Campbell Brown: Commentary: Food banks instead of campaign ads

[amyrose2712]

(snip)

According to Wednesday's Wall Street Journal, negative ads are having almost no impact this election cycle. The journal's headline: Ready, Aim, Backfire: Nasty Political Ads Fall Flat.

Why? According to one quote, "Arguing about personal associations pales in comparison to the current grim economic news.

Still between now and Election Day, Obama and McCain are going to spend a combined $30 million dollars a week.

So I'm going to throw a crazy idea on the table that I don't think is that crazy. There is a food bank in Provo, Utah, that feeds the homeless. Joalaina Redbird takes her three small children there. They have all three meals there everyday.

They became homeless two months ago when her husband lost his construction job. This food bank is running low on supplies; they have issued an emergency call for help. Because of our economic crisis, donations are way down and the number of people they are feeding is way up.

(snip)

So, Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain, how about instead of spending that $30 million a week kicking the "you know what" out of each other between now and Election Day, you pool your money and you give it to that food bank in Provo, Utah, so Joalaina Redbird's kids can get three square meals a day until her husband finds another job.

Give the money to that homeless shelter in Grand Forks or any of the hundreds of charities around this country that are trying to help desperate people get through these difficult times.

If you really care about hurting Americans, put your money where your mouth is and spare us three more weeks of negative ads.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/16/campbell.brown.negative.ads/index.html#cnnSTCText

Edited for aesthetics

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Way to go, Campbell Brown!!! n/t

[rucky]

2. Wow. She said that on the air?

It's a noble idea - but I bet CNN execs took her to the woodshed after that.

[AllentownJake]

3. Democracy is actually pretty cheap

The money we will spend on this election this year is less than 1% of what Americans will spend Gambling and its only once every 4 years.

[Clio the Leo]

6. Yep ........ this is a lovely idea but.....

..... I donate to charity ..... MUCH more than I have given to the Obama campaign. I also give my TIME to charity, something all the move valuable. And I will continue to do so after this election is over.

I want the money I sent his campaign to go toward winning this election, to putting feet on the ground in Florida and Ohio. To pay for advertising, yes even campaign commercials. Let's get the man in the White House and THEN the charity work can begin in earnest.

But then again, Campbell Brown wasn't talking to the Obama campaign, so I guess I'll shut up now. :-)

[AllentownJake]

12. I got into a debate with my uncle about this

I said we can spend this money on elections every 4 years. Its actually good we spend this money on elections. If you compare the money spent on elections to Alcohol, Gambling and Pornography from consumers the amount doesn't even come close.

I think more money is spent on Professional Soccer in this country than is spent on the democratic process. That process includes advertising to get a candidates message out.

[high density]

4. I just want to say thank you to Campbell Brown for being part of the problem

:eyes:

The media made this beast and nobody getting a paycheck from that line of work has a right to assert that the campaigns are wrong for spending money on a media campaign.

[City Lights]

7. ...

:applause:

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Fixed.

So, Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain, how about instead of spending that $30 million a week kicking the "you know what" out of each other between now and Election Day, you pool your money and you give it to that food bank in Provo, Utah, so Joalaina Redbird's kids can get three square meals a day until her husband finds another job.

Give the money to that homeless shelter in Grand Forks or any of the hundreds of charities around this country that are trying to help desperate people get through these difficult times.

If you really care about hurting Americans, put your money where your mouth is and spare us three more weeks of negative ads.

Fixed.

It doesn't surprise me that Campbell Brown reverted back to falling for the Conservative Network News' (faux) "balance" in promoting this nonsense about "negative ads". It boggles the mind that the shills continue to assert that when one candidate promotes issues and the other candidate boldly announces that issues are off the table, or they "will lose" (and thus personal characterizations against the opponent will be the strategy), that the "issues candidate" is now automatically at fault too and WILL share the "blame". :eyes:

[amyrose2712]

13. Yes, you are right. My thoughts on this were that they ALL waste...

so much money on such things. Even Barack made jokes about spending so much money, while the country is hurting. I just have a hard time accepting the amount of money that we spend on campaigns. I don't feel that elections should be paid for in such a way. I feel it is a HUGE waste of money, when so many have so little. Why can't it come out of a pubic fund, and anyone that gets on the ballot will get equal amounts of money to spend. Someone else stated that the amount spend is "less than 1%" of what Americans spend on gambling. I don't think that is truly a fair comparison. Comparing what 2 people spend in a few month to what the whole of the population of the USA spends on gambling. I understand what they were trying to get at, however, I don't think it is aa fair comparison. And, about Campbell brown, you may be right. She transposed the numbers when reporting the poll numbers regarding who poeple think spent more time on negative ads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbbMMxcejPY

[CatBO]

8. I'm actually beginning to enjoy Campbell Brown

I don't agree with her necessarily, but she has a very idealistic tone that appeals to me. She's not a go-to for hard news, but I like her.

