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Posted on Tuesday, 10.28.08
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Obama's advertising time on TV includes a block
on Spanish-language network
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BY CASEY WOODS
MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
MIAMI -- When Barack Obama takes to the
airwaves Wednesday night, he'll enjoy a rare
luxury in presidential campaigns: a half-hour of
uninterrupted advertising time bought on several of the nation's largest television networks.
http://www.herald.com/
Many viewers will be watching it in Spanish. In addition to buying time on CBS, FOX and NBC, Obama
has used his financial might to buy a separate 30-minute block on Univision, the country's largest Spanishlanguage network - a first in the history of presidential campaigns. The long-form ad is the latest element
in a vast Spanish-language media blitz that experts say could change the fight for the Hispanic vote in the
future.
"Buying a half-hour on Univision is like putting a Spanish language ad on the Super Bowl - it almost
doesn't matter what you say because the main message is to say 'I know you're there and I recognize
you,' " said Roberto Suro, a founder of the Pew Hispanic Center and a journalism professor at the
University of Southern California.
"It's hard to imagine now that a Democrat candidate cannot buy a half-hour on Univision the next time
around."
The recognition doesn't come cheap. Earlier this year, Obama's campaign announced it would spend $20
million nationwide on Hispanic voter outreach, including get-out-the-vote efforts and Spanish-language
media. Obama's advisors will not confirm specific numbers but say the campaign will meet or surpass that
figure by Nov. 4.
Republican candidate John McCain's campaign says the Hispanic vote will be decided by more than an
onslaught of advertising.
"Barack Obama has over $20 million dollars to spend, but John McCain has 25 years of history with the
Hispanic community," said Ana Navarro, a Miami-based senior Hispanic outreach advisor to the McCain
campaign. "Certainly Obama can outspend us, but that doesn't necessarily win elections, and what we are
banking on is that the Latino vote is not for sale."
The campaign is not releasing numbers on advertising expenditures, Navarro said. She said the campaign
is being more "strategic" with its Spanish-language ad buys because of its more limited funds.
Ross Perot, in his 1992 bid for the presidency as an independent, also bought half-hour spots on major
networks to discuss his platform.
In 2004, both the Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns combined spent $8.7 million on
Spanish language television advertising, according to a study by the Hispanic Voter Project at Johns
Hopkins University.
In four of the key battleground states - Florida, Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado - Hispanics make up a
significant portion of the electorate, making the fight for their vote more ferocious this year than ever
before.
In all those states, Obama outspent McCain on Spanish-language television advertisements, often by wide
margins, according to a report by Nielsen Media Research. Specific breakdowns for Florida were not
available but in Texas, for example, Obama bought nearly twice as much Spanish-language advertising as
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McCain.
Obama is also advertising in Spanish on radio in several states not traditionally viewed as Hispanic
strongholds, including Pennsylvania, Indiana and North Carolina.
On Monday, Obama launched an advertisement in which he speaks in Spanish - one of the few such
advertisements by a major party presidential nominee. Obama is not fluent in Spanish, but can understand
it - a skill he largely picked up as a Chicago community organizer, campaign advisors said.
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SEALsTeamLeader wrote on 10/29/2008 03:22:01 PM:
OBAMA's infomercial is like every other one on TV, he WANTS YOUR MONEY.
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mbutts wrote on 10/29/2008 09:03:36 AM:
Obama will be a GREAT change for the U.S! We need a breath of fresh air! McSameLame & PainPalin can
NOT bring that. We have tried their same tactics for long enough! America is suffering. Obama will lead this
Country in the right direction! It's as if the Republigoons have sank the battle ship & now we the PEOPLE have
to jump on & steer it in the right direction! It may be a bumpy ride at first, being that Obama is not superman, but it's better
than crashing! Obama 2008
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raulpedraza wrote on 10/29/2008 06:54:33 AM:
Time to turn the page on the divide and conquer Republicans. Enough is Enough. Our great nation can come
together under President Barack Obama and thankfully the American electorate is intelligently going to choose
a man of intellect and integrity in a landslide. President Obama has survived an onslaught of lies and smears
from the team that has no plan for our country. Obama is a communist or socialist? Why then would Bill Gates and Warren
Buffet the two wealthiest capitalists on earth be supporting his candidacy? Veterans are for Mc Same? Why then did the Iraq
and Afghanistan veterans grade him a D and Barack Obama a B+ look it up at iava.com, Mc Cain did not even support the
GI Bill education benefits for veterans. Shame on you Mc Same. This decorated veteran has voted proudly for Obama. Vote
hope not fear! Much as Mc Same and igloo trash Pailin want to scream Boo at Halloween we only need fear more
Republican leadership. OBAMANOS! SI SE PUEDE! YES WE WILL IN A LANDSLIDE!
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standfirm wrote on 10/28/2008 11:08:15 PM:
ok H the one repeat your self again,,,we're waiting with bated breath...LMAO....
standfirm wrote on 10/28/2008 11:07:22 PM:
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Victor139: well said.
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Victor139 wrote on 10/28/2008 10:58:45 PM:
Obama is running an exemplary, streamlined, well-disciplined, well-conceived professional campaign and this
Spanish-language air time is yet another example of this. The campaign is the prelude to what you will get from
his presidency, it is safe to presume.
McCain and Palin, meanwhile, have begun fingerpointing with McCain's advisors calling Palin a "whack job." Can you
imagine what that presidency would be like?
But you judge for yourself.
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standfirm wrote on 10/28/2008 10:16:53 PM:
H the one: Silence is the mother of truth.
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