Arkansas Blog: The campaign opens

I've been trying to round up a little information about the opening of the real political season this weekend. Asa Hutchinson says his media effort will start then and the gubernatorial campaign will be fully engaged. Presumably others with money for media will be following the usual Labor Day weekend start date.

So far, no word on the point of view that Hutchinson will adopt in his openers. Will he introduce himself to voters with a warm-and-fuzzy bio piece? That seems to have worked well for Mike Beebe, if you believe the polls and presume his advertising might have had some impact on the favorable numbers. Or will he do what trailing candidates often believe they have to do to move numbers, go on the attack?

I'm curious how many, if any, politicians found a way into the TV time for the UA-USC football game. I've been told that that time in at least one market was snapped up months ago, perhaps by car dealers thinking farther ahead than campaign strategists. Which is worse: Car dealer or candidate ad?

Anybody with insight/thoughts is invited to chip in. If you aren't registered and want to send info directly to me, write max@arktimes.com

Comments

"...warm and fuzzy...?" Isn'y he more likely to follow the lead of his patron that passed him over for cabinet level appointment and start attacking all those neoislamofacist-appeasing democrat party.

Or was yesterday just for war-chest fattening.

Posted by: docholliday | August 31, 2006 12:09 PM

Would be easier to ingest the poltical ads of either party if they would just talk about themselves and what they hope to accomplish rather than shaking accusative fingers at the other side. Thank goodness for the mute button. Have you ever used that and then made up your own conversations for them while they are talking? Quite amusing.

Bebee's first ads are OK but I'm not fond of the phrase "the little people". Never have been sure who that refers to and I don't think anyone considers themselves that way.

Posted by: flyonthewall | August 31, 2006 12:46 PM

Hogs-24
USC-21

Posted by: Riverdog | August 31, 2006 01:32 PM

USC 34
Hogs 14

Posted by: Rasputin | August 31, 2006 02:05 PM

The first political signs of the season appeared around Pocahontas last weekend. All Republican. We have only a handful of out-of-the-closet Republicans here, but they keep busy, stirring the pot.

I understand Holt will make an appearance at the Randolph County Fair this weekend. Good thing I have some NetFlix DVDs on hand to occupy my holiday weekend time.

Posted by: Spirit | August 31, 2006 02:22 PM

And I thought A$a/Beebe had been campaigning for months...years, actually.

Television will be unbearable. One non-productive, silly commercial after another.

Posted by: zelda | August 31, 2006 04:11 PM

Did anyone hear the piece on NPR about Bush and his low profile in Little Rock yesterday?

Here's the link:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5744840

Posted by: Liberal and Proud | August 31, 2006 04:42 PM

I've seen the ad. Very good bio piece. Introduces Asa. It goes way beyond the " I grew up on minimum wage" fluff put forward by Beebe. Asa's commercial will make Beebe's people rethink that weak crap they've been airing. Mark my words, Beebe peaked in July. Asa will peak at the end of October.

Posted by: Under The Dome | August 31, 2006 11:01 PM

I am marking your words, Under the Dome, but it's not going to happen. Asa! is done.
Sorry about your luck.

Posted by: BlueRidge | August 31, 2006 11:36 PM

Arkansas Blog

The campaign opens

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