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. When Democrats have a clear money advantage, the commentariat suddenly develop social consciousness

Pfffft on Campbell Brown.

We'll deal with the food problem beginning November 5, Mrs. Senor. Until then, expect bombardment and saturation of the battleground states. Donate your salary for the next month to make up the difference, Mrs. Senor.

[City Lights]

15. ...

:applause:

[gmoney]

19. Campbell, how about you stop smearing the candidate that wants to HELP the poor?

How about you call the pukes on their massive efforts to disenfranchise millions of mostly minority and poor voters, INCLUDING the vilification of the homeless as part of the so-called "ACORN problem."

[stillcool]

29. her husband, a former member of the Bush ..

administration and a contributor to Fox News most likely agrees with her..considering the audacity of a Democrat having more money than a Republican.

[RoadRage]

10. NO.

While I don't doubt that Campbell has her heart in the right place.. No.

This is the first time in recent history that we (democrats) have actually had an advantage in this election. Obama has been brilliant, and worked his ASS OFF to get 3 million people to donate repeadedly to his campaign.

Frankly - this would be a GIFT TO McCAIN. He'd love nothing more then to level the playing field in the last 3 weeks of this election.. because right now Obama can afford to put 4 ads up to every 1 of McCain's.

While I agree that all homeless shelters could use any money at any time - the people that sadly have to use those facilities are going to be MUCH better off under an Obama presidency then a McCain presidency. Let's look at this money as a long-term investment.. rather then spending it now in the short term where you would only get the exact value of the donation (you give $20,000,000 - you get $20,000,000 in rewards), let's hold out 3 more weeks and get Obama into the White House where he can make a MUCH bigger impact for a MUCH longer time (8 years)!

[Thrill]

11. Oh so when Democrats finally have the money advantage. We should stop running ads

These people discuss me. I always think its a good idea to donate to charity and help people. But they aren't concerned about those people. They just don't like it when the Dems are in the drivers seat money wise

[amyrose2712]

14. All very valid points, I personally believe WE ALL waste to much ..

and unfortunately those people can't wait until Nov 5th to eat.

[amyrose2712]

17. I personnally believe....

some people in America don't have maps.... Sorry I couldn't resist when I read my own statement.

[OneGrassRoot]

23. Correction: All "U.S. Americans" - ;) LOLOL n/t

[Uzybone]

16. Why doesnt she give her salary

to the food bank. The fucking campaign feeds CNN and gives her a fat paycheck. Now she is being all altruistic. If she feels so strongly about negative ads, then she should never show one on her show.

[amyrose2712]

18. I agree with that. the entire M$M does that.

"I can't believe the other stations are showing you this horrible video. They should be ashamed. It is detestable and should be reprimanded for it. Don't they know it incites hate. Watch it now and you decide for yourself. Proceed to video."-hypothetical clip

[TheDonkey]

35. Seriously, this "feel good" malarkey is just fodder for her few viewers out there

Obama winning this election means A LOT to those homeless in Provo and homeless all across America. It's unfortunate we need to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on campaigning but it has become a necessity to cut threw the lies and spin that people like Ms Brown amplify!

[tanyev]

20. And what about all the money Mitt Romney wasted on the GOP primary, Campbell?

Your husband was one of Mitt's advisors. Did you tell your husband that Mitt should be donating that money to a food bank? Sorry, but anyone who could marry the spokesman for Paul Bremer's Coalition Provisional Authority loses all credibility in my book.


