Colorado, John McCain's remarks on a multi-state water contract were a big deal. The League of Conservation Voters, which is essentially the political arm of the environmental movement, wants to make sure voters don't forget the controversy.

In August, McCain suggested his interest in re-negotiating the Colorado River Compact, which determines how states such as McCain's Arizona share the river's water with other states along the river. Just for instance: Colorado. Not only were Democrats in the Centennial State incensed -- Republican Senate candidate Bob Schaffer said McCain would get his re-negotiaton "over my cold, dead, political carcass." McCain backtracked, saying he wouldn't seek a re-negotiation, but one newspaper columnist suggested the issue could become McCain's "Waterloo."

The League of Conservation Voters' new ad proclaims, "Water -- Colorado can't live without it. And John McCain wants to take it from us." The ad includes a clip of McCain telling Colorado voters, "Thank you for the water, thank you for the water." That bit actually came from McCain's attempt to allay concerns about his water comments. Oh well.

-- Will Evans

5:16 PM ET | 10-13-2008 | permalink

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Attacking Ted Stevens -- Minus The Indictment

Is Ted Stevens still under federal indictment in a corruption investigation? He is, but you wouldn't know it from the TV ads by groups trying to defeat him this election.

First there was Campaign Money Watch's ad, which accused Stevens of "pay-to-play politics," but sidestepped the indictment. Now, a new ad by Alaska Conservation Voters for Clean Government tells us, "It's time for a new Alaska senator," without mentioning the $250,000 worth of gifts and favors that Stevens allegedly failed to disclose from an oil services company.

In the ad, done in "man-on-the-street" style, a guy with a microphone asks Alaskans, "So what do you think about Ted Stevens?" Mic guy tells them Stevens voted to give tax breaks to oil companies. Again, no mention of the seven felony counts.

The group is a federal PAC connected to Alaska's chapter of the League of Conservation Voters.

Here's what Alaska Conservation Voters political director Caitlin Higgins says about the indictment: "It's certainly an important issue. But the issue that's most important to us is making sure that we have a secure energy future."

Stevens' trial is due to start next Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

-- Will Evans

2:26 PM ET | 09-16-2008 | permalink

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Enviro Group Ties Republican To "Big Oil"

The League of Conservation Voters airs an ad tying Republican Bob Schaffer -- a candidate for Senate in Colorado -- to "big oil." It says Schaffer voted for tax breaks for oil companies and has taken campaign contributions from the industry.

-- Will Evans

1:37 AM ET | 07- 7-2008 | permalink

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