Democrats unveil first ad in anticipated general election blitz

June 7, 2000
Web posted at: 4:42 PM EDT (2042 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Democratic National Committee on Wednesday unveiled a healthcare ad that will heralds a 10-week, $25 million television campaign designed to boost Vice President Al Gore's presidential bid against Republican rival George W. Bush.

During a press conference at DNC headquarters, Democratic leaders said they expected the very first issue ads to hit the airwaves on Thursday, and will feature Gore discussing plans to offer prescription drug coverage as part of the federal Medicare program.

"George W. Bush has not stood up and said that he's ready to talk about this issue, an issue that is truly worthy of debate," said DNC chairman Joe Andrew, defending the launch of the ads. "It's a call to action."

The ad campaign will continue through the Democratic National Convention in mid-August. One of the first commercials, which will air in Washington State this weekend, was unveiled during the new conference.

Highlighting healthcare, the ad tells of a senior citizen who can't afford prescription drugs and says he is "at the mercy of big drug companies."

"Al Gore is taking them on," the announcer says, before Gore himself looks directly into the camera.

"People can't afford these ridiculously high prices for prescription medicines ... when their doctor prescribes medicine for their health and well-being, they ought to be able to take it," the vice president says.

Other ads highlighting Democratic positions on themes such as Social Security, the economy, and a patients' bill of rights will soon follow. Democratic leaders said that part of the advertising would be paid for with soft money contributions, the unrestricted donations made by corporations, unions and individuals.

Under Federal Election Commission rules, the major parties can pay for so-called issue ads with 65 percent "hard" -- or federally regulated -- money, and 35 percent soft money.

The ads will begin airing later in 15 states, including the swing states of Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri and Pennsylvania. Democratic leaders also plan to cover markets in the Pacific Northwest and the South during the first round of ads.

The Democrat and Republican parties are allowed to air such issue ads, but are prohibited from running ads directly promoting the candidacies of their presumptive nominees, Gore and Texas Gov. George Bush. Critics have long considered this a loophole in campaign finance law.

Republicans charge that Gore has reneged on a pledge to ban the use of soft money in the general election. The Democratic presidential hopeful challenged Bush to agree to a soft money ban in March, after defeating challenger Bill Bradley.

"I will take the first step by requesting the Democratic National Committee not to run any issue ads paid for by soft money unless and until the Republican party uses money for advertising," Gore said in an e-mail to the Texas governor.

Bush campaign spokesman Ari Fleischer said the decision to run the ads reflects Democratic concern over the Texas governor's strong showing against Gore in most national polls.

"The vice president of the United States gave his word and didn't keep it," Fleischer said. He promised not to run soft-money ads when he thought it would give him an advantage. Now that he's losing in the polls, he's willing to break his commitment"

But Democratic officials said Wednesday that the pledge was non-binding because Bush refused to respond to Gore's challenge. Democrats also charge that the GOP had already violated the spirit of the agreement by pointing to anti-Gore ads by obscure special interests in California and the District of Columbia.

"We had hoped that Republicans would respond to the challenge. Instead what we've got is more than $2 million in these secret stealth campaigns that are attacking Democrats and attacking the vice president right now," DNC chairman Joe Andrew said Wednesday.

A group formed by associates of former California Gov. Pete Wilson, a Republican, recently aired anti-Gore commercials in the Golden State that feature an imitation game show entitled "Hypocrisy."

Host: "He says he's for campaign finance reform but held an illegal fund-raiser at a Buddhist temple.

Contestant: "Who is Al Gore?"

Republican officials said they have no control over independent groups and the Bush campaign has denied any involvement in the ads. Meanwhile, Democrats insisted on Wednesday that their campaign would be based on "party building" ads rather than negative presidential attacks.

"Every Democratic candidate running for the Senate this year will have at least one prescription drug ad," said Senate Minority Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota). "We are trying to turn up the heat so our Republican friends will see the light."

Gore's campaign, which has worked closely with the DNC in developing the ads, has little money left from a hard-fought primary to air commercials of its own, and therefore must rely on the party to carry his message.

Democratic sources told CNN on Tuesday that some Gore aides wanted the DNC to begin running ads as early as April. The vice president's campaign will receive federal matching funds for the general election after the August convention.

Bush, who has raised and spent more than $70 million during the course of the primary season, did not accept federal matching funds and therefore is not bound by FEC spending limits.

Meanwhile, Republican officials told CNN that they are considering how and when to respond to the DNC ad campaign. One senior Republican National Committee official said that the RNC will not allow a repeat of 1996, when Democrats used issue ads to boost the Clinton-Gore ticket in battleground states.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the RNC had the "resolve and resources'' to respond in kind to the DNC ads.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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