A Woman With A <i>Plan</i>
The CBS News Political Unit is tracking the latest campaign commercials. Francesca Gessner looks at Plan, a new Hillary Clinton ad that outlines her stance on a number of issues important to New York's working families.
The Ad: New York Democratic Senate candidate Hillary Clinton has released a new 30 second TV commercial titled Plan. Running statewide in New York, the ad features Clinton touting her plans to improve the state's economy, provide college tuition tax credits, lower the cost of prescription drugs and save Social Security. This is Clinton's fourth campaign commercial for the N.Y. Senate race.
Audio: Hillary Clinton
Voice over: In the last year, I've traveled to all 62 counties of New York.
To Camera: I believe it's important to tell you where I stand and what I'll do.
Voice over: I have a plan to bring high tech jobs to every corner of New York. To help middle class families deduct up to $10,000 a year in college costs. To help everyone get access to lower cost prescription drugs.
To Camera: And let's be fiscally responsible. Save the surplus for Social Security and pay down the national debt. That's what I want to do if you put me to work for you.
Visual: The ad opens with pastoral scenes of farms, and a small town street draped with a banner reading "Welcome Hillary." We then see Hillary Clinton seated in a living-room environment speaking directly to the camera, dressed in a black suit with a blue cardigan sweater draped casually over her shoulders. Next, we see Clinton shaking hands with supporters, while her voice-over describes her plan, and the following phrases are displayed on the screen: "Bring High Tech Jobs To New York," "Help Families Save For College," and "Help Lower Costs For Prescription Drugs." We then return to a closeup of Clinton seated in the living room. Clinton speaks to the camera while the phrases "Be Fiscally Responsible," "Save the Surplus for Social Security," and "Pay Down the National Debt" run across the screen. The ad concludes with the Hillary logo displayed in the corner of the screen.
Fact check: No inaccuracies.
The Strategy: Plan is the fourth in a series of positive Clinton campaign TV ads unveiled over the last month. The ad was released one day after a group called the Republican Leadership Council launched a $100,000 ad buy in support of Clinton's rival, Long Island GOP Congressman Rick Lazio. By focusing exclusively on issues, Plan seeks to further the Clinton camp's claim to want a race based on "issues, not personalities." The ad targets working families in particular with plans to lower the cost of prescription drugs, bring new jobs to the state, and provide college tuition tax credits. Finally, by raising national issues - social security and the federal debt the ad aims to "nationalize" the NY Senate race and thereby tie Lazio to the Congressional Republican agenda.