Candidates on Air
After nearly a month-long absence, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley is returning to the airwaves today with a pair of new television ads designed to portray the Democratic gubernatorial hopeful as a fighter for working-class families.
O'Malley campaign spokesman Rick Abbruzzese confirmed that the ads, which includes appearances by his mother and his 8-year-old son, will rotate on network affiliates in the Baltimore area. No candidate for governor has yet to aired TV ads in the more expensive Washington market.
In one ad, William O'Malley reads an essay titled "My Dad," in which he offers:
"My Dad is really great. He plays baseball and he helps me with my homework. Even though he works really hard as mayor we still have a lot of fun together."
In the other, the mayor appears with his mother and talks about the values his parents instilled. His mother, Barbara, has the last word, saying: "And that's just one reason Martin will be a terrific Governor for you."
Meanwhile Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. will roll out his third campaign ad today, this one aimed at promoting his record on education.
This commercial, like his first, never shows the governor. Instead, a series of regular folks -- in this case, all women -- talk about why they approve of Ehrlich's handling of education. One says, for instance, that SAT scores have gone up at her daughter's school. Another talks about Ehrlich's promotion of charter schools.
The ad includes a snippet from a Baltimore Sun headline that says, "Ehrlich's plan ..... Record increase for public education." That story did have those words in the headline but also noted that the funding was mandated by a legislative initiative and that some Democrats believed Ehrlich fell short of meeting that mandate.
Ehrlich said yesterday that the commercial will continue a strategy that will keep him on television until Election Day. He said his campaign expects to launch a spot every 10 days.
Abbruzzese would not comment on whether O'Malley will be on television for the duration of the race.
John Wagner
By Phyllis Jordan |
July 18, 2006; 10:08 AM ET
| Category:
Governor
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Posted by: Robin Ficker, Independent for Montgomery County Executive | July 18, 2006 10:44 AM
It's too bad that O'Mally doesn't get to use taxpayer dollars to create "commercials" about how great it is to *cough*voteforme*cough* use ezpass.
Posted by: rcdl | July 18, 2006 12:34 PM
"It's too bad that O'Mally doesn't get to use taxpayer dollars to create "commercials" about how great it is to *cough*voteforme*cough* use ezpass."
Don't feel too bad for the Boy Mayor. He's still got the Sun and the Post in his pocket. Ehrlich has to pay for his advertisements. The media does their work pro bono.
Posted by: Brandon | July 18, 2006 2:57 PM
"It's too bad that O'Mally doesn't get to use taxpayer dollars to create "commercials" about how great it is to *cough*voteforme*cough* use ezpass."
Stealing one from the ol' dems playbook... Got to give him credit for that. I'm starting to like the guy!
Oh, and Baltimore schools seem to be in pretty good shape! 2nd only to DETROIT!
Posted by: Craig | July 18, 2006 4:24 PM
I always base my vote on the advice of 8 year olds. Thanks Little Billy.....
For someone with as much downside exposure on personal and family issues as O'Malley, I am surprised he is opening this door and saying, "I want to make this campaign about me, my family and my personal life" His ads have his kid, who I assume is his wife's as well, and his mother. Neither discusses a single issue or says anything about his record as mayor - it's ALL about him personally.
If someone WERE to make note of something questionable in O'Malley's personal life, how can he say it is out of bounds when that is what he is basing his entire advertising campaign around?
Just asking.
Not that O'Malley would ever actually have done anything questionable in his personal life. Has anyone heard anything different?
Posted by: let's see | July 18, 2006 5:43 PM
his daughters are kind of hot.... Hey - what do you know, he and George Bush have something in common!!!! The Bush-O'Malley plan for hot daughters....
Posted by: yes but... | July 19, 2006 12:28 AM
A reminder, postings containing inappropriate or libelous content will be removed.
Posted by: Phyllis Jordan | July 19, 2006 10:20 AM
I don't like ads featuring a candidate's children from anybody, Republican or Democrat. And even worse is using pets.
Posted by: Pepe le moco | July 19, 2006 10:37 AM
The comments to this entry are closed.
I believe that the voters of Montgomery County would most like to see a series of debates for the important offices. If one can't be an advocate for one's candidacy, how can one be an advocate for one's jurisdiction? After all, politics is all about debating other points of view. There are too many commercials on TV and people spend too much time being couch potatoes. I hope that Leggett and Silverman change their admitted strategy of high-powered scripted campaigns run by out-of staters while never discussing opposing viewpoints and never mentioning many touchy subjects. Let's have a series of weekly debates starting September 8 and set a good example for other candidates who seem to think that voters are enthralled with 30 and 60 second soundbites.