The Elements of Advertising
Democratic Media Group Ditches Ad Effort
By Chris Cillizza
Progressive Media USA, the group organized to be the main soft-money advertising vehicle for Democrats in the fall, will dramatically scale back its efforts in deference to the wishes of the party's presumptive nominee.
"Progressive Media will not be running an independent ad campaign this year," David Brock, the head of the organization, confirmed in a statement obtained by The Fix this morning.
"Progressive Media was established to be an independent on-going progressive issue advocacy organization," Brock added. "We were not established for one issue, one candidate or one election cycle. But donors and potential donors are getting clear signals from the Obama camp through the news media and we recognize that reality."
Those familiar with the group's decision cast it as largely the result of the stated desire of Sen. Barack Obama's campaign to not direct funds to outside organizations in hopes of better controlling the Democratic message in the fall. But the group was also struggling to raise the money necessary to be a major force in the presidential race and was riven by internal divisions.
Posted at 11:23 AM ET on May 15, 2008
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Posted by: danielhancock | May 17, 2008 12:53 AM
Pres Bush's decision to engage in partisan intervention. What the hell is next for you people, another war. Hilary says that new cars will pull you through. How many of you can afford a new car in the next couple of years, how many of you leased??. You will not be attacked, hopefully if you vote as the America I have known for 40 years. Man you are screwed. What a shame your great powers could not attack and control Burma. That would be the America I knew.
Life is great.
Posted by: justadad55+ | May 15, 2008 5:38 PM
527s only further the political divide in this country and that's no way to run a democracy. I'm glad Obama has come out against them and followed through by supporters not to give them money rather than merely stating a position without actually backing it up with action.
Posted by: Nuffsaid | May 15, 2008 4:29 PM
Geez JakeD you're inescapable
Posted by: JR | May 15, 2008 3:29 PM
FROM ABC website, go there to read whole story! Thank you ABC
____________________
Obama Helped Supporters Get Millions in Illinois State Business
John Rogers, Whose Business Obama Helped as a State Senator, Is Now One of Obama's Chief Fundraisers
By AVNI PATEL, JUSTIN ROOD
and BRIAN ROSS
May 15, 2008
In a speech to the Urban League last July, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., boasted of his efforts in 2001 to help a handful of African American-owned investment firms in Chicago get a larger share of business with Illinois state pension funds.
"And in six months, they got about a half-billion dollars' worth of business simply on their excellence," Obama said.
What he did not say in his speech was that the owner of one of the investment firms, John Rogers of Ariel Capital, is a principal campaign fundraiser.
Nor did he reveal that employees of the firms he helped have since contributed to or helped to raise more than $765,000 for his campaigns, according to campaign documents.
Nor did he mention that two of the firms have allowed him to use their private jets. Nor did he mention that two of the firms have since been dismissed by the state pension fund for "underperformance."
Posted by: | May 15, 2008 1:31 PM
For the first time I wish Clinton was the nominee because McCain needs to be painted as the Lobbyist funded Keaton 5 scumbag he is.
This playing nice BS with the Grand Old Pharts feels like the wrong move
Posted by: Vincent | May 15, 2008 12:59 PM
More importantly, Thank you, Progressive Media! This GE election will have to be in sync. After this exhausting Dem primary, we will need to make up for lost time. We can ill-afford a Repub WH already anticipating staying at war until at least 2013. Thank you, thank you. I just hope other 527s act as responsibly.
Posted by: Moxieme | May 15, 2008 12:51 PM
Wise move Obama! Keep the control of your message close to you. No need to pay others to do what you're doing so well already!
Posted by: Franky | May 15, 2008 12:34 PM
All good news for John SIDNEY McCain.
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 12:17 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Actually Obama is being smart as a fox. McCain who denounces the 527s ironically needs their help more than Obama does because of the disparity of fundraising between Obama and McCain.
So later on when a 527 group attacks Obama in an ad, Obama can ask McCain to get the group to cease and desist and point to the fact that he, Obama has called off the 527s in favor of him.
Incidentally, the 527s were made possible by the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law.