Linda McMahon Hits The Airwaves
Election Day 2010 is more than 13 months away, but the former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate had begun blanketing the state with TV and radio ads.
The two TV 30-second spots, running on Connecticut and New York City stations, strike different themes. The first ad, titled “Middle,” takes on incumbent Democratic Chris Dodd.
“Trillions in new debt. Bailouts, Government-run healthcare. And Chris Dodd? Right in the middle of it all.”
McMahon, a multi-millionaire who has refused to accept PAC money, says she’s running for Senate “so the people of Connecticut can have their own voice.”
In the second ad, titled “Perseverance,” McMahon introduces herself as a businesswoman who built a company on hard work and grit, not government help.
“Thirty years ago, my husband and I started our business,” she says. “It wasn’t always easy, but we grew it into a publicly traded company that’s creating jobs here in Connecticut today.”
“It took hard work and perseverance. Washington could use some of that.”
That’s a theme that’s echoed in her radio ad, where McMahon also defines herself as a businesswoman, “not a career politician.”
But, she adds, that “success didn’t come easy.”
In the 60-second radio spot, she talks about her hardscrabble beginnings, when she and her husband, Vince, went bankrupt and lost their home. And, she points out, they regained their footing without any bailouts from the government.
Listen to the whole thing here.
Collectively, the ads aim to portray McMahon as a successful CEO who can nevertheless relate to the concerns of work-a-day Connecticut residents.
“Linda has a remarkable grasp not only of what it takes to create jobs and grow, but also to relate to the thousands of families across this state that are hurting because of this economy,” McMahon campaign spokesman Ed Patru said. “These ads convey that experience, but more importantly, they provide a real glimpse into Linda McMahon as a person. She’s smart, she’s tough and she’s absolutely determined to retire Chris Dodd and the special interests, and put people back in charge.”
Meanwhile, Colleen Flanagan, spokeswoman for state Democrats, accused McMahon of lacking substance.
“If Linda McMahon has any sort of substantive policy ideas or plans to fix all of the things she feels are wrong in this country, we have yet to hear what they are,” Flanagan said in a press release. “In addition to her ideas to help reform our healthcare system and stabilize our economy, Connecticut voters are also looking forward to hearing what her thoughts are on children’s exposure to violence and the degradation of women on television. Running a campaign against someone without giving the people you seek to represent any substantive thoughts on what you believe or would do better is about as transparent a strategy as they come.”
Source: http://bit.ly/zZKR1