Michael Bennet Presses The Panic Button Early

Is Michael Bennet in trouble in his race to hold off Republican challenger Jane Norton?

This spot sure looks like it.

Even though it's his first spot, Bennet presses all the buttons:
Look at me I'm not in Washington!
I'm wearing a barn coat just like people in Colorado do!
I hate Congress, too!

If you can bore people into voting for you, Bennet has this one in the bag.

GRADE: C

Click here to watch "I'm Wearing A Barn Coat!"

Carly Fiorina Gives Boxer A Giant Noogie

There are some in the political ad world who are hammering Carly Fiorina over this ad.

They're wrong.

How do you say someone has a gigantic ego? You give them a big head, like the evil zeppelin in Up In The Air. It's funny, it's well-produced and it's a punch in the gut.

Normally, I'd blow you up for doing the boardroom b-roll shot, but these are the best boardroom b-roll shots I've ever seen.

That being said, couldn't we have told this story in two minutes instead of seven? We all know internet viewing plummets to near zero after 91 seconds and, cool as the special effects are, the story goes on and on and on. Then it goes on a little more.

Cut it in half (or more) and you've got yourself something.

GRADE: B

Click here to watch "Big Head"

Dr. McKenna: The Race For Orleans Coroner IS ALIVE!

This is the weirdest political ad I've ever seen. I have nothing else to say.

RATING: F (or A depending on your point of view)

Click here to see "Igor"

Bill White Fires Up The Old Cliche Machine

Bill White (who apparently is very popular in Houston), has put up his first TV spot for Texas Governor.

He's raided the iStock b-roll film library and delivered the great old political ad bromide, "we must move (YOUR STATE NAME HERE) forward, we can't afford to stand still."

That being said, for a guy who doesn't count TV among his strong suits, he's not bad to camera.

RATING: C

Click here to watch "Moving Texas Forward"

Martha Coakley Throws Her Own Hail Mary (probably needs to say a few, too)

With the Coakley campaign in trouble and being called "lackluster," they're trying to channel a little of that Staubach-to-Pearson magic.

Seriously, they're leaning hard on the "Panic" button and launching a spot starring the President. They've even borrowed Obama's logo for their website.

Click here to watch "Obama"

Martha Coakley: Doh!

Normally a spot like this wouldn't even rate a review. Typical slash and burn attack ad from the Coakley campaign.

The only thing that makes it noteworthy is that they spelled the name of their home state wrong in the legal disclaimer.

Nice going Bad Attack Ad Makers.

Click here to see "Lockstep"

Bob Schillerstrom: Guiltless Self-Promotion, Part 2

Remember the old tagline, "With a name like Smuckers, it's got to be good."

We've taken that concept to a new level with this spot for Bob Schillerstrom who is running for Governor of Illinois. He was a very good sport to let us abuse his name, he's also a heckuva a good guy. So, if you're in Illinois, vote for Bob, c'mon, you owe me.

Click here to watch "S***storm"

Guiltless Self Promotion: Our New Spot For Kay Bailey Hutchison

Is it fair to review your own TV spot? Sure. And in a shocking turn of events, our review is "two thumbs up, unless you have more thumbs, then put those up, too."

Comments are open.

Click here to watch KBH "Road Signs"

Andy Martin Cracks Me Up

After a year of very dull (read: healthcare) advertising, Andy Martin sends 2009 out with the most insane, over-the-top radio spot in the history of ever.

Sure, it sounds like an SNL bit, but it really is the candidate going on the radio for 60 seconds to say that there are "solid rumors" that his opponent is gay.

Happy New Year everybody.

Click here to listen to "Andy's Radio Spot"

US Chamber Saves Health Care

Maybe not the health care issue, but after watching about ten thousand horrible health care themed spots, the US Chamber saved the day and brought us one that has an idea and some decent production values.

