This week saw the official start of the U.S. Senate election – forget about the primary – Senator David Vitter and Congressman Melancon are racing directly to November.
Here are the two Ads – follow the jump for commentary.
Vitter comes right out of the shoot with his attack ad which it is clear was already on the shelf and ready to go as soon as Charlie launched his.The issue is there are clearly some problems with it… but Vitter is never one to let facts get in the way of a good sound byte.
He hits on three issues:
Charlie voted for bailouts for Wall Street Millionaires – While I am quite sure that verbiage tests really well, it really isn’t all truthful.This was the Republican policy pitched by then President Bush.The Banks were collapsing, yes for many reasons, but this was the TARP program.David Conveniently doesn’t mention that much of this money has now been repaid to the US Taxpayers – with interest.It certainly is easy to look through your rearview mirror at history and say “Bailout for Wall Street Millionaires” but at the end of the day – this was the BUSH solution that Democrats swept in and cleaned up = YES, with Charlie Melancon’s help.Were it not for TARP we would be in a much worse situation today.
Charlie voted to give Illegal’s benefits – Clearly another issue there is a problem with.Most clearly see that on PAGE 8 of this bill says “NO ILLEGAL ALIENS” – but through fake Washington spin they created this false argument.Even though it is in CLEAR BLACK AND WHITE – I guess if you say it enough some people will believe it.
Charlie used YOUR money to get himself a luxury SUV.This is perhaps the most troubling for me.Each member of Congress is given a budget and guidelines to run their DC office as well as their IN DISTRICT offices.This includes their transportation and such.Clearly this is for a car service for the Congressman and frankly after just paying for all the cabs I took while in DC last week, I think we got a hell of a deal here for 4 years worth of transportation.But by him stating this Office Budget issue – I think this opens him up to the THOUSANDS of dollars in SALARY that he paid to Mr. Furer.
Charlie Melancon’s Ad:
Melancon is attempting to do at least two things with this ad.First, he has to introduce himself to voters throughout the state as many do not yet know him.I think he did this, though he still has a large and growing problem with Progressives.But he did a good introduction.
But perhaps most successfully he sets the groundwork up that “David Vitter is going to Lie about me, be ready…”This is classic inoculation and it works… especially when it is a introduction piece.This sets the tone that – if you want to know who I really am – then ask me – don’t believe these turkeys.This will work.
But here is the problem for both…
Neither of them are talking to their base and neither of these candidates have a lock on their base.This is starting to become a large problem.
Take Melancon’s ad – I know many progressives that are just being introduced to Melancon by this ad… and in talking with them they are completely turned off.See it starts off good by attacking Vitter.But the items that he chooses to focus on – guns, abortion and “Louisiana Democrat” – many folks feel uneasy about this – and it does little to solifify his base – something he hasn’t focused on in the least in the last year.This can and will hurt him.
Vitter too is ignoring his base – he still has a primary to deal with and he could really have some problems here.If he is only attacking his challenger in the Republican Primary he stands in a position where voters can ultimately get completely turned off and stay home in November.Many Republicans are uneasy about Vitter.One person just told me a few days ago – Any Republican – any CONSERVATIVE but Vitter…Vitter is doing nothing to heal that rift and thus it is only going to grow – fertilized by ads from Charlie Melancon for sure.But the question is – who will ultimately benefit from this?
