You asked for opinions on why the Menendez ad just doesn’t seem to work.

Ok. Here is my opinion as an NJ Democrat who is watching Bob Menendez lose a race he shouldn’t have even broken a sweat over.

Very simple: It comes across as a small ad about a small man with a small message.

The text is all First Person pronouns, which limits the message to messenger, which in this case is not impressive. Finally you don’t end with a weasily “I don’t agree” Say “I condemn it” or “I will fight it to the end” or “This outrage will not stand!”

The visuals accentuate Bob’s small stature. Having 2 tall good looking people stand behind him (are they his kids?) accentuate that he is short and not particularly good looking (I was thinking frog-like) . Also, the podium is too tall, making him look too small for the job.

The effective ads (my vote goes to the Indiana ad)do 3 things well:

1. They have an inclusive message that uses we, our, the country, the people to make both positive and negative points.

2. They deal in universal themes not specific issues. The results (positive or negative) tend to involve emotions grand inspiration

3. They use the tried and true sales technique of creating a problem or an issue in emotional terms than providing a solution to the pain. The Indiana ad does this beautifully, building emotions of anger, outrage and helplessness, then closing the deal by saying all it takes is getting rid of the current guy. Its and ad that makes you want to get out of house and vote.

People who want to keep up with Walz can find a lot online.

Walz is a Netroots Actblue candidate.

One reason is the great material the campaign communications director makes available. For example, the Walz campaign had the ad up on YouTube from the get-go. There’s another ad, a five-minute “Day in the Life” of the candidate, two debates, and more at GoTimGo

And Bluestem Prairie is a connector blog for the many Minnesota netroots supporting Walz and in-district newspapers.

Picture this: a montage of scenes from the past six years. Terri Schiavo, the WTC on fire, bodies from Katrina, people pleading for help, OBL, belching smokestacks, Bush reading “My Pet Goat,” Colin Powell at the UN, Tom DeLay’s mug shot, $3.50 gas, troops under fire, anti-American protests, a wounded soldier being evacked, Bush falling off a Segway, Dick Cheney snarling, Michael Brown testifying, Ken Lay. And so on.

The screen starts black. We hear the beep of a heart monitor and one image flashes on the screen then slowly fades to black. A second beep and a second image. Behind the beeping is a rising crescendo of screeching violins right out of a horror movie. The images keep coming faster and faster, the beeps getting closer together, until they merge into a solid beep and a rapidly flashing montage of images.

Suddenly, the screen goes black, the violins vanish, and the heart monitor flatlines and fades away. Then the words “HAD ENOUGH?” slam onto the black screen. They fade out, and up comes a red, white, and blue graphic that says “Vote Democratic … for a change.” This message is joined to a voice-over by a mature, recognizable voice – Martin Sheen, perhaps?

This ad should be dirt-cheap to make as commercials go. (You might even be able to get Sheen to donate his time!) It can be used in any district to fire up the base and push leaners in the D direction. It will get free media attention and be repeated again and again on the Internet. It will provide a single message and image for the party that’s tough to contradict or use against a particular candidate. It gives support to downballot races that can’t do their own TV advertising. Best of all, if used now, it starts defining the parties and the race before the GOP has a chance to swing into action.

Why doesn’t the DNC do something like this?

I argee with all your assessments Christy.

Twisted Martini @ 53

Gilliard seems to think the whole torture bill was a Rove trap, and that the Dems were smart in not getting involved. I guess time will tell.

Life is a trap that none escape alive. But still, you gotta get involved.

I agree to a certain extent. Rove had been broadcasting his strategy for the past month or so…Dems are soft on terror.

Well, they didn’t take the bait – and the Republicans just embarrassed each other and Bush had a press conference about it that devolved into a temper tantrum. How does that help BushCo or the Republicans trying to save their seats? Again, the fact that two Republican statesmen (Powell and Shultz) are now on record saying the Geneva Conventions must stand and the US is losing its moral authority wasn’t a win for Rove/Bush.

Don’t believe the Rovian spin that this was a win for BushCo. This whole discussion got away from them and trying to ram this bill through Congress almost ended in defeat – i.e. almost backfired.

Second and third are the Ellsworth ads – they tell a story where the hero in the story is the candidate fighting against a powerful foe.

Can’t wait to see how these stories end.