Here are some recent published numbers for TV ad spot by the Dems. The source is the Wisconsin Advertising Project:
Total Democratic Presidential Candidate TV Ad Spending and Spots (Through 1/9/04)
Gov. Howard Dean $6,628,000 14,066 spots
Sen. John Kerry $4,123,000 6966
Sen. John Edwards $3,277,000 7348
Rep. Richard Gephardt $2,975,000 6538
Gen. Wesley Clark $2,391,000 3134
Sen. Joe Lieberman $1,580,000 2079
Rep. Dennis Kucinich $61,000 165
Lyndon Larouche $29,000 28
Total $21,064,000
This is, of course, lots of money and in the current world of politics obscene realism. But as Mark Twain once said, American’s have a real problem with proportion.
Obscene realism?I don’t follow you.I find these dollar amounts irrelevant.
excellent
Excellent?I would be happy to engage you in debate if you give me a little more to work with.I think that this annoyance with money…as if it is some evil force…is really not looking at the whole picture.I personally live an ascetic lifestyle because it keeps me focused but I don’t view money as evil.I know good and evil people on both ends of the spectrum.I’d much rather explore 1. the message and image that these guys are buying with their money and 2. the people on the recieving end of these messages: How are they affected? Do they vote? Do they vote soley based on these commercials?I find these questions interesting because I know there was a time when I voted based on nothing but superficial images and messages.And I’ve been a penitent ever since.I think that the bigger picture is much more interesting than the individual dollar amounts.But if you want to talk about the money, the real story is in the following of it…who are the groups, that these funds originated from?
Rina,
The Center for Public Integrity is a good source much of this info, produced in non-party fashion.