Hillary Paints A Pretty Past
The CBS News Political Unit is tracking the latest campaign commercials. Francesca Gessner analyzes a new television ad from New York Senate candidate Hillary Clinton.
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The Ad: First is Hillary Clinton's first television ad of her New York Senate campaign. (Last fall the New York State Democratic Party ran a $360,000 ad urging her to run.) The 30-second ad highlights the first lady's pre-White House career as a lawyer and her long commitment to children and families. The ad begins airing Thursday across New York state, the same day her rival Rudy Giuliani is expected to launch his own new advertising blitz.
Audio: Male Announcer: "First she became a lawyer, named one of the top hundred in America. Her first cause was children - fighting abuse - and chairing the board of the Children's Defense Fund. Her first priority was public schools, helping to establish teacher testing. More than a first lady. For 30 years, she's fought for children and families. As New York's senator, she'll fight for better schools, and healthcare for children. Hillary. Put her to work for all of us."
Visual: The ad consists of a series of black and white still photographs featuring Clinton working with children and families. Between each photograph frame is inserted a black screen with white text displaying the announcer's words. The word "first" is displayed prominently, often appearing first and then fading out to be replaced with the rest of the sentence being read by the announcer. Music plays in the background throughout.
Fact check: No inaccuracies but somewhat incomplete. Mrs. Clinton's legal career also consisted of work at the Rose Law Firm where she represented corporate clients.
The Strategy: First is an attempt to educate voters about Hillary Clinton's pre-White House life and her 30 years of work on child and family issues. By emphasizing her career as a lawyer, the ad attempts to present a "record" for Mrs. Clinton and thereby counter the idea that she is inexperienced because she has never held elected office. Her rival Rudy Giuliani, whose campaign consistently refers to Clinton as "the first lady," has frequently contrasted her un-elected role with his "record of accomplishments" as mayor of New York City. Moreover, the ad cleverly plays on the word first, seeking to redefine Mrs. Clinton not so much as a "first lady" but as someone with a long history of personal "firsts." That the ad does not mention either her husband or her own last name further encourages viewers to see "Hillary" as a Senate candidate in her own right, rather than as Mrs. Bill Clinton.