Shaun McNally uses his half-minute ad to attack his Democratic rival, claiming Sullivan doesn't have the experience to go to Congress while talking up his two terms in the state legislature, and Peace Corps service
Democrats In Primary Turn On The TV Ads
August 3, 2004
By PENELOPE OVERTON, Courant Staff Writer
The Democratic candidates in Connecticut's 2nd Congressional District fired the first TV shots of the campaign Monday, unveiling two 30-second ads that will run on cable and broadcast stations for up to a week.
The tone of both ads is aggressive, but they attack very different targets.
Jim Sullivan of Norwich, who won the party endorsement at the district convention, does not even mention his primary opponent, Shaun McNally, in his network and cable spot, focusing instead on incumbent Republican Rob Simmons, specifically his views on Iraq policy.
Sitting in front of a TV as a news report about Iraq fades out, Sullivan looks at the camera and reminds viewers that Simmons, a former CIA spy, backed the war, citing the need to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction.
"Rob Simmons told us his experience would prevent a fiasco," Sullivan said. "It didn't."
As Sullivan talks, black-and-white footage of Simmons is playing on the television in front of him. He turns back to the TV, raises his remote, says "enough" and turns it off, adding, "It's time to clean house."
McNally, of Deep River, uses his half-minute ad to attack his Democratic rival, claiming Sullivan doesn't have the experience to go to Congress while talking up his two terms in the state legislature, and Peace Corps service.
In his ad, which is running on cable television, McNally stands in a doctor's office struggling to make sense of X-rays. He turns to the camera and says that he is no doctor. But he is an experienced legislator, McNally says.
"Jim Sullivan proudly says he has no experience - that experience doesn't matter, you just need common sense," McNally says to the camera. "Let me ask you, when you're sick, would you go to an untrained doctor? Of course not. Experience does count."
The Sullivan campaign spent about $63,000 to air their ad on network and cable stations. The Aug. 10 primary date is mentioned only once, in small script, at the very end.
The McNally campaign ad, which cost about $5,000 to air, will run on cable only because it's cheaper and can be targeted to specific areas, such as New London County, said campaign manager Malea Stenzel.
