New Kerry Ad - Pilot

This new Kerry ad seems to be an attempt to address the issue that keeps coming up that the electorate doesn't know who John Kerry is yet.  Looks pretty effective to me.

•  Me too

  Looks real good.

  by strawhat on Wed Jun 30, 2004 at 10:46:46 AM PDT

•  still waiting...

  for an issue, a platform, something to give them many uncommitted people I talk to who want to know what Kerry will do differently than Bush. The ads all insist he has "a plan" to cut health care costs, to create jobs, etc -- and this ad, like the other bio pieces, is intended to underscore that he's a pilot and W was AWOL -- all to the good, introducing our guy as we move towards the Convention, laying the groundwork for the fall when we can go after W, etc

  But I still would like to see a cornerstone ad, one that lays out the issue that will clearly distinguish Kerry from Bush. This ad, which in my opinion borders on the treacly, doesn't do it.

  by desmoulins on Wed Jun 30, 2004 at 10:51:36 AM PDT

  •  Try here

    http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/

    Some excepts:

    FUNDAMENTALLY REFORM AMERICA'S INTERNATIONAL TAX SYSTEM. John Kerry will fundamentally reform America's international tax system, eliminating tax breaks for companies that create jobs overseas and using the approximately $12 billion in annual savings to cut the corporate tax rate. Under John Kerry's plan, more than 99 percent of taxpaying companies will see their taxes go down.

    John Kerry outlined a seven-point comprehensive plan to fight the war against terror:

    I. Use Direct Military Action: Kerry will use military force when necessary to capture and destroy terrorist groups and their leaders.  He will also increase active duty end strength and tailor forces to be better prepared for post-conflict and stability operation.

    II. Improve International Intelligence and Law Enforcement: Kerry will strengthen communication networks between intelligence agencies, build cooperative capacity with international law enforcement agencies, increase the number of linguists trained in critical languages and create a real Director of National Intelligence with budget and personnel power.

    III. Cut Off the Flow of Terrorist Funds: Kerry will impose tough financial sanction against banks or nations that engage in money laundering or fail to act against it and will launch a "name and shame' campaign against those that finance terror.

    IV. Control the Spread of Weapons on Mass Destruction: Kerry will appoint a high-level Presidential envoy to lead the effort and expand the Nunn/Lugar program to buy up and destroy stockpiles of loose WMD materials.

    V. Win the Peace in Iraq and Afghanistan: Kerry will bring real security in Iraq by broadening the coalition, including the United Nations, and creating a real Iraqi security force that can take care of itself and the people it is supposed to protect.  In Afghanistan, Kerry would put forward a major increase in security and fund the promised a Marshall Plan for reconstruction.

    VI. Win the War of Ideas and the Future of a Young Generation:  Kerry will build bridges to the Arab and Islamic world by supporting and assisting human rights groups, independent media, and labor unions dedicated to building a democratic culture.

    VII. Secure America's Homeland: Kerry will restore funding for the COPS program, add 100,000 firefighters to our streets, secure and protect our nuclear and chemical facilities, bolster port and aviation security.

    
    * Allowing Americans to buy into the same health plan available to members of Congress.  John Kerry's plan will allow Americans to access the same range of affordable health care plans that members of Congress get today. This plan will give Americans more choices for high-quality affordable health care - providing better coverage at lower prices than is generally available for people who do not have access to high-quality employer-sponsored insurance today.

    *Providing tax credits to make health insurance more affordable.  John Kerry's plan will provide tax credits to make health insurance more affordable for people and small businesses buying into the new Congressional Health Plan.  These tax credits total $177 billion over ten years - more than twice as generous as the health care tax credits proposed by Bush.  Kerry's tax credits include:

    *A 25 percent tax credit for people ages 55 to 64 whose salaries fall below 300 percent of poverty.
    *A 75 percent tax credit for people between jobs and below 300 percent of poverty.
    *A tax credit of up to 50 percent for small businesses that cover low and moderate-income workers.
    *A tax credit for workers not eligible for other provisions of the Kerry plan, which would limit premiums to less than 6 percent of income for workers below poverty and then phase out to 12 percent of income for workers at 300 percent of poverty.
    *Expanding state-based programs to insure all children and millions of adults.  The Kerry plan will pick up the full cost of more than 20 million children enrolled in Medicaid.  In exchange, states would have to expand eligibility for children's coverage to 300 percent of poverty, as well as expand coverage for families up to 200 percent of poverty and for adults up to 100 percent of poverty.

    *Cutting waste and costs.  In addition, John Kerry's plan will improve the health care system by making prescription drugs more affordable through reimportation and other measures; cutting administrative costs and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse; enhancing disease management efforts; and making malpractice insurance more affordable.  All of these measures will improve health outcomes while reducing health care costs.
    

    by Agnostic Oracle on Wed Jun 30, 2004 at 11:17:53 AM PDT

    •  yes, but

      You and I know to look there and will take the time to read it (even though those talking points are maddeningly vague). The point of a 30-second spot is to reach voters who won't do that, and precisely why I find the ad too soft and fuzzy for the campaign we're in right now.

      I think the way Kerry should defend himself from Bush attacks is to offer a clear policy difference that speaks to his different values and illustrates his strength, devotion, etc -- rather than telling us he's a father and a skiier.

      In short, I still have the sense that Kerry is afraid to talk a clear stand, lest it become the basis for more Bush attacks. Running scared is no way to win, as Al Gore proved.

      by desmoulins on Wed Jun 30, 2004 at 12:38:23 PM PDT

  •  Not time for it yet

    These ads are intended to boost his positives, especially in light of Bush's negativity storm.

    Persuasion ads can wait until after the convention when people are paying attention.

    by Aexia on Wed Jun 30, 2004 at 11:25:45 AM PDT

•  Watching these ads

  Makes me wonder why all the press says Kerry hasn't put forth any ideas of his own. I don't get to see any ads on TV (NYC market is too blue and too costly to bother with) but from all the press it sounds more like most of the ads they're running are attack ads.

  I've read one, ONE, article on Kerry's health plan. How can they harp that he has no positions when they refuse to give them any press?

  by Windowdog on Wed Jun 30, 2004 at 10:52:47 AM PDT

•  Problem is that

  Kerry has neither a signature issue (one he's fought long and hard on -- 'Nam POW's is not going to cut it and he dropped the broader implications of his early investigations into Iran-Contra and BCCI almost two decades ago) nor a term that is comforting (such as "Compassionate Conservative).  It's all well and good to promote a DEM approach to federal governance, and if people voted their position on such issues, the GOP would have been dead thirty years ago, but as we have seen that is not how to win elections except when the GOP opponent is not viable.

  Then he has that albatross around his neck -- his vote for the Iraq invasion (yeah, I know he didn't vote for the invasion directly, but only gave that option to an idiot who stated in one of the 2000 debates that he wanted to do it).  That vote makes him look either stupid or politically calculating, neither quality prized by the electorate (yeah, I know BushCo is nothing but politically calculating but they disguise it just enough that a majority of the public can't quite see it).

  The public always says, I want to hear more from the candidates on where they stand on the issues, but the truth of the matter is that few ever listen and even fewer on which the election hinges, single women under 65, the young and minorities.  They want someone to inspire them enough to vote, and only someone who can easily communicate how their lives and the well being of this country will be better will inspire them.

  by Marie on Wed Jun 30, 2004 at 11:32:56 AM PDT