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Subscribe to RSSFinal ad figures from Iowa show that a pro-Mitt Romney "super PAC" outspent Romney's own presidential campaign by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, with almost all the money dedicated to harsh attack ads against Newt Gingrich that succeeded in causing the former Speaker's poll numbers to drop precipitously.
Restore Our Future, the super PAC founded by three former Romney political aides, spent $2.8 million on ads in Iowa, nearly twice as much as the $1.5 million spent by Romney's own campaign, according to figures compiled for NBC News by Smart Media Group Delta, a media ad tracking firm.
When the ads began running, on Dec. 8, Gingrich was number one in the GOP field in Iowa with 26 percent, according to an NBC News-Marist poll conducted that week. By the end of the month, his support had been cut in half -- to 13 percent -- a dramatic drop that some political analysts say vindicates the power of attack ads and more broadly, the clout of super PACs, which can accept unlimited contributions from wealthy donors and corporations.
"The super PACs are not accountable to anybody so they can say what they want to say and it's not going to blow back on the campaign," said Scott Reed, a top GOP campaign consultant who is not affiliated with any of the current campaigns. "The super PAC can really do the dirty work on the advertising, and the direct mail and the robocalls."
Technically, super PACs are supposed to be independent of the presidential campaigns and not "coordinate" their activities. But critics say that those rules are hard to define given the multiple connections between the super PACs and the candidates and their campaigns. Not only is Restore Our Future run by former Romney political advisers, Romney himself spoke at one of the group's fundraising events last summer.
The Restore Our Future ads included blistering attacks on Gingrich's ethics, his profits from consulting for Freddie Mac, his appearance in an ad with Nancy Pelosi on the need to address climate change, and his flip-flops on issues.
What hasn't got much attention is the man behind the ads: Larry McCarthy, a veteran GOP media man and a master of negative campaigning who is best known for crafting the original Willie Horton ads against Michael Dukakis in 1988. He is one of the founders of Restore Our Future.
The Smart Media tracking numbers show that a pro-Rick Perry super PAC, run by Mike Toomey, a veteran Austin lobbyist and close political adviser to Perry, spent $1.6 million on ads in Iowa. This was not as much as the $4.3 million spent by the Perry campaign, however. The Red White and Blue Fund, a pro-Santorum super PAC, spent $530,000 on ads -- more than 10 times more than the $30,000 spent by the Santorum campaign itself.
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They would have been better saving that money for Obama. Gingrich would have self-imploded anyway.
Romney is the true chance we have at making America great again.
Go Mitt 2012.
And just when was the last time that America was great in you opinion? Question from a curious Canadian
So you really think another round of Bush-con-omics is what our country needs? Our country was imploding when we elected President Obama. Romney has done nothing but hire all the old bush advisers that got us in the mess we are in now. You know the ones that thought tax cuts and war together were healthy and deficits didn't matter.
We are barely climbing out and you want a re-run of how we got there.
I pity you if you think following Romney down the bush rabbit hole and into the ditch is rational.
Romney is no W. Bush. I'm independent, hated Bush as he was a weak pres. Obama is worse. Obama is SPENDING $1 Trillion more/year than Bush did at his peak. Are you telling me that's going to get us out of the rabbit hole??? LOL
http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/spending_chart_2000_2015USr_13s1li111lcn_F0t
No wonder your comments are always a little off track ideology... You aren't even American. I'll remember that the next time I see an off the wall comment from you about our politics. You have NO skin in the game but yet you've always come across like your opinion of our political system means something to you. No wonder you always side with those who want socialism for America since you live in a socialist country. Geeeeezzzz.
Americans first is an Obama hack, totally blinded by missing the obvious. Obama can't do anything wrong... even when Obama was throwing our country under the bus, americans first was applauding him because Americans First hates this country just as much as Obama does. American exceptionalism? Doesn't exist in Americans First's world.
