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Cain smoking ad brings flood of donations
The Hill ^ | 10/28/11 | Justin Sink

Posted on 10/29/2011 10:00:12 AM PDT by freespirited

While Herman Cain's viral Web ad — in which chief of staff Mark Block pointedly takes a drag from a cigarette after extolling the presidential candidate's virtues — might have raised eyebrows among political strategists and heckles in Internet comment sections, the ad seems to have also raised the rate at which the insurgent campaign is bringing in fundraising dollars.

Cain has brought in nearly $2 million within the last week alone, nearly doubling his weekly returns earlier this month, his campaign told The Wall Street Journal. By contrast, Cain only brought in $2.8 million over the entire third quarter.

"Our donations online have shot up a lot since that ad,” Block told the Journal. “The money we are getting is wildly beyond our expectations."

Cain's campaign has argued that the ad was a manifestation of a nontraditional, down-to-earth style that has caught the Republican zeitgeist. The polls seem to echo that analysis, with Cain leading Mitt Romney 24 percent to 20 in a Fox News survey released earlier this week.

The candidate said earlier this week that the ad "did a great job" and represented his grassroots message.

"We have a saying in my campaign — let Herman be Herman. This is the attitude that I have when I do debates. This is the attitude I have when I do interviews: Let Herman be Herman. Mark Block is my chief of staff. And we also say, 'Let Mark be Mark,' " Cain said on Fox News. "Mark happens to be a smoker. He knows it's a bad habit, but he smokes. And so we weren't trying to send any subliminal message whatsoever. Many of us found it hilarious, because we know Mark Block."

Block said the ad enforced the idea of Cain as a "different kind of presidential candidate."

“Yes, the smoking part of that ad was controversial — and I don’t in any way condone smoking — but the message that Herman Cain is a different kind of presidential candidate is certainly resonating across the country,” Block said.


TOPICS: Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cainvsunable; hermancain; markblock; pufflist; smokingad
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To: EggsAckley

Yes. And we are damn sick of slick ads, all in red white and blue, with the candidate walking through groups of exact voter ratios of ethnic demographics, smiling, kissing babies, promising skittles-pooping unicorns.

We are ready for real.


121 posted on 10/29/2011 4:45:39 PM PDT by Yaelle (Raise Cain this weekend! Send him $9.99!)
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To: stormhill
The craving is always lurking out there waiting for the next crisis.

I can honestly say for me, it isn't. I quit in '81.

122 posted on 10/29/2011 7:11:22 PM PDT by prairiebreeze (I guess I'll keep living until I die.)
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To: little jeremiah

I agree with your observations about things to do with mind and hands. I had a dream where I was smoking once....and I was HORRIFIED in my dream that I’d started again.

LOL


123 posted on 10/29/2011 7:14:42 PM PDT by prairiebreeze (I guess I'll keep living until I die.)
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To: momtothree

“38 years and you still want a cigarette every day?!”

Yup. I’m not at 38 years, but I want a cigar about every day. Didn’t like the taste of cigs, but a nice cigar...


124 posted on 10/29/2011 7:23:54 PM PDT by RKBA Democrat (REWARD!! Return escaped conservatives to the Grand Ol' Plantation. Call and ask for Mitt or Rick)
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To: Soothesayer9

If you can do it without anyone else, then sure. Otherwise, no.


125 posted on 10/29/2011 8:03:00 PM PDT by BenKenobi (Honkeys for Herman! 10 percent is enough for God; 9 percent is enough for government)
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To: trisham

Internet connection...$2
Cheap suit...$99
Pack of Marlboros....$12 in NYC

Free advertising by shocking liberals with a video of a guy smoking a cigarette...priceless.

This kind of press would normally cost millions.


126 posted on 10/29/2011 8:57:35 PM PDT by Eric Blair 2084 (I don't always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer to drink a bunch of them. Stay thirsty my FRiends)
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To: freespirited

I have to admit..I didn’t read this whole thread.

So it may have already been mentioned.

But usually, if any one mentions smoking there is a general scream of...OMG!!!

So everyone on FR republic agrees with this ad? How amusing.


127 posted on 10/29/2011 10:03:21 PM PDT by berdie
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To: prairiebreeze
I'm w/ you PB.

