Well, I’m in Pennsylvania, so that means we keep getting them here. However, I’m actually kinda glad not to be home, because Albuquerque is second behind only Miami in total political ads. Plus, at least here, I’ve got cable, so as long as I stay off the broadcast stations I don’t see too many.
I moved to Ohio in early September. I don’t yet have my cable hooked up (but I finally will, this Saturday. YAY!).
I have never seen so many political ads before an election, even on the two channels I get without cable.
I’m thoroughly enjoying the one that’s a public information ad, that states that there are still X number of counties in Ohio using punch card voting machines, and tells you to make sure you line up your ballot properly. It includes the line “avoid the hanging chad”. First time I saw it, I got the giggles.
Heh, so far I’ve seen one (House seat race, I believe). 
Not only is Colorado “in play” for the Presidency, we have an open Senate seat (Nighthorse Campbell, R) that is currently projected to go to the Democrat (Ken Salazar over Pete Coors) which would swing the balance of power in the Senate.
Very often, especially on the networks and the cable news channels, ALL of the ads during a break are political.
It sucks, let me tell you.
Here in Detroit, we’ve got a very hotly contested proposal about gambling, both sides are buying loads of air time. I even got to partake in a focus group about the ads for that proposal, made me $65 I did.
I wish I had the stats, but I remember some local talk DJs saying not a week has went by since the primaries without at least one major campaign visit here, there’s tons of grumbling about the state budget being hit to pay for all the police escorts and gridlock during rush hours when major roads are blocked to allow candidates easy access back to the airport. Micheal Moore just raised the big flap promising college kids ramen noodles for Kerry votes where? Right here.
At my house the TV stays mainly on Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon but when I do watch, I’d say one of three commercials is political. Radio is full of ads, and I average two phone calls a night, with a few pre-recorded answering machine messages daily as well.
Lawn signs in most blue-collar neighborhoods tend toward Kerry, although I see more Bush stickers on cars. I can’t wait until November 3rd!
New York here. The state went over to Kerry early so presidential ads passed us by.
The only other major race going on is Senator Schumer’s reelection campaign. He’s got such a lead over his token Republican opponent Howard Mills, that nobody’s bothering to say anything negative. Schumer runs about one or two fluffy ads a week, apparently just so people don’t forget the campaign entirely.
Yeah, what the hell are up with those? I get a distinct sense of rage from those commercials. Like the people who are against Indian casinos are mad as hell and they aren’t going to take it anymore. The one with all the “regular” people bitching about the Indians who don’t pay taxes almost seems vicious to me.
I’ve seen a very few Bush ads, but no Kerry ads.
I had a homework assignment Friday involving a political ad from the newspaper. That’s a problem. There are no political ads in the New York Times or in the New Jersey newspaper, as both are from highly ‘blue’ states. I haven’t seen a political ad in a long time, though I have been accosted by DNC/RNC people in the city.
(This leads to another proposition: my history teacher is a dolt; but I won’t get into that…)
Another Ohioan here. I think I saw about 800 ads last night alone. My favorite was when an RNC ad ending with the words “John Kerry: A risky choice” (or something) was followed directly by a Kerry ad. I have seen Bush ads, Kerry ads, RNC ads, DNC ads, MoveOn ads, SBVT ads, that one Texans for Truth ad, and I even saw a “Mothers Against Bush” ad once. And of course there was the two full pages of a George Soros ad in the newspaper about a week and a half ago. Fortunately I have been away at school and have missed most of the phone calls and mail that are apparently coming for me at home.
Former Ohioan, but Hoosier since 2001, so experiencing my first presidential election year in this state whose electoral votes have been conceded to the Republican Party ticket. However, the Democrats hold the governorship. Frank O’Bannon died in office last year, so Joe Kernan moved up from lieutenant governor and is defending his seat against Mitch Daniels, who directed the Office of Management and Budget under George W. Bush before resigning so that he could bid for the chief executive position of this fair state. The race is quite competitive, with both sides broadcasting plenty of ads.
Meanwhile, Republican Senator Richard Lugar’s seat isn’t up for grabs this year, but Democrat Evan Bayh’s is. Bayh has a 61%-22% lead over GOP challenger Marvin Scott, so neither candidate has purchased much airtime (indeed, I haven’t seen a spot extolling either). Locally, the most visible contest is Democrat Joe Micon’s bid for the State Representative seat being vacated by Republican Sue Scholer. Scholer’s party is running Connie Basham, whose signs appear on all the apartment houses she and her husband own. Micon and Basham have also been running dueling promos during TV commercial breaks.
So if you did nothing but watch the tube all day, it’d be obvious that there’s an election coming up, even though you could conceivably arrive at the polls on November 2 and learn of the major federal races for the first time.
Right. Exactomundo.
Idaho resident–solidly red state.
I live in North Idaho, where we get our broadcast tv from Spokane, Washington.
I see more ads for Washington politicans than those for Idaho. It is to be hoped that George Nethercutt loses decisively to Patty Murray. I’m sick of seeing his ads.
This election can’t come soon enough for me.
I live in Florida, which, if anything, is a striped state.
Not only do we get at least one political ad per break (on the networks), we even get a Subway ad poking fun at the political ads- the one where that chubby Jarod guy goes, “I’m Jarod, and I approved this message”…
While I live in Minnesota (which is a battleground state), I get Wisconsin TV (Wisconsin is MORE of a battleground state)
For a breakdown of ads see:
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/special/president/campaign.ads/
(needs flash)
It is interesting* that Wisconsin has gotten more ads than California, Texas, Illinois and New York combined.
I’ve got few phone calls. If one more survey person calls, I’m asking who they are surveying for. Then I will tell them I’m voting for the opponent – telling them “whoever bugs me the least gets my vote” (note: not my real answer, but what i tell them) Or maybe I’ll say I’m voting for Fergie (the bring back monarchy party)
Brian
*In the Chinese curse “may you live in interesting times” sense
I live in VA, and I’ve seen maybe a few, though all were, I think, on CNN.
I think VA might be a surprise this year.
You think you’ve got it bad? I don’t even get to vote in that race, and I still get the ads. Most of our network stations broadcast out of South Carolina, so viewers here are treated to the political ads, but not the pleasure of voting the sumbitches out (or in, as the case may be).
Preach! I myself wish it more on Ms. Tennenbaum but they both have the political ad output of horny political ad rabbits. It’s amazing:
Monday: “Jim Demint is calling for a 23% sales tax. That’s means you’ll probably go hungry and die.”
Tuesday: “Well, it seems Inez Tennenbaum has got her some fancy yankee commercial people and is telling lies again. The truth is…”
Wednesday: “Did you hear Jim Demint’s latest ploy to kill all the senior citizens in the state? No? There was an ad about it on the radio yesterday!”
I imagine there is a studio somewhere with cots and water bottles and ramen where voice actors live 24 hrs/day waiting on the Demint or Tennenbaum camp to buy new commercials. They’re probably rich by now.
Amen!
No Senate ads either, since Barbara Boxer is so far ahead. No adds for Pete Stark - he is so far ahead that he is donating his campaing donations to other Democrats running. Only a smattering of bumper stickers, about 10 - 1 Kerry.
Not that I’d so too many ads, since about the only TV I watch is The Daily Show and the Weather Channel. I do get links to ads from MoveOn.org, though.
Yeah, I don’t have to sit through political ads, but as a lib Dem in Texas I also don’t have a vote in the presidential election.
Vote anyway.