Brianb, the whole world has skin in the game ... your bombs don't drop in your country and your deregulated financial system wrecked havoc world wide ... boy you are as unaware as a barnyard. I suggest you check out the stats on Canada and compare them to your own before rendering any judgements.
Better be careful ideology - the big bad US might drop bombs on Newfoundland.
I know more about Canada than you might think. I lived on the Canadian border for over 18 years. I had many Canadian friends. I've watched what Canada has done to it's political system. I cried.
The last time Canada and the US were fighting was in 1812 and that was at the hand of the Brittish. I grew up close to Fort Erie and Fort Niagara. Allies don't step on each others toes, especially when they share the same continent.
If Canada's health care system is so great, how come so many Canadians come to the US for treatment? Pretty soon your countrymen won't have any reason to come here anymore for healthcare. Ours will be as bad as yours is very soon.
If our fiancial system wrecked the whole world, then why didn't Canada do anything about it to protect itself? Your system isn't tied to ours. Don't blame the US for your countries inability to control it's own financial system.
brianb, only the very wealthy in Canada travel for medical care to the US as they are too uppity to wait in line. Also our life expectancy is 2 to 3 years longer than yours. We did not socialize medical care, we socialized medical insurance. We collectively said that it was unethical to profit from someone's medical misfortune.
Canada was protected from your meltdown because our banks were regulated, note that we did not have one failure. You are still the financial giant of the world even if you owe several trillion; what America does affects everybody. Our systems are tied through NAFTA ... duh!
I'll up your 16 years on our border with 60years on yours and 2 recent years living in SC and CA.
Allies don't step on each others toes? Where were you schooled in history again? If you reread my first post, I asked a simple question.
Ideology,
At this point I would rather be in Canada with you than with some of the yahoos around here!!!! Besides, these super Pac's for Romney is going to buy him the nomination, so what's all the fuss? Wanna be President of the United States - it is for sell to the highest bidder!
You will always be welcome Phine. I always laugh at the medicare argument, the better hospitals ... my mother was diagnosed with the same tumor that took Ted Kennedy's life. She received exactly the same treatment as he did and lived just as long after the initial diagnosis. The whole country paid for it and no one in the whole country lost their house.
To answer your question Ideology - America is still great. What will make it greater is to get rid of the current president, get a congress that shows financial restraint and stop with all this progressive crap that deletes our heritage and desires to change the political ideology.
For an outsider to think that Americans don't think their country is great is only partially correct. There are many in our country that don't think we are great... most of them are liberal in nature. They can't fathom anything on the right. Even with that being said, I feel this country is the best in the world. We have problems, but so do even the best of families.
Allies like the United States and Canada don't step on each other's toes. We don't disrespect you or your country. I have a great fondness for Canada... many wonderful memories. Lake Simcoe is one of them. Best Ice Fishing spot I've ever been to. I love Toronto... it's a very modern city and the people there are friendly. The science center is excellent as is the transportation and the accomodations. The subway system there is better than any in the US. It's clean and I never once feared for my life.
I'll give you longevity since you Canadians live a cleaner lifestyle... and your whiskey is better tasting. Much smoother than Jack Daniels.
After the beating I took today, I have had it. I am angry, sad and depressed. And really sick of all this sanctimonious blather. We truly do live in the age of "what's in it for me" and not what is best for all!
BB
Until today, I thought our country was still great - until I found out being a lib I have no right to an opinion
Brianb, I have to disagree with you about who in America finds a loss of greatness. It is by far the conservatives on this blog that cry out for a return to greatness thinking it lost in some mythical kingdom of original Constitution or it being overcome by socialist/marxist boogey-woogey.
ps. I'm from Montreal ergo Toronto sucks!
Oh and just what did we do to our political system that made you cry? We have had btw a Conservative gov. for the last several years.
phine,
Just tell me who and I'll make it clear that that wasn't a very intelligent thing to do, we had better have room for ALL opinions.
phancy - who told you that you had no right to an opinion?
phine,
Egilman and I will play ping pong with their wee heads.
