NYT-Dean Calls a Pause in His Nationwide Ads

[maddezmom]

Dean Calls a Pause in His Nationwide Ads
By JIM RUTENBERG

ANCHESTER, N.H., Jan. 23 —Faced with a drastically changed political environment, Howard Dean's campaign said Friday night that it had scaled back its nationwide advertising until it got a better sense of its standing in the states voting on Feb. 3.

Rather, campaign officials said, they are focusing the bulk of their advertising here in New Hampshire, where they are considering introducing a new spot over the weekend featuring Dr. Dean's wife, Dr. Judith Steinberg Dean.

The re-jiggering of Dr. Dean's advertising strategy comes in response to a sharp reversal of fortunes in the Democratic campaign after Senator John Kerry's victory in the Iowa caucuses on Monday and Dr. Dean's surprising third-place finish.

It also comes as all of the campaigns begin to look more intensively beyond the two states they had focused on so far, New Hampshire and Iowa. Seven more states vote on Feb. 3, including Arizona, Delaware, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Carolina.

more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/24/politics/campaign/24ADS.html?ei=5062&en=e107dd44835513c6&ex=1075611600&partner=GOOGLE&pagewanted=print&position=

[isbister]

1. Wow

Doesn't the announcement of their pulling of the ads just play into the public perception that he's plummeting?

They couldn't have just waited a day or two and done this quietly?

Their inside numbers must be telling them the same thing as many of the other public polls, he's in danger of a 4th place finish.

I don't think Gary Hart dropped this fast after Donna and Monkey Business, did he? (that was the name of the boat, wasn't it?)

[OKHRANA]

3. I agree

he has to act like everything is normal.

actually he should be aggressive if anything.

[maddezmom]

2. maybe they are just being cautious

and want the public to hear from Dean campaign first, before the media can spin it into something else.