Shop Talk

NBC’s First Read says that the Kerry Camp is going on a nice-guy TV offensive:

Today, however, Kerry goes up with two long-anticipated, positive, biographical ads in 20 states, including new additions Colorado and Louisiana. The campaign briefs the press (pen and pad only) about the ad buy at the HQ at 10:00 am. The AP prices the buy at $25 million; the New York Times says it could be as much as $27 million. Either way, for one ad buy, that’s a serious statement.

Kerry spending big bucks at this stage of the race makes about as much sense as if Bush were to go big in Illinois. As someone who lives here, I can tell you: Colorado will go for Bush in the fall, and by a pretty wide margin.

TV ads in Louisiana make slightly more sense, but not by much. Sure, there are lots of Democrats there, but they’re not the kind of Democrats Kerry is going to do well with.

Better to split almost the entire $25 million between Florida and Pennsylvania.