One of the promises in the Big Book of AA declares that at some point as we honestly work the Steps, the craving will be removed. That was my experience.

128 posted on 10/29/2011 10:40:33 PM PDT by CIBvet (So how's all this FAST TRACKED - FREE TRADE workin' out for you so far, Comrade Job-Seekers ?)
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To: momtothree

I can relate to that!


129 posted on 10/29/2011 11:37:34 PM PDT by After Hours
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To: stormhill

I quit for 3 years once upon a time and the craving is gone, but not the thought of a cigarette, its easily passed...Why did I start again, a stupid reason I will keep to myself...but if one quits, just one cigarette starts it all over again and that one cigarette is a choice one makes..like any bad habit we quit once you start again, the old patterns come to the front...same with alcohol. One quits but if one takes that one drink, its starts all over again...just one won’t hurt is a lie..


130 posted on 10/30/2011 12:34:48 AM PDT by goat granny
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To: freespirited

The message....

Let Herman be Herman...
Let Mark be Mark...
Let me be me...
Let America be America...

Don’t tread on me.


131 posted on 10/30/2011 4:48:03 AM PDT by EBH (God Humbles Nations, Leaders, and Peoples before He uses them for His Purpose)
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To: re_nortex
I think, and I believe is ? the message from this ad was to tell people that this campaign is a campaign to take American back, back to the America we once knew where men were men, and women were women.
A America were we produced our own goods and had the best manufacture base in the world.
A America were when we came across a problem, our attitude was " GET IT DONE " .
But, the main message was ? we need real men, and women who know that they are women, to turn this ship around in the right direction and take it back from the liberals, the commies.
132 posted on 10/30/2011 5:57:42 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist (The fool has said in his heart, " there is no GOD " ..)
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To: MNnice

Maybe he should do another ad at a Beef Steak House, or a NASCAR race.


133 posted on 10/30/2011 6:00:07 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist (The fool has said in his heart, " there is no GOD " ..)
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To: Repeal The 17th
" Your boy Rick condones illegal immigrants. "

The Dingleperrys are restless.

Perry is just like Romney, " Vote for me, really, trust me, I am one of you now, I once was a Democrat, but, don't believe these leopard stops "

What's that story about the frog and the scorpion ? .. ohh, yeah, the scorpion wanted the frog to carry him across the river, but, the frog protested that the scorpion would bite him.

At least Cain looks like he is enjoying his campaign, cool and relaxed, Perry is a Romney wanna be trying to convince you to vote for him by trowing people a bone that would stick to the wall, he's desperate.
134 posted on 10/30/2011 6:07:18 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist (The fool has said in his heart, " there is no GOD " ..)
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To: re_nortex

Perhaps ? the point of it is ? that it’s not politically correct, and it’s even causing even those of the GOP and those who call themselves conservatives who are hidden political correcters heart palpitation.


135 posted on 10/30/2011 6:22:07 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist (The fool has said in his heart, " there is no GOD " ..)
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To: DrewsMum
" Saying BS, doesn’t make it any less true "

It's called denial.
136 posted on 10/30/2011 6:25:40 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist (The fool has said in his heart, " there is no GOD " ..)
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To: NoGrayZone

The ad was a much needed stick in the eye to the nanny state.
As for smoking, yes I smoke, but have not bought a store bought cig for a long time. If I want a smoke I have to MAKE IT MYSELF. You will find that with homemade smokes, you smoke half as much, no additives in the tobacco.If you tire of making them, you don’t smoke.


137 posted on 10/30/2011 6:45:52 AM PDT by coolbreeze (giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teen-age boys.)
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To: mylife

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2799908/posts


138 posted on 10/30/2011 6:50:41 AM PDT by American Constitutionalist (The fool has said in his heart, " there is no GOD " ..)
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To: VanDeKoik

is it true that all the cigarettes have to be put in electronically in post production because it is against the law to smoke in the studios and on the sets of Admen...

t


139 posted on 10/30/2011 7:19:23 AM PDT by teeman8r (armageddon won't be pretty, but it's not like it's the end of the world.)
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To: itssme
Is this the one you are talking about?
140 posted on 10/30/2011 8:31:43 AM PDT by PLD
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