Let's just say I need a Reality Check with several different many numbered Bob's around here. Not going to come play anymore during the day. May not even stop by the DDI for a drink anymore. But I will come play in the evening if all my favorite guys are around. Guess I am not cut out for the vicious name calling. Snark is okay - but ugly- never
Oh, and Eleanor is sitting on my lap, purring at you all!
Ala Bruce Lee, with nunchucks....
Ideology said: Brianb, I have to disagree with you about who in America finds a loss of greatness. It is by far the conservatives on this blog that cry out for a return to greatness thinking it lost in some mythical kingdom of original Constitution or it being overcome by socialist/marxist boogey-woogey.
I'm a conservative and I feel we are great. Maybe you get that impression from some people that don't know how to express their thinking. We as a country have slipped left. Does that spell disaster for us? Nope.. because we will slip back to the right. There's this pendulum swing that occurs every few years. It's the nature of our system. We are headed left, but once it swings so far, it always reverses and goes back in the other direction. What one side or the other always hopes for is that the pendulum doesn't swing too far in one direction. Even liberals can live with a right swing because they also know that it will swing left again in the future.
Do you speak French? I've never been to Montreal but I've seen the Candians play against both the Sabres and the Panthers.
When you adopted your healthcare system... I know you will defend it to the hilt... but how is it effecting your overall economy? What's the long term cost going to be? How does it effect research and development, or doesn't that matter? After all, you have America to rely on R&D,
It has been known to get me down also sweetheart, the best medicine is the truth, shut them up in a way they can't respond....
Buck up girl, you gots FRIENDS.... ;-))
Number 1, does anyone realize how hard it is to play on these blogs when your pussycat keeps sitting on your mouse? Think she loves you guys! (also she is po'd cause today was flea medicine day - living in Florida it is a monthly thing).
Number 2: I know I'll be better tomorrow, but tonight I have a full blown case of hurt feelings. Little weepy about it, too.
Number 3: Seems most of the British Commonwealth handles a lot of the issues better than we "yanks". If we weren't so darn arrogant, maybe we could learn something.
And last but not least, I love you guys!
phancy - some people simply don't play well in the sandbox. They take their politics way too seriously and I guess some of them misdirect their angst at the wrong people. You aren't one of those people that need to be pushed around politically. You and I butt heads, but never in a bad way.
Look at it this way... somedays I get ganged up on... called names... and attempts are made to demean me. Simply because I'm conservative posting on a mostly liberal board. I'm a masochist... what can I say? Drink some wine, or if something stronger is needed, try a shot of Canadian Club. It's very smooth and warming. (smile) Just know that there are some conservatives that KNOW you have an opinion and have every right to express it.
Not to worry BB. I don't mind conservative, just mind mean. I will try to "rein" you in when you start to go over the side. Okay?:)
for phine eyes only
I remember not
the colour of your blue green brown eyes,
nor the colour of your blonde auburn red black hair
not the touch of your smooth rough silky skin,
nor the hands with which we did not touch.
Not the words we did not speak,
nor the sound of your voice,
not if we laughed or if you cried.
I remember not and nor
but wanting to love you.
#1 Yes, puttytats and PC boards can frequently get VERRRY interesting! (Sheba doesn't much like the treatment much either)
#2 We know you will girl, but we will also emphasize with you and solace for you anyway!
#3 Those pesky Canadians just might be on to sumpin up there!
Besides girl we love ya, and this is nothing but cyberspace, it does get difficult at times but nothing here is real, just words in the wind....
A couple of threads back I added a John Lennon tune for those out there to peruse, thought they might get some inspiration from it.... I think it was called Revolution, most are leaving it alone....;-)
Brianb, yes I speak la francais.
It would be easier to judge the effect of medicare on our economy if the price of resources (oil, minerals, lumber) take a big hit ... let's say China goes into a deep and prolonged recession. Basically smooth sailing since its inception though we have on occasion raised taxes to deal with shortfalls.
Our R&D is just fine although the Conservatives try to slash it from time to time. And no, we do not rely on the US to come up with stuff.
