Attack of the Campaign Ads
By: Rebecca Layne
Intro: With the upcoming gubernatorial election less than a month away, Democratic candidate Jay Nixon and Republican candidate Kenny Hulshof are switching their focus from the economy and education to setting their own records straight. Rebecca Layne has more from Jefferson City. RunTime:2:33
As more attack ads appear on TV, both gubernatorial candidates are looking for ways to challenge their opponent's records and to defend their own.
Communications Director for the Democratic campaign Oren Shur speaks on their ads that focus on Republican Kenny Hulshof's record:
Actuality: OREN4.WAV
Run Time: 00:29
Description: We've talked about Jay's records, we've run on Jay's record. Whereas congressman Hulshof has been in Washington doing things that he doesn't want folks to know about. You notice that in his ads that he doesn't talk about his record in Washington. He doesn't want anyone to know what he's up to out there. We believe it's importat for the people of Missouri to know exactly what congressman Hulshof has been doing in Washington, with the votes to outsource our jobs, or all these earmarks on special projects that he votes for, recklessly spending the tax payers' money.
Although Nixon's ads are eager to discuss Hulshof's Washington record, Head of Communications of the Republican campaign Scott Baker says Hulshof's ads are intended to make people take a second look at what the Democratic candidate is saying.
Actuality: BAKER4.WAV
Description: I mean, people are starting to ask questions about Jay Nixon's ads, and that's good. That's the intention, to maybe not believe everything that you are hearing and seeing in Jay Nixon's ads. He would have people believe that he is a conservative, which is laughable. He would have people believe that he has significant amount of support from conservatives and republicans. That stretches the bounds of belief. The intention of some of these ads is to have people question what their hearing Jay Nixon say and remembering his record.
Despite Hulshof's ads' attempts to raise doubts about Nixon's ad tactics, the communications director for Nixon says Hulshof's attack ads are a sign of desperation.
Description: We're going to set the record straight. I mean Missourians know that Jay Nixon is a mainstream guy with mainstream values. We're not going to raise taxes. That's all that Congressman Hulshof has right now. When you're down in the polls like he is, you begin to panic and you begin to launch negative attack ads.
While Democratic Communications Director Shur talks about Hulshof's negative attack ads, Baker with the Republican campaign says Nixon's ads are full of lies and distortions of fact.
Description: Jay Nixon's been lying about his own record even more than he's been distorting Kenny's record. So it's just a matter of making sure that people know the facts and setting the record straight.
Even with all the disagreement, economy and education still remain at the forefront of both gubernatorial candidates' campaigns. But as the attack ads heat up, Missourians will have to figure out whose record they can believe.