Subject: [big campaign] Sargent: New Anti-Reform Scare Ad Targeting Seniors Was Made By Creator Of Willie Horton Spot
From: Adam Jentleson <[email-masked]>
To: "[email-masked]'" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:07:19 -0500
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

New Anti-Reform Scare Ad Targeting Seniors Was Made By Creator Of Willie Horton Spot<http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/maker-of-new-anti-reform-scare-ad-targeting-seniors-also-made-willie-horton-spot/>

The massive ad campaign designed to frighten seniors about health care reform currently being waged by the 60 Plus Association, the self-styled conservative counterpart to AARP, is the handiwork of the same ad guru that created the infamous Willie Horton ads, we've confirmed.

The ad guru's behind-the-scenes role suggests that scare tactics similar to those used in the racially-charged 1988 Horton spot have now been pressed into service to defeat health care reform.

Yesterday 60 Plus launched a seven figure ad buy<http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/conservative-seniors-group-targeting-dem-reps-over-health-care-vote.php?ref=fpblg> targeting 15 House Dems in senior-heavy districts who voted for the Dem proposal, bashing it as a dire threat to Medicare that would saddle seniors' grandchildren with massive deficits. Another 60 Plus spot<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhrac9ibQZY> last week warned that the Greatest Generation had already "sacrificed enough."

Both ads were made by McCarthy Marcus Hennings. This firm's president, writer, and communications consultant, Larry McCarthy, was the creator of the Willie Horton spot during the 1988 Bush-Dukakis presidential race. That ad infamously bashed Michael Dukakis for granting Horton a weekend pass from prison, leading to the murder of a little boy.

You can see the credit for McCarthy's firm right at the beginning of last week's 60 Plus spot<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhrac9ibQZY>. A source familiar with the creation of this week's ad confirmed it was made by the same firm.

The well-funded 60 Plus presents itself as a group that's all about protecting the interests of seniors. But its ad campaign was created by one of the most hard-boiled GOP operatives of the last generation - one well schooled in some of the nastiest ad tactics in memory. Thanks to our reporter Ryan Derousseau for research help.

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/maker-of-new-anti-reform-scare-ad-targeting-seniors-also-made-willie-horton-spot/

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Adam Jentleson
Communications Director, Progressive Media
Center for American Progress Action Fund
[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>
ajentleson (AIM)
202-247-8614 (cell)

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