On a side note, do you recall when Bain Capital offered 4+billion to buy the NHL? Maybe they would have shipped it overseas ...
Interesting point from the article: some political analysts say vindicates the power of attack ads and more broadly, the clout of super PACs, which can accept unlimited contributions from wealthy donors and corporations.
If that be the case, in the general election all the 1%ers need to band together in one huge super PAC and launch a huge negative campaign against Obama. His supporters are against the 1%. It wouldn't take too much to defeat Obama if all they did was advertise every anti-American act Obama has committed in the past 3 years. They could even use Obama's own soundbytes against him.
And you libbies absolutely think Obama is going to win. I wouldn't be counting any chickens yet.
Romney is no W. Bush. I'm independent, hated Bush as he was a weak pres. Obama is worse. Obama is SPENDING $1 Trillion more/year than Bush did at his peak. Are you telling me that's going to get us out of the rabbit hole??? LOL
http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/spending_chart_2000_2015USr_13s1li111lcn_F0t
I love that outspending chart as Bush carried the war off the books, think Enron. When President Obama decided it was unethical to carry that kind of debt off the books, it got added on President Obama's watch and suddenly it became his debt. President Obama has spent nothing except to try and get us out of the hole that the republicans put us in.
You seem to forget that republicans still in congress are the ones who voted for even more tax cuts for the rich during war and created the deficit we have now. With Romney hiring all the same advisers just what is he going to do different?
Oh I know he wants to push the birth amendment that makes a miscarriage a murder investigation. I am not sure why the republicans want all these babies to be born as they don't plan on feeding them or giving them health care or even give them a decent education after they are born.
Romney just like Bush is willing to bankrupt our country for the 1%. You will see it when the congress comes back. Lets see if they tax the rich or tax the poor. I'm betting the republicans will try to kill 200,000 jobs to make our country and the poor pay. I am just as sure after they kill the jobs, they will try and blame President Obama for the lack of job growth. All to protect the rich.
The very same rabbit hole that Bush and the republicans have taken us down before. Hardly rational.
Maybe Newton will advocate that Citizens United was a crappy decision. Maybe the GOP will listen to him.
Many people who watch this whole video change their vote
http://tekgnosis.typepad.com/tekgnosis/2012/01/ron-paul-many-people-who-watch-this-whole-video-change-their-vote.html
Romney has the financial support. He has the skills, and he will be running against a President that now has a record to run on and it's pathetic, to say the least. The media will do their best to drum up support for Obama and pretend that he has a chance, but the truth be known, he's about to get his butt kicked up between his shoulder blades and he will have to take his shirt off to crap. He is incompetent, ill equipped, over his head and far to arrogant to realize it. In short, Obama has been a disaster and an embarrassment. This election can't get here fast enough for the country's well being.
Poor Ron, Just what are you going to do when President Obama is re-elected? Country's well being, you seem to forget that it was the republicans that got us in this mess to begin with.
The only disaster has been the republicans obstruction to anything that could help our country. It was the first time in our history that the congress was stupid enough to give tax cuts during war time. Every other time they knew war had to be paid for and did the patriotic thing and raised taxes. Even the blessed Saint Reagan raised taxes 11 times.
A vote for a republican is a vote to destroy America for the 1%. If you believe we can't ask the rich to invest in their own country then vote for a republican. The very same republicans that have signed a pledge to Norquist to destroy our country by never raising taxes on the richest. You are the sucker that votes them into power as if they care about our country's well being.
American First-3238795 I'm sorry things are so bad for you. Your handouts from people that earn their money are about to come to an end. Just in case you learned how to count, here's some numbers for you to chew on. The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 22% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-two percent (42%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -20.
Now I know you're stuck in stupid, but you should be able to figure this out. OBAMA IS ONE AND DONE, AND HE NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAD THE ONE. It will take us a decade to recover from the damage this experiment has cost us. It likely won't happen again for a long time. The people will look a little deeper than skin color when making the choice for leader of our country.