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New ads push voting Edwards' ads don't promote party or candidates.
News and Observer ^ | September 26, 2002 | JOHN WAGNER

Posted on 09/26/2002 6:56:18 AM PDT by mykdsmom

WASHINGTON -- In an apparent bid to bolster his standing back home, U.S. Sen. John Edwards plans to launch a series of paid television commercials today in which he encourages North Carolinians to vote in the 2002 elections.

The ad campaign, which aides say could exceed $1 million, comes during an election year in which the North Carolina Democrat is not on the ballot himself but is gearing up for a probable 2004 presidential bid.

Edwards' political action committee, the New American Optimists, is paying for the commercials, the first of which features Edwards looking directly at the camera and telling viewers about meeting with soldiers from North Carolina during a trip to Afghanistan.

"Most of us won't be asked to make that kind of sacrifice, but there's something important we can do right here at home," Edwards says. "On Election Day, go to the polls and vote. Show the whole world that our system is alive and strong."

In the ads, Edwards does not advocate voting for candidates of a particular political party and makes no mention of his own Democratic affiliation.

In some respects, Edwards might seem an unlikely messenger: As a private citizen, he had a checkered voting history, failing to vote in six of the 13 elections that occurred before his 1998 Senate bid.

"He thinks he should have voted every time, and he thinks it's important for everyone to vote now, particularly after Sept. 11," Edwards spokesman Mike Briggs said Wednesday.

Briggs added that Edwards has a solid voting record as a senator, missing only six of the 1,277 votes that have taken place during his legislative career.

Privately, some Edwards advisers acknowledge that the ads are intended in part to bolster the senator's popularity in North Carolina, where he has spent considerably less time in recent months as he visits key presidential states.

Part of Edwards' attraction as a presidential contender stems from his "Southern Democrat" credentials, which would be undercut if his popularity back home starts slipping, aides say.

Recent polls have suggested Edwards' job-approval rating is relatively steady but that Tar Heel voters are lukewarm at this early stage about an Edwards presidential bid.

A Mason-Dixon poll released earlier this month, for example, showed that 35 percent of likely North Carolina voters favored an Edwards presidential bid, while 44 percent were opposed and 21 percent were undecided.

According to aides, Edwards' ads are airing only on North Carolina stations, though several Tar Heel media markets -- including Charlotte, Asheville and Wilmington -- overlap with parts of South Carolina.

South Carolina is among the states slated to hold a presidential primary almost immediately after the Iowa and New Hampshire nominating contests in early 2004.

Edwards' ads were produced by Bob Shrum, who served as Edwards' media consultant for his 1998 Senate race and also worked for Al Gore in his 2000 presidential campaign.

Aides would not disclose the content of additional ads that are planned in coming weeks. Footage of Edwards was recently shot in his boyhood home of Robbins, however.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: North Carolina; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: investingstocks; johnedwards; northcarolina; oldnorthstate

1 posted on 09/26/2002 6:56:19 AM PDT by mykdsmom
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To: *Old_North_State; **North_Carolina; Constitution Day; mykdsmom; Lee'sGhost; KOZ.; borntodiefree; ...
NC Ping!

MKM

2 posted on 09/26/2002 6:57:26 AM PDT by mykdsmom
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To: mykdsmom
Edwards' ads were produced by Bob Shrum, who served as Edwards' media consultant for his 1998 Senate race and also worked for Al Gore in his 2000 presidential campaign.

That's all I needed to know!!

3 posted on 09/26/2002 7:35:20 AM PDT by SpinyNorman
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To: mykdsmom
Did you have to post the picture? It's put me off second breakfast!
4 posted on 09/26/2002 7:35:35 AM PDT by Overtaxed
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To: mykdsmom
Seeing that *sswipe on my television would certainly get ME out to vote.
But not for a Dim-o-crat, that's for sure.
5 posted on 09/26/2002 7:39:47 AM PDT by Redbob
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To: Overtaxed
He he he....sorry!

MKM

6 posted on 09/26/2002 7:39:48 AM PDT by mykdsmom
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To: mykdsmom
....and here comes first breakfast.....

:)

7 posted on 09/26/2002 7:41:14 AM PDT by Overtaxed
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To: Overtaxed
Nice to know that Bob Shrum is now meddling in our state politics, isn't it?
8 posted on 09/26/2002 8:00:43 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: Howlin
Nice to know that Bob Shrum is now meddling in our state politics, isn't it?

It's enough to make me want to put in an order for tar and feathers.

9 posted on 09/26/2002 8:04:21 AM PDT by Overtaxed
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To: Howlin

He helped to engineer Edwards' campaign against Lauch in '98. More of same trash.

10 posted on 09/26/2002 8:07:00 AM PDT by Carolina
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To: Carolina
...so much for lunch! :)
11 posted on 09/26/2002 8:09:15 AM PDT by Overtaxed
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To: mykdsmom
They are running scared if the Dems have Edwards producing ads to promote voting on Election Day. It leaves one wondering if the left is afraid they won't beat Dole without getting more voters to the polls.
12 posted on 09/26/2002 9:48:25 AM PDT by callisto
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To: mykdsmom
God Help ME PLEASE!!!!! I'll have to keep the remote real close. (in case I'm eating when one of his "commie"rcials come on.)
13 posted on 09/28/2002 9:27:57 PM PDT by Madcelt
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