Clinton Campaign Unveils First TV Ad

(AP)  Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton unveiled the first television ad of her presidential campaign Monday. The commercial targets voters in Iowa, where Clinton is in a tight race with rivals Barack Obama and John Edwards.

The 60-second spot, which goes up Tuesday on Iowa television, intercuts scenes of Clinton interacting with voters with scenes of the candidate delivering a portion of her standard campaign speech. In the speech, Clinton speaks of the challenges facing many working people.

"If you're a family that is struggling and you don't have health care, you are invisible to this president," she says. "If you're a single mom trying to find affordable child care so you can go to work, you're invisible, too."

"Americans from all walks of life across our country may be invisible to this president, but they're not invisible to me and they won't be invisible to the next president of the United States," she says to applause.

Images of Clinton walking in an Iowa farm field, talking to young mothers, children and seniors and addressing a crowd at a campaign event fill the screen.

Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who endorsed Clinton after dropping his own bid for the Democratic nomination, unveiled the ad at a news conference.

"This is the Hillary Clinton, not the one who has been vilified by some, but the Hillary Clinton who cares deeply about the people most in need," Vilsack said.

The ad is aimed at softening Clinton's image. While polls have shown her running strongly, her negatives remain high and the spot is designed to introduce her to voters.

The move intensifies Clinton's campaign in Iowa, her weakest state, and comes on the eve of her latest campaign swing here. Iowa is slated to hold its caucuses on Jan. 14, though the date is certain to change after South Carolina Republicans moved up their primary last week.

Some state polls show Edwards leading while other surveys show Clinton, Obama and Edwards essentially tied. This is in contrast to national surveys and other state polls in which Clinton has a clear advantage. In May, Clinton's deputy campaign manager wrote a memo urging her to bypass the Iowa caucuses to focus time and money on states where she's faring better.

Obama is already airing commercials in the state. The Democratic candidates are descending upon Iowa this week for photo-friendly appearances at the Iowa State Fair, a high-profile convention of the Iowa Federation of Labor and this weekend's debate sponsored by ABC.

The New York senator was campaigning Monday in Nevada, which follows Iowa in the primary calendar.

It was unclear how much Clinton would be spending on the ads. Ad buyers not connected with the Clinton campaign said her staff had not yet asked for available time slots or actually placed ads with television stations.

That left rivals in the dark about her intentions and the extent of her planned advertising campaign.

[sjc_1]

Given the White House reaction, I would say that they got very close to the truth on this one. A lot of Republicans can not stand Bush and are ashamed that they voted for him. I would think this time around, if you offered them a good alternative, they would consider it.

[name_verify]

LIBERALS, POVERTY PIMPS, TERRORIST APOLOGISTS

JOIN THE PRIDE PARADE

HILLARY / BARAK 2008!

[sgtrds]

So, what's okay for the rest of the country isn't okay for him? What he did was between him and Hillary. It did not have any effect at all on him running the country.

Posted by erasmus6 at 03:07 PM : Aug 14, 2007

Absolutely right! Some idiots on the right wing are trying to push the ignorant idea that getting BJ's from her somehow "distracted" him from his presidential duties. The stupidity of that is that it would mean that any president who has ever had any ***, even with his wife, while in the White House was "distracted" from their duties too! Now granted republican politicians generally don't have ***, well, except with teen boys and male prostitutes and of course there is Bush and Condi Rice, but they're all exceptions!

Besides I don't think Hillary cares if Bill scr*ews around and never did. She only was angry because he wasn't discreet and it's still no one else's business anyway.

[erasmus6]

"Bill Clinton is an adulterer, but he never raped anybody." posted by Iceman_1960

That is exactly right.

It amazes me how everyone bashes good old Bill. All these women had to do is keep their legs closed and there wouldn't have been a problem.
And as far as Monica goes, I don't think he used any part of his anatomy, it was a cigar.

Don't get me wrong, I do not condone his behaviour, but lets face it, how many men in America are s-c-r-e-w-i-n-g around on their wives and how many wives are looking the other way? It is like a common, everyday occurance!

So, what's okay for the rest of the country isn't okay for him? What he did was between him and Hillary. It did not have any effect at all on him running the country.

[gunownerdan]

Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton....
America is becoming a 2-family monarchy and the American people are too stupid to even care.

[jairod]

mudrose: I'm sure you have aptly named yourself. It is comments like that last of yours that comfort me when I think of the competition. Not able to refute rational thinking you resort to the sort of name calling hyper-reactionaries are known for. In short: you have mede your world the way it is and not satisfied to live in the filth of yhour own making by yourself, you want the rest of us, who are trying to make it a better worl, to live in the cow-patty heaven you call home. Sorry, but you lose this one.

[sgtrds]

If you republicans are afraid, it is because it is time you faced the result of a misspent presidency.
Posted by jairod at 09:30 AM : Aug 14, 2007

You'll never get a right winger to admit it, but they don't hate the Clinton's, they are scared shi*tless of them! Bill Clinton was the best president since FDR and that's esp highlighted due to having such a complete idiot in power like the chimp. The idea of following up this disaster of a joke of a mess of a "presidency" with another great Clinton presidency scares them down to the bottom of their evil, demented and pus-filled souls.

The best advice I have for any democrat that does get the nomination is, get your own security guards in addition to the SS guards you'll be given. If it looks like a democrat is going to take the White House in 2008, make no mistake that Cheney, Rove and their ilk WILL try to have you killed. There is too much money and jail time at stake for them to allow a democrat to reach the White House alive.

[pepperwood2]

Are you people so mean and bitter because every time you turn around another member of your "republican" party has been exposed to be a liar and a cheat?

Dearly Beloved!

WASHINGTON %u2014 A federal grand jury on Monday indicted Louisiana Democratic Rep. William Jefferson on 16 charges relating to a long-running investigation into bribery, racketeering, obstruction of justice and money laundering.

Calling it a "broad range of serious crimes," federal prosecutors called the case one about "greed, power and arrogance."

"The 16-count indictment alleges a pervasive pattern of self dealings, bribery and corruption by Mr. Jefferson, in violation of his oath of office, of his duty to the United States Congress in which he served, and of the duty to the citizens of the United States," said Chuck Rosenberg, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

[mudrose-2009]

If you republicans are afraid, it is because it is time you faced the result of a misspent presidency.
Posted by jairod

Afraid of what? Billary? The Two-headed President? We had Billary before, we aren't afraid of Billary. Anyway the Clintoids are just rotating the Presidency, we know what to expect and they intend to push their socialist programs further under the guide of being progressive. Afraid of the Billary. You wish. But you enjoy yourselves believing the the righties are afraid of her. Apparently it has been noted that most Americans will not vote for the Clintoid. See, screw me once, shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me. Scared. Hahahaha. I'd step on her like an ant. Any more c/rap you wanna toss?

[lostcountry1]

hillary should have run in 2004, but instead she stayed in n.y. safe in her ivory tower. i would have voted for her then, but not now. she voted for the re-election war in iraq, now she is all against it. she has surrounded herself with hispanic staffers and only wants to give amnesty to illegals so she can lie to them about how much she will help them.she 'talks the talk, but she wont walk the walk'. my question is ,why are all the candidates running soo far to the right, or soo far to the left? now is the time for someone to have a conservative approach with the interest's of america in the forefront. who will that be?