Daniel Samuel "Dan" Senor<1> was a foreign policy adviser to Mitt Romney in his campaign for the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential election.<2>

Senor has been a Fox News contributor since February 2005.<3><1>

In August 2006, Dan Senor was quoted in the Wall Street Journal, representing Vets for Freedom, the Republican-led 527 committee that is attacking advocates of an end to the Iraq occupation and who were supporting Joe Lieberman for the U.S. Senate.<4>

Senor was an adviser to Iraq Coalition Provisional Authority director Paul Bremer until the nominal transfer of sovereignty. He also acted as the civilian spokesman at CPA press conferences in Baghdad, partnering with U.S. military spokesman Mark Kimmitt.

Senor "also served as a Legislative Aide, Press Secretary, and Communications Director for then-Senator Spencer Abraham (R-MI)."<5>

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Dan_Senor

[gmoney]

21. Provo? Maybe Mormon churches should pick up the slack? Mitt? Mitt? (n/t)

[OneGrassRoot]

22. Many of us here forget a good rule of thumb...similar to raising children:

When they misbehave, we need to correct them and always hold them accountable. Yet, when they do something positive, it's not helpful for us to keep berating them for what they did in the past; focus on the good they just did but remain vigilant to misbehavior.

I know, I know....with regard to the media, most of us (myself DEFINITELY included) are extremely skeptical, for good reason, and I don't put stock into tigers changing stripes. Still, I don't think it helps anything (other than simply blowing off steam...and DU is a good place for that) to slam them when they do or say something we could interpret, if we weren't so jaded, as positive.

Remember, last week she was also the one who made the comment after that older lady saying to McCain that Barack is an "Arab" that there's nothing wrong with being Arab or muslim. She wanted to stop that bigotry in its tracks.

I'm not a concern troll, just sharing my observations, which are probably worth shit. ;)

[Juche]

24. She has a point but

If we get true progressive reform then there won't be as many people who need food banks. If we raise wages for working families and reform healthcare so people don't go bankrupt due to illness & reform the finance situation that alone will save endless millions from having to depend on food banks.

[amyrose2712]

25. TOTALLY Agree. However, starving people don't have the luxury of time. nt

[olegramps]

26. Not spending 10 Billion a month on a failed cause would be even more effective

That 10 billion would put thousands and thousands of husbands like Redbird's to work so they could care for their families. Don't kid yourself, many Republicans would love to see these "freeloaders" starve to death.

[amyrose2712]

30. Here! Here! nt

[jberryhill]

27. It's all good

People have this notion that money spent somehow "disappears".

The money spent by the campaigns is putting a lot of food on a lot of tables, including Campbell Brown's.

She does raise a good point though, and a commendable one.

[bushisanidiot]

28. It's a good idea, but mormon food banks only serve mormons, not the general public.

I know because I used to be mormon and volunteered to go to the cannery to make applesauce for the poor. My then (catholic) husband asked me if that food went to any poor people who needed it or if it was just for poor mormons.. it was then that I realized, they only help their own and I was ashamed of my church.

Poor people of any religion or poor non-religious people deserve our help and compassion. Sorry, for trying to change the subject and I know Ms. Brown meant well with her suggestion. I would just wnat to verify that the food bank she's talking about one is meant for the general public and not just the mormons before making that kind of suggestion.

:)

[LSK]

31. Food banks are needed because the Right has demonized welfare so much

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

32. Wholeheartedly disagree.

Putting Obama in office keeps Americans out of the food banks and shelters. Giving money to charities instead is merely treating the symptoms of a malignant tumor instead of removing it from the body.

[question everything]

33. I have tried to urge DUers to have a matching donation to a food bank

or a homeless shelter or the Red Cross every time they make a political contribution.

I find it hard to believe that people are really hurting, when both the Obama and McCain campaigns raised record amounts in September, when Skinner here is urging DUers to reach the $100,000 mark for Obama donation.

I stopped any political contribution once the primaries were over, sending, whatever I could, to the local charities.

[Supersedeas]

34. Campbell suddenly grows a conscious about campaign money the MOMENT when

Dems have a fund-raising advantage and have a message to disseminate directly to the public.

Why doesn't Ms. Baghdad Bob Senor ask the WH to donate some of the taxpayer funded trips that Dubyah makes to raise funds for Republicans to good causes....it's our money anyway, public money, not money donated by private individuals to ensure a message that they support makes it to the public airways BECUASE THE MEDIA WILL NOT DO THEIR JOB AND SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT ABOUT McCain/Palin.

That Repuke, married to a Bushy Repuke, makes me want to puke.