The good citizens
of Iowa are getting an eyeful and an earful of
political ads these days, far more than before, even for one
of the epicenters of presidential politics.
In the past week
four Democratic White House contenders and two
Republicans have spread their message on radio or television
in the state, more than four months before Iowa is
scheduled to hold its first-in-the-nation caucuses and
weeks before the traditional post-Labor Day launch of
the fall campaign.
So far, the
presidential candidates have spent at least $5 million on
ads in Iowa, about $25 for each expected caucus-goer.
The ad pitches
vary.
Democratic
candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton, in her first ad of the
campaign this month, cast herself as a caring guardian of
Americans who are invisible to Washington. Barack
Obama presents himself as an agent of hope and unity.
New Mexico governor Bill Richardson promotes his record
on jobs. And Sen. Joe Biden, in a potent ad that describes
his return from Iraq with the remains of a dead
soldier, makes his case for a political solution to
the war in Iraq.
Among
Republicans, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is
condemning New York's immigration policies, a not-so-subtle
dig at rival Rudy Giuliani, the city's former mayor.
Giuliani is running a radio ad promoting his support
for a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Romney and
Richardson have been the most aggressive advertisers, each
already approaching or surpassing the amounts spent by
Democrats John Kerry and Howard Dean during the entire
Iowa caucus campaign of 2003-2004.
That more money
is being spent is hardly surprising. Candidates are
raising amounts of cash that are shattering previous
records.
''There are
several things that are different: the money race, the
amount of attention both nationally and in the early
states that this race is getting, and the number of
candidates who are largely blank slates who are
aggressively trying to fill in those blanks before their
opponents do,'' said Stephanie Cutter, a Democratic
strategist who was Kerry's campaign communication
director in 2004.
Political
advertising in Iowa, and to a lesser degree in the
first-primary state of New Hampshire, has been growing even
though more than a dozen states want to hold
nominating contests on February 5 and other states are
jockeying for January slots.
The Iowa focus
underscores a strategy that many of the candidates appear
to embrace--that a good showing in Iowa will build
momentum for subsequent contests.
''Iowa is going
to rise to a level that you've probably never seen
before,'' said Evan Tracey, who tracks political advertising
as chief operating officer for TNS Media
Intelligence/Campaign Media Analysis Group. ''The wild
card is does anybody venture into these Super Tuesday
states--how soon and how far out are they going to
play in these February 5 states.''
Competing for the
public's attention are ads from a number of interest
groups. Nurse and physician organizations want Democratic
candidates to support a single-payer system of health
care. Two philanthropic organizations--the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Eli and Edythe
Broad Foundation--have spent $120,000 in ads in Iowa
urging candidates to discuss the current condition of
American education.
This week a new
group backed and financed by allies of President Bush
launched ads in 20 states in support of the administration's
policies in Iraq. The campaign is spending more than
$350,000 in Iowa, according to an analysis of the ad
placement by war critics.
So far Democrats
have been far more eager to run ads than Republicans,
and their push has intensified in recent weeks. Clinton
began running her ad less than two weeks ago. Biden,
who is staking his campaign on building up his
standing in Iowa, aired his first ad last weekend and put
up a second one this week.
Giuliani, blessed
with high name recognition and a perch atop national
polls, has not yet felt a need to hit the airwaves with an
overarching campaign message. His radio ads are
designed to counter Romney's immigration criticism.
''Romney
recognizes that immigration is still a red-hot issue with
primary voters,'' said .Scott Reed, a Republican strategist
who managed Bob Dole's presidential campaign in 1996.
''Giuliani feels he's a little on the defense.''
Look for Giuliani
to begin advertising more heavily in the coming weeks.
His campaign has been requesting ad rates in Iowa, New
Hampshire, and California.
So far Romney has
spent more than $6 million on advertising in Iowa, New
Hampshire and other states, including a $2 million national
cable buy earlier this year. A multimillionaire,
Romney also lent his campaign nearly $9 million and
more could be on the way.
''Most campaigns
are not active until after Labor Day,'' Romney media
consultant Alex Castellanos said. ''We had to get started a
little earlier because when he started a year ago he
was known to 5% of the people.''
The same applies
for some Democrats. And, at least in Iowa, they're all
becoming a bit more familiar. (Jim Kuhnhenn, AP)