I first heard Congressman Oberstar’s latest cheapo TV ad a couple of days ago. It featured a tiny video of his oponant Chip Cravaack saying something about how Maylasia was a model of entrepreneural spirit. Then a snippet of a Cravaack saying, “like Malaysia” was played back three times in response to questions asked by the narrator but, of course, never heard by Craavack. I was in another room when I heard the voice over guy say “Chip Cravaack would be a good Congressman……….for Maylasia.” I laughed strenuously. It ranked right up there with Science Mystery Theater for a good laugh.
It was Jimmy’s first attack ad and its hard to say whether its cheesiness or its ineffectuality was more glaring. After a second viewing tonight I’m pretty sure it will drive a lot of undecideds to the Cravaack camp.
I felt) as far back as 1992 when I first ran against Oberstar that no one much loved him. The same was true when I ran against him in 2006. Its just as true today and Chip Cravaack has been a model candidate. Cravaack has done nothing sleazy in fact, his ads are a model of restraint. And tonight the Congressional GOP put on a blistering television ad scorching Oberstar. It was effective.
Up until a few days ago I was telling folks that while Oberstar won’t get his usual minimum 59% of the vote but that he should still pull through. Had he gotten the national Democrats to help him early he could have saved himself. Instead he had someone produce a rinky dink ad that does him no credit. I think its too late for Oberstar. I’m not eager for the GOP to take over Congress but it will be nice to demonstrate that I was correct all along about Oberstar being a paper tiger. This Congressional District will never be the same again…….if it even manages to survive reapportionment.
