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UPDATE, 12:15 a.m., 9/6/12: The Green Party presidential ticket of Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala will be on “Moyers & Company” this weekend. Follow this link for the production company’s preview of the segment.
Original post:
Now here’s a political spot the American electorate deserves to see:
Google initially refused to run it but relented (what with censoring political speech being illegal and all). Here’s more from the Stein campaign:
You can see all four of our ads, beginning with “Enough!” and then continuing with three distinct versions of “What Green Means” by clicking here. But we still need your support to keep them on the air.
The timing is vital. The primary season ends this Thursday, September 6th. This means that you only have until this Thursday to get your contributions matched, dollar for dollar, up to $250, with federal matching funds. And this means that you only have until September 6th to donate the maximum allowable contribution of $2500.
Time is running short for another reason. Federal law requires that our matching funds monies be used in the primaries, by Thursday, and this means that we must pay for our cable and TV ads right now.
We’ve raised $40,000 for these ads. If we succeed in raising another $40,000 (for a total of $80K) by Thursday, our ads will run in college town media markets from the Pacific to the Mississippi to the Atlantic. If we raise another $80,000 (for a total of $120K), we’ll have viewership in medium sized cities of population 500,000 to 2 million. And if you help us raise another $160,000, we’ll be on in at least a couple major metropolitan areas. The more money we raise, the higher chance that YOUR community will see one of these ads.
To date, Jill Stein, Rocky Anderson, and 43 other candidates in 21 states – running for offices ranging from United States President to Monroe County, Florida District 1 Mosquito Control Officer - have endorsed the Unified Platform, an amalgam of the work of two legacy and four current Progressive organizations.
24 Comments
The ‘what green means’ link is broken. But okay; I’ll pitch in a tenner (I’m a poor blind widdy with six deaf kids) if ya point me to the link, dear. ;o)
Is it ‘the more money we raise’ one?
They’re working now, thanks for flagging it, wd.
Thanks for posting, Anthony, and recommended. Keep up the good work.
Here is a tactic that worked in the past. I present it as information, not advocacy.
In 2006, Larry Kissell ran as lean a campaign for Congress as one could run and came within 300 votes of beating Robin Hayes. In 2008, the DCCC pushed him over the top and he is running for re-election again this year after surviving 2010. He turned out to be a cur of a Blue Dog, but his populist strategy in 2006 merits examination.
He gained attention during a period of high fuel prices by subsidizing the difference in the price of gas when Bush took office from the price of gas at the time he was running. But get this. He did it in his small hometown, 50 miles from the closest small city. That of course limited the number of folks who he had to subsidize. But it got covered in three media markets because of the location of his district.
In the close of the campaign, he solicited donations for a specific amount of radio time on limited-market small town stations by identifying he cost of the ad buy total and asking for an amount derived from the AM station’s frequency. If the station was at 1440, he asked for a $14.40 donation. Those stations tended to have low rates and he succeeded in blanketing his district by piecing those stations’ broadcast radius together.
Thought you might find this history interesting.
Interesting indeed, THD! Thanks for sharing it.
I like the visuals in the “Enough” ad, the way it tries to play off the movie “Network” (“I’m as mad as hell…”), and I think Stein’s delivery of her approval at the end – just the right mix of sheepishness over what she said and clear belief in it – is pitch-perfect. That said, I actually like the “What Green Means” ads waaaaay better. Two (clearly) strong women challenging the male-dominated arena of politics is awesome enough all on its own, but (to my knowledge) our first Native American nominee to a presidential ticket is an important part of the message, one not delivered in “Enough.”
Thanks. Watched the Ads. Sending some $ via USPS to the address on the linked page.
Thank you, Anthony. Especially liked the ‘What Green Means’ ads. Just made a contribution.
Unfortunately, we don’t get very many chances to have two wave elections in a row. If an underfunded candidate like Kissell runs surprisingly well in a good Democratic year, the odds are pretty good that the elections two years later will result in Republican gains. But something to keep in mind for 2018 ad 2020!
Radio does seem like you might get some bang for your buck.
I think the commercial is cute, but parts of it remind too much of the JG Wentworth “it’s my money and I need it now!” thing.
I just made my donation and I decided to vote for Dr. Stein some time ago.
Did she really say “bullshit” on CNN?
