2004 Political Ads -- Groups, Candidates Vying For The Final Say In Colorado (10/27/2004)

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2004 POLITICAL ADS
Groups, Candidates Vying For The Final Say In Colorado

Everyone is angling to get the last word in the Centennial State's toss-up Senate race this week -- and on the air, that translates into an avalanche of 30-second TV spots.

Ken Salazar (D) launched three diverse ads: "Agree," which hypes his endorsements from several major state papers; "Cone," a bio spot in English and Spanish that reminds viewers he "still works weekends at his family's ranch"; and "Unbelievable," which slams his opponent's lack of experience dealing with terrorism.

Pete Coors (R) fired back with "Terrorism," criticizing Salazar for trying to link him to Osama bin Laden and charging that the state attorney general "missed every meeting of Colorado's Emergency Response Unit that's protecting Colorado from terrorism."

And the National Republican Senatorial Committee hits Salazar on taxes, noting that his "scary ideas" could "hurt Colorado's economy and cost us jobs." In "Thinking," an announcer also suggests that "not only does Salazar support John Kerry's plan to kill the Bush tax cuts, he would likely vote for... just about every" tax.

But the Citizens for a Strong Senate delivered Coors another blow with "Car Wreck," which shows photos of smashed cars and repeats the beer magnate's now-famous statement on "Meet the Press" in support of lowering the drinking age. An earlier CSS spot, "Down," targets Coors' opinions on outsourcing, drug reimportation and minimum-wage increases.

Echoing similar themes, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also attacked Coors' positions last week in "Coors' Record," calling the Republican's positions "bad for Colorado." An Oct. 12 ad, "Self Serving," also alludes to Coors' personal wealth and slams his ideas to "eliminate all corporate taxes" and "consider a national sales tax."

Both DSCC ads, produced by Struble Eichenbaum Communications, are running statewide. The NRSC ad debuted Tuesday and was produced by Stevens Reed Curcio & Potholm. McAuliffe Message Media produced Coors' ad, which debuted in mid-October, and Grunwald Communications handles Salazar's spots. Information on the CSS spots was not available.

Ad Spotlight has the latest commercials from the 2004 campaigns and issue/advocacy groups, as well as searchable archives dating back to 1997.

Script of Salazar's "Agree" (TV)

ANNOUNCER [v/o]: Colorado's newspapers endorse Ken Salazar for Senate.
(On screen: Mastheads of the Durango Herald, the Pueblo Chieftain, the Cortez Journal, the Daily Camera, the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post)
The Rocky says, "the proven problem-solver."
(On screen: Rocky Mountain News; 10/9/04)
The Post: "independence, common sense and fiscal moderation." Salazar "supports tax cuts for the middle class." Pete Coors "favors families of wealth."
(On screen: Denver Post; 10/17/04)
Even with war and a deficit, Coors still wants $4 trillion in tax breaks, largely for millionaires. Two trillion to privatize Social Security. Salazar's the "salt-of-the-earth choice."
(On screen: USA Today; 10/5/04; Social Security Commission 2001 Report; Denver Post; 10/17/04)
KEN SALAZAR [v/o]: I'm Ken Salazar, and I approve this message.
(On screen: SalazarForColorado.com; Approved By Ken Salazar. Paid For By Salazar For Senate)

Script of Salazar's "Cone" (TV)

ANNOUNCER [v/o]: Ken Salazar still works on his family's ranch. His wife, Hope, runs a Dairy Queen. Their values run deep: work, faith, family. As our attorney general, Ken Salazar has fought to protect our land, water and people. In the Senate, he'll focus on cutting the deficit, on helping families with affordable health care and quality education. Tax cuts for the middle class, not for millionaires. He'll always be a champion for people.
KEN SALAZAR [v/o]: I'm Ken Salazar, and I approve this message.
(On screen: SalazarForColorado.com; Approved By Ken Salazar. Paid For By Salazar For Senate)

Script of Salazar's "Unbelievable" (TV)

ANNOUNCER [v/o]: Osama bin Laden: Should he face the death penalty for murdering 3,000 Americans? Pete Coors says no. Unbelievable.
(On screen: RockyMountainNews.com)
The war in Iraq? Pete Coors says, "I'm not anywhere near qualified or experienced enough to answer that."
(On screen: Rocky Mountain News 9/30/04)
Well, Ken Salazar is.
(On screen: SalazarForColorado.com)
As attorney general, he's helped prepare our state's response to terrorist attack. He supports the death penalty, supports our troops and knows how to keep us safe. That's experience money just can't buy.
KEN SALAZAR [v/o]: I'm Ken Salazar, and I approve this message.
(On screen: www.SalazarForColorado.com; Approved By Ken Salazar. Paid For By Salazar For Senate)

Script of Coors' "Terrorism" (TV)

ANNOUNCER [v/o]: Ken Salazar's "down and dirty" attacks continue.
(On screen: Rocky Mountain News)
Trying to link Pete Coors to Osama bin Laden. As attorney general, Salazar missed every meeting of Colorado's Emergency Response Unit that's protecting Colorado from terrorism. Salazar's actions could shut down military bases used to train our soldiers for battle. Sens. Allard and Campbell called Salazar's actions "irresponsible." Pete Coors supports tracking down terrorists and killing them before they can harm Americans.
PETE COORS [v/o]: I'm Pete Coors. I approve this message.
(On screen: Paid For By Pete Coors For Senate, Inc. Authorized By Pete Coors.)