Click here to watch "Hidden Taxes"

RNC Ruins Good Idea With Shabby Production

When the ad guys talk about "lighting" and "production values" and "color correction" and you only think about how much money that's going to cost, consider this commercial. A nice idea shot on a home video camera and given zero color correction. The edit isn't bad, but the look is so homemade it's an insult.

C'mon guys, I know message is critical, but no one wants to watch an ugly commercial.

Click here to watch the could-have-been-good "Listen To Me"

Farouk Shami Will Lose, Seems Like A Nice Guy

Farouk Shami, the guy who invented the Chi hair straightener thingie and really likes rockets, is running to lose the Democratic primary for Texas governor to former Houston Mayor Bill White.

Here's his bio story. It's a wonderful rags to riches, Horatio Alger, hard working American story. Enjoy it now, because he's out before the inner tubes start floating down the Nueces.

Click here to watch "Story"

Apparently Connecticut Democrats Aren't Too Crazy About Joe Lieberman

First they try to knock Lieberman out of the primary, now they steal his campaign and run it against him. That's cold.

Of course, Joe isn't up until 2012 and, while I'm not in the business of giving free advice, it doesn't seem like such a good idea to go up on TV three years early when you have a 2010 candidate that might not be able to get elected to the local elementary school Bake Sale Committee.

I'm just saying.

Click here to watch "All About Joe"

Okay, Okay, I'll Do Whatever The AFL-CIO Says

Here's the latest highly confusing ad in the health care wars. This one features my Kryptonite: Scary Middle Aged Lady With Glasses Too Far Down Her nose! Aaaaiiieeeee! Make it stop!

As near as I can tell, the AFL-CIO wants Congress to give them cheap health insurance, but also, they'd like Congress to find someone else to pay for it. I figure this is right, since it's how the AFL-CIO has operated forever anyway.

What do they want? The government to give them the whole company? Oh wait, that's what the UAW got. Never mind.

Here's the latest from the AFL-CIO

Remember When Move On Used To Do Good Spots?

I don't get it. Move On has tons of cash. All the most creative people are Democrats (so they say). So how come MoveOn.org produces commercials that are just one step up from Honest John's Used Cars "Push, Pull or Drag" Sale?

Seriously.

Here's their latest lame-o effort. Cheap set, bad acting and typography that makes Gutenberg sorry he invented movable type.

Click here to watch Move On's "Cost of Delay"

Mike Capuano: A Day Late And Several Dollars Short

In this spot, Mike Capuano attacks the policies of George Bush and Dick Cheney. Remember them? Mike Capuano uses a six month old argument in an ad that may have cost as much as ten dollars to produce.

Here's somebody who is hoping US Senate seats go on sale this Christmas.

Check out "George Bush"

It's Political Primary Season: Hide Your Babies!

There are hands to be shaken and babies to be kissed (not the other way around, please). Political primary season is heating up earlier than ever before. His Republican Senate hopeful Tom Foley talking about babies.

One question, why is there a super reading "30 Years Experience" jammed in the middle of a commercial about the national debt. I'm guessing someone wanted to cram in another message point, but it just made my brain jump out of gear.

Click here to watch "Babies"

Andy McKenna says, "It's Me Versus The Hair"

How do run against the idea of Blago? You take on the hair. Andy McKenna does just that in his opening salvo in the Illinois Governor race. The b-roll shots of politicians on the streets wearing Blago hair is straight up genius.

Click here to watch "Hair Today"

Paterson Poll Numbers Must Be Extra Stinky

Here's another nicely produced bio ad for Paterson that sets him up as a guy who worked hard to excel despite his disability. Everything's going along fine until they drop a bomb that says, "And sometimes you make mistakes."

In other words the poll said, "he seems like a nice guy, but he screwed this whole thing up, big time." Ruh-roh, Reorge.

Click here to check out "When You"

David Paterson Channels Teddy Roosevelt

Here's David Paterson doing his best impression of a populist politician in this very nicely produced re-election spot. He'll probably get shellacked, but this is a nice spot. Well done.

Check out "Some Say"