Len Bernardo the Republican candidate for County Executive has launched his tv ads this week. I caught one this evening on Fox news.
The ad is pretty bad. It can be viewed by clicking here.
Since, Blaber News is fair and balanced we feel compelled to analyze and offer advice to Mr. Bernardo.
Cons
1. We have no idea what the ad is until more than half way through a short 30 second spot. " His is the story" who is his?
2. The Independent approach that you are portraying is ineffective and will not resonate with voters; at least not in this ad.
3. You fail to mention what office you are running for until the very end of the ad....huge huge mistake.
Pros :
1. I like the little intro in the beginning, makes it personal and that's a draw.
2. The constant mention of your name on the screen is also effective. Should be done throughout the whole ad
OVERALL RATING : C-
17 comments:
It is funny that a supposed multi millionaire gets a "see me after class" note from Professor Blaber.
JB wait until mid November to help him out.
Mr. Blaber -
This ad follows much of the same formula that highly successful campaign comercials used by both Republicans and Democrats have followed for a long time.
Let me just point out that last night, when you called my radio show, well over half the time you were on, you were lambasting James Quigley for not being "independent" (which is, in fact, a completely false reading of the situation). Now, you are saying that the argument that Len Bernardo IS independent will not resonate with the voters.
Please make up your mind. You cannot have it both ways.
In reality, the people of this County are fed up with politicians who are beholden to special interests and the Political Establishment. Len Bernardo and James Quigley are the only candidates who owe no debts to either such group.
Your claim that GIVING money to politicians makes one indebted to them is preposterous. When one is GIVEN money by a special interest (or the lawyers who represent a special interest), the voters justly assume that something is expected in return. When one GIVES money, one owes nothing to the person or group to whom the money is given.
This is known as the principle (such as it is) of quid pro quo. To claim otherwise is tantamount to claiming that the Earth is flat, the Sun rises in the West and the Easter Bunny has endorsed your candidates.
Bernardo is not independent, he belongs to the Independence Party. A truely independent candidate is not enrolled in a political party. This ad is deceptive.
Money don't buy brains.
I like this ad,,,,, it is fresh, clear & concise.
I know what he is running for & so will everyone who is watching this.
Cut the criticism & get ready to say " Hello County Executive, Mr Bernardo "
You ain't no media critic,,, you're just a blowhard, Blaber,,,
Professor Blaber did school Quigley on the radio last night. I was amazed. I think it was Blaber, Jimmy referred to the caller as Jeremy and mentioned the blog. Was it you? If so I was impressed!
You are just upset because Mr. Bernaro beat your boy Hein to the punch.
Beat him to the punch? Hein has had tv ads on and they are very well done. I will add them later...
9:38
A member of the Democratic Party is called a Democrat
A member of the Independence Party is called an Independent
A person who is not enrolled in any party and hence is perceived as "independent" because they are not enrolled in any party is called a Non-Enrolled or NE
Beke, one they are two separate and very different races. I am not saying that being Independent will not work but it does not work in this particular ad.
133: Thanks, but it was just me asking questions to a candidate running for Comptroller. Quigley refused to answer how much of his time is spent in NYC v. Ulster and that's unfortunate.
The ad is excellent, Jeremy. It sets a good tone, establishes a basic platform of ideas, and leaves an objective viewer with a good impression of Len.
If this was the same ad, but with Hein's name, you'd say it was great and give it an "A".
Rich the ad is not good. Hein would not put out this sort of ad, I know the guy doing his stuff and this would not make it out of editing.
This is not an attack on Bernardo, just my opinion. I really feel this ad misses the mark.
Mr. Blaber, with due respect, you are wrong about the races. In most years, you would be correct inasmuch as the Executive's post is a policy position and the Comptroller's is by nature administrative, given that it's primary function is auditing and requires an accounting background to perform properly.
This year, however, we are faced with two factors which change the nature of the races, although not the positions.
First, because both these positions are being elected for the very first time, the Executive and the Comptroller will be building a new system of County Government virtually out of thin air. No, the Charter doesn't build it for them, it simply supplies the framework. The actual construction of that new form of Government will be performed by the Executive and his office with fiscal oversight - not just for the normal operations of Government but for the process of creating this new structure - being undertaken by the Comptroller.
Consequently, although the positions are separate, the races are tightly and inextricably interlinked. Choosing one person from one Party and the other from the other, for instance, is a recipe for disaster. Friction between the two offices will give us a half complete County Government which will be worse than what we have now.
The other issue which changes the nature of the race is the catastrophic state of County finances. Unless the Executive and Comptroller can cooperate as the Executive works to institute reform and the Comptroller to find and eliminate waste, we will continue to be shafted by taxes as tragically high as we have today.
The old saying that "no man is an island" is perfectly appropriate to this state of affairs. Viewing any political race in any election in isolation from other races is a mistake. Doing so this year with our specific problems could result in economic suicide for Ulster County.
2:50pm
Thanks for the lecture. You know and I know that many of those who registered in the Independence Party thought the were registering as independents. NE's are the true independents. Bernardo continues the subterfuge with this deceptive ad. He would not even be running without Republican Party backing...some independent!
Jeremy you better wake up...his independent approach is certainly what the people want to hear....your poll is non-scientific proof of that. People around here, me included, are sick of all the blame this blame that game both parties play. An Independent executive not tied to any party is very very attractive to me and the add makes good use of that.
11:35
Bernardo has always been a member of the Independence Party.
Unlike Michael Hein who was a member of the Republican Party and then when the tides of power changed, he became a Democrat.
There is no subterfuge here. No one could run without a major party backing them. There was no room at the inn on the Democratic side, so Bernardo sought the Republican endorsement. Sadly an Independence Party candidate (who by the way is correctly called an Indpendent... NEs are non-enrolled) must hook up with one of the two major parties in order to compete with the other major party candidate. Look at Ross Perot... he had a ton of money and couldn't go up against the major parties.
4:20pm
Once again, you're not telling us anything we all don't know already. We all understand the role of political parties and the necessity for endorsements and support. You continue to confuse the name Independent with independence.
Wordweb: independent
Adjective: Free from external control and constraint
Noun:
A neutral or uncommitted person (especially in politics)
Mr.Bernardo or any candidate cannot advertize themselves as an "independent voice for Ulster County" if they are beholding to political parties.
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