Obama Labor Ally Spending Nearly $14,000 On New TV (Attack?) Ad In Nevada

[Karmadillo]

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2008/01/obama_labor_ally_spending_nearly_14000_on_new_tv_attack_ad_in_nevada.php

UNITE -- the Obama labor ally that stirred controversy yesterday by airing a radio ad in Nevada attacking Hillary for not respecting Latinos -- has just laid out nearly $14,000 for a new TV ad in the state, according to records filed with the FEC today.

Is it another negative hit?

The filing says that UNITE spent $13,645 on an ad that "supports" Obama, which suggests that it might be a positive spot.

But here's the thing. That radio ad hitting Hillary referenced above was also described in the FEC filings by the group as merely being supportive of Obama, even though it was a pretty hard hit on Hillary. The justification for this is presumably that the ad also praised Obama.

more...

[sunonmars]

1. and yet total silence from Obama, no change there.

[Skip Intro]

5. Did you expect any different?

but OMG, heads would be expolding were this a group doing the exact same thing, but for Hillary instead...

[Renew Deal]

12. You have no right to criticize

After all the shenanigans from AFSCME, the disenfranchising teachers union, and others.

[Renew Deal]

11. The ad is 100% positive for Obama.

The article was updated.

[Dems Will Win]

2. Sorry Hil has now lost the Latino vote

After the Black Vote, the Male Vote and the Youth Vote.

[Cameron27]

3. You wish.

[Barack_America]

4. At least what these ads have said about Hillary are possibly merited....

...Unlike the mailers that Hillary sends out about Obama.

[Tom Rinaldo]

9. True that Hillary "disrespects our (spanish speaking) community"?

That was a straight out racial ploy. This from supporters of the candidate who admitted his supporters inappropriately fanned reports that Clinton did not adaquately respect Martin Luther King Jr.

Obama's spokesperson chose NOT to disassociate Obama from the racial element of that radio ad when asked, instead he used the question to make another attack on Clinton.

[Barack_America]

13. That is, unfortunately, one way to view the Caucus lawsuit...

And that is what they're referring to. The Culinary Workers union is comprised of a disporportionate number of hispanics (40%). Supporters of Hillary's were fighting to take away their caucus sites. That leaves them free to draw this conclusion. It's more difficult to label this a racial ploy considering this is a conversation between Latinos.

Do I think that Hillary specifically wanted to disenfranchise latinos? No. (and I will adjust my original title to better reflect that)

However, it pisses me off to no end that she was walking around the neighborhoods of Hispanic Culinary Workers, encouraging them to caucus for her, while at the same time her supporters are fighting to take away their caucus sites. That is unforgiveable. And I know that you'll say that Hillary's campaign wasn't involved in that lawsuit, but you saw that interview with Bill where he was obviously for it. Disgraceful.

[Tom Rinaldo]

16. Well you are wrong about one thing

I will not say that Hillary's campaign wasn't involved in that lawsuit. Technically it wasn't but I know that is just a technicality. Attacking her over the lawsuit for those who feel it was wrong in my opinion is fair.

But I've gone over the ad several times now. What you just described is the theory of applied plausible denyability. Of course that is the official version explanation; "we weren't talking about the hispanic community, we were just talking about our Union community".

I don't buy it at all. At the very least Obama's spokesperson should have called it unfortunate that the ad's intent could be mistaken in that way and openly distanced itself from that poor wording. This isn't even a latino union, it is mixed. Yet the ad stressed the hispanic slogan Obama is using in Nevada. A listener to a spanish language radio station in Nevada is much more likely to believe that Hillary is being accused of disrespecting the Hispanic community in general than one union in specific. That was intentional because the hispanic vote in Nevada is a large one.

[redqueen]

6. Please let it be another attack ad...

that'd be great.

[Beacool]

7. But, but, he's a uniter I tell you!!!!!!

:crazy:

:rofl:

[Barack_America]

8. With Hillary playing as filthy as she is, sending out fliers that are patently untrue...

I don't fault endorsers of Obama for deciding to strike back.

And that's a key distinction. It's Hillary's CAMPAIGN that is attacking Obama, while it is a ENDORSER of Obama's that is sticking up for him.

[stillcool]

10. What is this UNITE?

that is running these ads?

UNITE (formerly the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees) and HERE (Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union) merged on July 8, 2004 forming UNITE HERE. The union represents more than 450,000 active members and more than 400,000 retirees throughout North America.

UNITE HERE boasts a diverse membership, comprised largely of immigrants and including high percentages of African-American, Latino, and Asian-American workers. The majority of UNITE HERE members are women.

http://www.unitehere.org/

[Barack_America]

14. A prominent national labor union that has endorsed Obama...n/t

[stillcool]

15. that was why I posted the link

to their website. In case people were actually interested in who had created this ad. I know it's not as important as speculation, but one never knows.