No question about it! Take it from one who broke in doing radio news in his hometown (1440 AM, as a matter of fact!). And running promotions, and selling ad time, and producing commercials, and spinning records. The joy of small town radio is you get to do it all. (The curse = the same thing. Oh yeah, and the pay. But it is hard to conceive of more rewarding work, in media anyway.)
Local radio ads are cheap, effective, and Stein’s message would resonate with older folks like the guy in the first scene.
I also think the Greens could really benefit from this motto: “The Green Party: It isn’t just for tree huggers any more.”
I applaud Ralph Nader for his lifetime of public service. For things we \take for granted these days – seat belts, for one. But Jill has done more for the Greens in particular and for alternative parties in general in one cycle – matching funds, ballot access in at least 40 states, dispensing with the image of the Greens as a one-issue party – than Nader ever did.
There is no question he cares deeply about the future of our country, but I can’t think of any action Nader could take in the time he has left on the planet that would mean anywhere near as much as breaking his self-imposed policy of not endorsing candidates and coming out, HARD, for Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala this year – and pressuring people like Cornel West and Tavis Smiley and Chris Hedges and Bil McKibben – to call the Democratic Party out for what it has become.
Every bit as fascist as the GOP.
Look more closely. That’s not CNN. :)
Ha, ha, I see it now. Just like those fake Rolexes …
Recommended!
Future generations will judge harshly those who could not break away from the Uniparty in 2012 to appear even handed and neutral. The evidence is in and it is unambiguous.
Yeah! :)
I’m voting my conscience this yr. I can’t push the button for Barry again. I’ll vote Green this yr.it’s time to say ENOUGH!!
Will she even be on the ballot?
After that god/Israel cave today, I’ve really had it with the dems…never thought I’d say it, but I’d pretty much rather throw this mess back into Romney’s lap than let the party I’ve been voting for all my life get led over the cliff by this spineless piece of garbage.
IF we’re going to lose the social programs, let a Republican do it and take the blame.
Maybe the dems will wake up one day…if Obama doesn’t lead them into the wilderness forever
She’s on the ballot in 35 states (32 on a standard ballot line, and as a write-in in three more). The campaign has been predicting she will be on the ballot in at least 40 states, and possibly as many as 45. (There’s a map with current status here.)
She is also the first Green to qualify for federal matching funds. She and her running mate, Cheri Honkala, will be on “Bill Moyers & Company” this weekend. Here’s a preview.
Would love for Jane/FDL to host a reader forum with these two wonderful women.
Yep, that is how I feel too.
It would be inexpensive to do a couple of tests in strongly Republican areas. My sense is that a lot of Republicans are fed up but not willing to vote for Democrats. If both parties are bullshit, that should be apparent to a lot of Republicans if the bullshit is specifically identified and how it is rigging the game is briefly explained.
The hook for the Enough ad is the transgressive nature of calling the bullshit “bullshit”. There is not transition to hint at what exactly is bullshit and why all those people suddenly are voting for Jill Stein. That is there is no political argument. And it undercuts the attempt at marketing (that is establishing who Jill Stein is. Exactly which bullshit is she talking about. Just mentioning issues in not sufficient.
That’s just my first impression of the ad.
Absolutely agree Kassandra!
Just to review: Obama and the democrats have ignored the base on wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Bahrain, Syria and are beating the drums for war in Iran after the election. Obama and the democrats have ignored the base on calls to end torture and stop constitutional rights violations. They have ignored the base and pushed through NAFTA agreements (plural!) that Bush could only dream about. They have ignored the base on the economy, education, the environment, healthcare, transparency, unions, and whistleblowers.
But let the republican masters criticize that we are not being blindingly faithful enough to Israel or religious enough to meet their high standards and they push this through without a vote. There is a long term – and perhaps even a short term – price to be paid for this betrayal.
For more info on the latest cave see http://jonathanturley.org/2012/09/06/the-democratic-convention-and-the-illusion-of-democracy/
I like Jill Stein and the Green Party, but I’m not crazy about that video either.
The ad isn’t targeted at you and me. It’s targeted at the youth who supported Obama and turned to Occupy when they realized Obama was as full of shit as all the rest. And I’d bet dollars to donuts (sorry, just like to sound like my dad sometimes!) it resonates with them.
The other three are far more issue-specific, and I’d (further) wager are those that will get the most airtime. I think the “Enough” ad achieved all it was intended to when Google tried to reject it and the campaign made that into news.
Anything else that ad accomplishes is gravy.