Watch CBS News

Hot Ads: Ron Paul attacks, Gov. Walker attacked and two liberal candidates battle it out

Welcome to another the latest installment of Hot Ads of the Week -- the latest and greatest ads from around the country. This week we feature a selection of ads in the campaign for president, for the Senate, for the House and last but not least, a governor's race with a bit of history thrown in.

Ron Paul attacks the field








After speculation that Ron Paul was secretly teaming with rival Mitt Romney in the GOP primary, Paul's campaign is up with an ad in Washington State that hits Romney, as well as regular targets Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum.

Over pictures of Gingrich, the narrator says: "one is a serial hypocrite who lobbied for Freddie Mac before the housing crisis and for the individual mandate before Obamacare."

Enter Santorum: "Another counterfeit conservative who opposes right to work, massively increased spending and funded planned parenthood."

And then Romney: "Finally, a flip-flopper who's been on all sides, supported bailouts, and provided the blueprint for Obamacare, says the announcer."

Over pictures of all three: three men, one vision, more big government, more mandates, less freedom, the ad says.

Then the ad changes its tone to positive, with the announcer saying, "One man stands apart, ready to deliver real change voting against every tax increase and every unbalanced budget, every time." Then, over video of Ron Paul speaking to a enthusiastic rally, the announcer drives home the message -- "Pro-life, pro-liberty, guided by faith and principle, Ron Paul, the one who will restore America now."

The ad is unique in that it hits all three opponents equally and not just attacking the front runner at the time.

Hot Ads: Ron Paul attacks, Gov. Walker attacked and two liberal candidates battle it out

McCaskill attacks attack ads

This ad from Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., takes a big swipe at outside groups trying to influence the very competitive Senate race in Missouri while at the same time hits on what Democrats see as their strongest campaign messages against Republicans. Interestingly, the ad never mentions Republicans. The enemy is "they."

"They're not from around here," the narrator says in a dark, serious, tone. "Spending millions to attack and attack. But what they're doing to Claire McCaskill is nothing compared to what their special interest agenda will do to you."

The narrator then warns that "they want to end Medicare as we know it," and that "they want more tax breaks for multimillionaires and oil companies," and "they back unfair trade deals for China."

The ad hits on the basic issue of fairness that Democrats are trying to hammer home in 2012 -- that they are the party for the middle class while Republicans are protecting the wealthy. It also exploits one of the most popular messages from Democrats this year- - that Republicans are trying to end the Medicare guarantee since the House Republican budget passed in 2011 would eventually provide a government subsidy for seniors to purchase private insurance instead of enrolling all seniors in government insurance.

Its unclear yet who McCaskill's GOP opponent will be as three viable candidates are fighting it out in the GOP primary, but the one-term senator is considered vulnerable given the states tendency to swing from red to blue and back again.

Hot Ads: Ron Paul attacks, Gov. Walker attacked and two liberal candidates battle it out

Kucinich goes for most liberal against Dem opponent


This Tuesday, eight-term Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, will square off against 15-term Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, in a primary contest for the nomination to compete as the Democratic in Northern Ohio's 9th District. Ohio lost two congressional districts last year because of the states declining population, which has lead to a very competitive fight between two loud liberal voices in Congress.

Kaptur has attacked Kucinich for becoming more about Washington than Ohio. We featured a previous ad where she bragged that she still lives in the House she grew up in. Kucinich, however, has taken the approach that Kaptur is not liberal enough. This ad stands out among numerous ads that we watched because the Kucinich campaign strikes a positive tone about the two-time presidential candidate rather than going directly after Kaptur.

The ad is one sound bite after another from what looks like regular people of all races talking about Kucinich's positive attributes. "When I think of Dennis Kucinich, I think of someone who fights for the people," says one man. "I think he's got our back," says another. "I like him because hes for the underdog he never refuses to help anyone," says an older woman.


Of course, its easier to go positive when outside groups like Campaign for Primary Accountability have run negative ads against Kaptur for paying taxes late on her Ohio home and votes shes taken in Congress. (at left)

The winner of the contest could face Samuel Wurzelbacher, also known as "Joe the Plumber" from the 2008 presidential campaign, who is running for the GOP nomination in the 9th district.

Hot Ads: Ron Paul attacks, Gov. Walker attacked and two liberal candidates battle it out

MoveOn hits Romney

The liberal political action committee MoveOn.org hit Mitt Romney for opposing the auto bailout in this ad that aired prior to Tuesday's Michigan primary. The ad features Elisa Gurulé, an auto worker, who tells her story of being unable to find a full time job in Detroit at the height of the financial crisis.  But she says the president's bailout of GM and Chrysler helped her get full time work at Chrysler where she is still employed today.

"Mitt Romney said let Detroit go bankrupt," Gurulé says, looking straight into the camera. "I'm grateful our country didn't listen. We need a president who will stand by us all when times are tough."

In the next shot, Gurulé is in her car and looks at the camera and says "Mitt Romney, he'd let America fail."

Though the Michigan primary is now over, expect ads like this one to continue into the general election as President Obama uses the auto bailout as one of his major achievements as president while every Republican candidate opposed what they consider a government overreach that has put billions of taxpayer dollars at risk.


Hot Ads: Ron Paul attacks, Gov. Walker attacked and two liberal candidates battle it out

Watergate an issue in Wisconsin recall?

As Democrats in Wisconsin gear up for the recall vote of sitting Governor Republican Scott Walker, the state  Democratic Party is on the air with and ad that compares Walker to Nixon, not for any policy issue, but for investigations into misconduct. Nixon of course resigned because of Watergate and Walker is facing scrutiny connected to an investigation of misconduct of aides in his previous office, the Milwaukee County Executive.

The ad is simply two video boxes next to each other. The one on the left is in color, the right in black and white. It starts with a voice of an interviewer asking Walker questions, though you don't see the person speaking, you just see Walker nodding. "All of this happening in your office, so close to where you were sitting, how can you not know this was happening?" the interviewer asked.

The other box pops in with Walter Cronkite, anchoring a news special on Watergate. "Events have been rushing toward one seemingly inevitable conclusion," says Cronkite. Then the first box perks up with video of people in custody. "Governor Walker's aides were charged criminally yesterday," says a news report.

"Police arrested five men in the Watergate scandal," says a voice in the Watergate box. A series of news clips then appears on the left, with reports saying: "Embezzled money, misconduct in office, missing funds... The investigation is getting closer to Governor Walker."

The ad ends with a classic Watergate era clip of Senator Howard Baker at one of the Watergate hearings asking the famous question, "What did the president know and when did he first know it?"

And then the kicker, a recent MSNBC clip of an anchor echoing those famous words. "What did Scott Walker know and when did he know it?"

The ad then directs viewers to a website paid for by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin to tie the current governor to former aides who have been either convicted or apprehended for numerous felonies including making illegal campaign contributions, embezzlement and public misconduct. The ad itself is clever, but the recall of Walker is about his strong anti-union policies and isn't because of this scandal.



Vote for your favorite of these "Hot Ads" below:



Previous editions:

Paul calls Santorum a fake while many more sling mud
Santorum and Romney battle on the Michigan airwaves

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.