Well, as I’m prone to do, I was digging through some YouTube clips of Michael Steele’s 2006 campaign. And all I can say is: love this guy! It’s easy to forget why he was thrust into the national spotlight after the endless campaign of 2008, but these ads serve as a great reminder. I may not agree with him on everything, but his ads are unquestionably innovative, and they pack a punch for being only thirty seconds. The man has the know-how to put together a media-savvy team. Check out some of these choice selections:
To start, here is a mid-campaign “positive” ad:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7wjJyMDUH0[/youtube]
Now, a short clip that sums up where he got his values from (“Hope Into Action”):
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XylOD_4r94[/youtube]
Here is his debut ad. “Ready for Change? Get Ready for Steele.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH_iHkqGBrc[/youtube]
Finally a good (but not excellent) “negative” ad:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svzDQivKq8Y[/youtube]
More can be found, of course, on YouTube.
This is good stuff. It’s much better than most of the ads that Republicans have been putting out over the last couple of cycles, and only the savviest television ad campaigns can make much of a difference. Steele’s ads are top-notch. They’re top-notch, too, I must note, not only for what they do, but what they don’t do, if you catch my drift.
If he can assemble the same sort of team at the top, then our party’s image will most certainly improve.
January 31st, 2009 at 8:36 am
I haven’t seen those ads before, but they are pretty good. Hopefully, he can make a big difference in the way the Republican Party is viewed by other Americans.
January 31st, 2009 at 8:43 am
Those are fun, Alex. He really exudes good cheer, even in the negative ad.
I heard some pundit last night, either on Fox’s Special Report or on the PBS News Hour, say that Steele lost his Senate bid because of the GOP meltdown over the Katrina response. Are there any other plausible post mortems on his loss?
January 31st, 2009 at 8:45 am
“Washington can’t fix our problems until we fix there’s.” I like that.
January 31st, 2009 at 9:03 am
Maryland’s just a bad state for Republicans generally, and 2006 was a horrible year for the party. Governor Erlich lost, and he had a very decent favorability rating in the state.
I think Romney would have lost in Mass. if he had run for re-election in 2006, even with all his compromises with the Democrats. In fact, it’s almost a certainty.
The fact that steele did as well as he did in 2006 was a good sign. He’s obviously a charismatic guy and it’s very difficult not to like him.
January 31st, 2009 at 9:05 am
Oddly enough, Steele lost pretty decisively even though the polls had him within a few points of Cardin. RCP had it labeled as a Toss-Up. However, I do remember, working the polls that day, being more optimistic about Ehrlich than about Steele. Ehrlich went on to lose by 5 points. He may run again in 2010. I hope so.
2006 was an abysmal environment for Republicans to run in, but a deep-blue state like Maryland with the population dominated by upscale liberal whites and downscale blacks — well, it’s damn near impossible. Ehrlich-Steele pulled it off in 2002 with the perfect storm of a crappy Democratic campaign, a strong Republican ticket, and a good Republican year. It was too much to overcome in 2006. But to give you an idea of what Maryland is like: take one part Vermont, one part Birmingham, and one part Oklahoma. We’ve got a very odd demographic blend. We’re actually the richest state in the union, despite the poor blacks of Baltimore City (which current governor Martin O’Malley was the mayor of before his election in 2006).
January 31st, 2009 at 9:06 am
Steele lost by roughly ten percent. It could have been a lot worse (see: Blackwell, Santorum, etc).
January 31st, 2009 at 9:28 am
“Steele lost by roughly ten percent. It could have been a lot worse (see: Blackwell, Santorum, etc).” True, but in part, both Mr. Blackwell and Mr. Santorum had a few other challenges, Mr. Blackwell suceeded an unpopular Governor and Mr. Santorum had a face a very popular opponent.
January 31st, 2009 at 9:34 am
Santorum was a two-term incumbent. He dug his own grave.
Choice quote: “I do agree with Bush about 98% of the time, but when I do disagree, I speak out!”
January 31st, 2009 at 10:45 am
Some of the best political ads I have seen (with the exception of all the Romney ads and Alex’s homemade Romneys sledding informational ad).
January 31st, 2009 at 11:38 am
Alex – how much cooperation do you think there will now be between the RNC, NRSC, NRCC, and GOP Governors’ Association?
It seems that Steele has a great advertising team and I hope he brings them with him to the RNC and then shares them with the above-mentioned groups. I saw the first attack ad against Reid sponsored by the NRSC and I think the Steele team might be able to improve on it a little bit.
January 31st, 2009 at 11:54 am
I don’t know any more than you do, honestly.
It is evident that Steele gets it, though.
Whether Cornyn gets it too — or whether Steele is going to make him! — is another question.
January 31st, 2009 at 11:56 am
Thanks Alex. Good comments on the 2012 Debate post.
January 31st, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Hmm, i like the ads.
January 31st, 2009 at 2:13 pm
I’m liking Steele more and more. He’s got tons of charisma. The ads were a TOUCH hammy, but that can easily be worked on.
January 31st, 2009 at 9:50 pm
We need a leader who’s likable. Have you seen John Boehner and Mitch McConnell’s favorability numbers? Almost 2-1 unfavorable. Neither of these guys is the least bit charismatic, and I couldn’t see either one of them do a commercial like these.