Script of NRSC's "Thinking" (TV)

ANNOUNCER [v/o]: Ken Salazar has scary ideas about taxes that could hurt Colorado�s economy and cost us jobs. Not only does Salazar support John Kerry�s plan to kill the Bush tax cuts, he would likely vote for an estate tax, a marriage tax, dividend tax and just about every other tax.
(On screen: Source: The Denver Post, 8/9/04)
While John Kerry may like that kind of thinking, higher taxes will hurt families and small businesses all across Colorado. Now that we know what Ken Salazar is thinking, we know we can't afford him in Washington.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.
(On screen: The National Republican Senatorial Committee Is Responsible For The Content Of This Advertising. Paid For By The National Republican Senatorial Committee And Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate's Committee. www.nrsc.org.)

Script of CSS' "Car Wreck" (TV)

(On screen: Photos of crashed cars; Pete Coors: "I would vote to lower the drinking age." -- "NBC News' Meet the Press" 10/10/04)
ANNOUNCER [v/o]: If Pete Coors has his way, the legal drinking age will be lowered to 18, and overnight, he would have nearly 200,000 potential new customers. As far as Pete Coors is concerned, it doesn't matter if it's bad for kids as long as it's really good for business.
Citizens For A Strong Senate is responsible for the content of this message.
(On screen: Paid For By Citizens For A Strong Senate; www.strongsenate.org; Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate's Committee; Citizens For A Strong Senate Is Responsible For The Content Of This Advertisement)

Script of CSS' "Down" (TV)

ANNOUNCER [v/o]: Pete Coors: His beer is great, but what about his views? Coors says he'd ban Americans from importing low-cost drugs from Canada. He opposes an increase in the minimum wage that would help hard-pressed Colorado families. And instead of opposing job-killing tax loopholes, Coors defends companies that outsource American jobs.
(On screen: Sources: Denver Post; 7/20/04; Fort Collins Coloradoan; 7/27/04; Fort Collins Coloradoan Voter Guide)
Pete Coors: his beer's great, but for working Coloradans, his views are hard to swallow.
Citizens For A Strong Senate is responsible for the content of this advertisement.
(On screen: Paid For By Citizens For A Strong Senate; www.strongsenate.org; Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate's Committee; Citizens For A Strong Senate Is Responsible For The Content Of This Advertisement)

Script of DSCC's "Coors' Record" (TV)

ANNOUNCER [v/o]: If you want to know the kind of Senator Pete Coors would be, look at his record at Coors. He squeezed their American work force.
(On screen: Denver Post, 8/27/04)
Cut nine hundred jobs. Outsourced others overseas. Changed the company to a Delaware corporation. And under his direction, Coors was cited as one of the three biggest polluters in Colorado.
(Headlines on screen: "Coors Cut 900 Jobs Since Becoming Brewery CEO"; "Coors wants to be a Delaware Corporation"; "Coors Faces $1.7 Million Fine in Fish Kill")
His record may be good for Pete Coors, but it's bad for Colorado.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is responsible for the content of this message.
(On screen: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Is Responsible For The Content Of This Advertising. Paid For By The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee; www.DSCC.org; Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate's Committee)

Script of DSCC's "Self Serving" (TV)

MAN: "I don't think there's anything wrong with being self serving..."
(On screen: Pete Coors; Source: Rocky Mountain News 9/18/04)
ANNOUNCER [v/o]: No wonder Pete Coors wants to eliminate all corporate taxes and says he'd consider a national sales tax that could be up to 30 percent on what we buy -- raising taxes on virtually all Coloradoans and saving Pete over $200,000 a year.
(On screen: "... dissolving corporate taxes." Source: La Junta Tribune Democrat 7/12/04; "Intrigued by... national sales tax." Source: Rocky Mountain News 9/18/04; 95% taxed more; $228,201; Pete taxed less; Source: Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy 9/20/04)
Self serving, you bet. What's good for Pete Coors is bad for Colorado.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is responsible for the content of this message.
(On screen: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Is Responsible For The Content Of This Advertising. Paid For By The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee; www.DSCC.org; Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate's Committee)

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