Bush Thinks Positive

TV Commercial On Education Targets Women

(CBS)  The CBS News Political Unit is tracking the latest campaign commercials. Jane Ruvelson analyzes a new campaign ad from George W. Bush that focuses on his education record.

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The Ad: The Bush campaign has launched a new, positive commercial on education. The spot, called Phyllis Hunter, features an education consultant discussing how Bush has improved education in Texas. The Bush campaign says Phyllis Hunter is running in the same battleground states as other recent ads; they characterized the media buy as "substantial."

Audio: Phyllis Hunter: I have seen a big difference since he has been the governor of the state of Texas.
Bush: We want every child to be able to access the greatness of America. And it starts with teaching every child to read.
Phyllis Hunter: He said if you need it, we'll get it for you. We have Web sites. We have grant programs. And we have George leading the way. People ask me why have I followed him so intently in education and reading. I followed him because he's been a leader.
Bush: Reading is the new civil right. It's if you can't read, you can't access the American dream.

Visual: The commercial consists of Phyllis Hunter speaking to the camera, Bush giving a speech about education, and scenes of Bush with Asian, White, and African-American students.

Fact check: No inaccuracies. Since Bush took office, reading scores for Texas fourth and eighth graders have improved by almost three percent, while national scores have remained flat. Texas reading scores were above the national average before Bush was elected; the difference is marginally higher now. Bush says this improvement is a result of an Early Reading Initiative he supported, which used $82 million to establish "reading academies" within Texas schools.

The Strategy: The commercial targets female voters, who regard education as a very important issue. Phyllis Hunter suggests that Bush knows how to help students succeed. Hunter, a former principal and teacher, lends credibility with her endorsement.