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Rate the new Giannoulias TV ads

Posted in:

* Tribune

Alexi Giannoulias’ Democratic campaign for Illinois secretary of state will launch two television spots Wednesday, both linking him to former President Barack Obama, with one of them criticizing former President Donald Trump.

Both ads show Giannoulias playing basketball with children in a gymnasium, a nod to his days playing overseas in Greece. In one, he explains how he was inspired to become a politician by Obama, whom Giannoulias refers to as his “basketball buddy.”

In the other ad, he makes a reference to Trump and his efforts “to overturn the last election” while saying he wants to use the secretary of state’s office to make it easier to register to vote. The ad noted the importance of protecting voting rights, expanding voter registration and encouraging vote by mail.

“When I played pro ball, we practiced to make the game easier. When I’m secretary of state, I’ll do the same. We’ll never let anyone stop you from casting your vote,” he says in that ad.

In fact, while other states’ secretary of state’s offices play an integral role in elections, in Illinois the office plays only a small role in helping the public register to vote.

* “Assist”

* “Line Up”

* Full response from Anna Valencia campaign manager Cheryl Bruce…

“Alexi Giannoulias has spent the last decade helping rich people get richer while wealth director for a Wall Street bank with close ties to the gun industry, coal companies and even North Korea. He has pledged transparency, but he’s hiding from voters who exactly he’s been working for during his time as a Wall Street banker.

“Funded in part by family loan of nearly $1 million, he’s now trying to paper over his shady history: he was senior loan officer for a bank that loaned money to convicted mobsters, he engaged in reckless lending practices that led authorities to seize his family bank, and he lost millions of dollars in college savings for thousands of Illinois families.

“Illinoisans rejected Alexi when he lost Barack Obama’s Senate seat. Then, he endorsed a Republican with an anti-choice voting record and urged us to rally behind Donald Trump’s presidency. Now, Alexi on the ballot risks losing Jesse White’s Secretary of State office, too. That’s why Secretary White endorsed Anna to succeed him. