Posted on 10/25/2004 8:54:06 PM PDT by ambrose
TheHawaiiChannel
Rarity: Presidential Campaigns Send Ads To Hawaii Polls Show Race In Virtual Dead Heat
POSTED: 5:15 PM HST October 25, 2004
HONOLULU -- With the presidential campaign virtually tied in Hawaii, Democrats and Republicans have started to buy television-advertising time in the islands. It's a significant move, since presidential campaigns usually do not normally spend advertising money in Hawaii.
Viewers should start seeing presidential campaign spots on TV as soon as Tuesday night in Hawaii.
The move comes just two days after two polls came out showing the presidential race neck and neck in the islands. The Democratic National Committee and the Bush campaign called television sales departments and the Democrats began buying ad time.
"It reminds everybody how little a player Hawaii generally is in presidential elections. So much so that the candidates assume it was going to be the same way this time," University of Hawaii political science professor Neal Milner said.
Local Bush and Kerry campaign officials told KITV 4 News they didn't know that their national organizations were buying television time here, until a reporter called them to ask about it.
"It means it's worth something to both parties to really make an effort here, as much of an effort as they can make, short of actually getting the candidates here," Milner said.
National campaign officials offered no specifics about how much money they'll spend on Hawaii TV ads, what ads will run and when, but they did offer healthy doses of spin.
"The people in Hawaii are just like the people all across America, who are anxious for a change in direction in the leadership of their country. They want a president just like John Kerry who has the right priorities, and who will fight for them in the White House," said Josh Earnest of the DNC.
"The fact that John Kerry is playing defense in this state really speaks to the president's leadership and really speaks to the fact that his priorities are in line with Hawaii," said Tracey Shmitt of the Bush campaign.
TV advertising veterans can't remember the last time presidential campaigns bought television time in Hawaii before a general election.
A poll by KITV 4 News and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin found that Bush holds a 0.6 percent lead over Kerry ; 46 percent versus 45.4 percent for Kerry. More than 600 registered voters were surveyed. The poll has a 4 percent margin of error.
Are you saying BC04 put ad money into Massachusetts? Do you have a source for this? Granted Kerry is not well-liked there but wouldn't BC04 increase their effort to keep NH, which seems rather wobbly?
Here is the only real way to tell if polls are telling the truth.
Missed the point again. Like what the gentleman said above about Mass., if Kerry is spending money there and Hawaii is in a dead heat, it's not about the 4 EVs per se. It's about a landslide.
Continue to push what is falling: Kerry.
Talk about spin. This is a state that Gore won in 2000 by over 18 points.
Most interesting. Way to go Mr. Bush!
Still I agree with the above poster...if Bush takes Hawaii, my summer vacation is in Princeville!!! Aloha and Mahalo!
Lots and lots of Vets on the islands? hmmmmmm.
Advertising in Masschusetts is probably for southern New Hampshire.
Please put links in the URL space provided in the post form.
We do have FoxNews Channel, though, so we've already been getting quite a few political ads through that. Not to mention the gazillion ads for mayor and Neil Abercrombie. I've only seen a couple for Inouye- he's safe. Ed Case appears safe as well - last I read he was something like 35 points ahead, almost as big a blowout as the Obama Barruck (sp?) vs. Keyes will be.
This makes more sense. I think Massachusetts is a lost cause but advertising there to keep NH in the fold is wise. Might end up killing two birds with one stone.
This is what the ad money says right now: Bush is sure he'll win and wants to make it slaughter (man after my heart) and sKerry wants to avoid complete embarrassment and try to hold onto a few states.
YET, we should all keep working like our lives depend on it. Work hard and we can all party next Wednesday.
Lots of vets and lots of military. While they don't usually vote here (or they'd have to pay taxes) they do get their views known and heard. Hubby says the last poll he saw it was something like 4 to 1 among the military for Bush. Quite a few locals have family members in the reserves too, probably somewhat less pro-Bush but still probably more pro- than anti-.
I'd love to see the swifties run an ad in Hawaii.
Some may be for NH, but it's still a rarity, especially at this time in the game. They're wrapping up not starting out.
Got that right
It's past my bedtime, see #33 and have a good night.
The numbers must be true or they wouldn't be spending money to run ads.
I wish that were the case, too. The dems have a sort of built-in "advantage" since a big part of their stronghold is in the NE, where they obviously get called first because of the EST, ahead of everyone else. It gives the impression, even if it's not the case, that the dem candidate is sweeping the nation. That can be discouraging to the gop to hear one dem state after another being called for Kerry, while we're still waiting to hear for the gop states to be called.
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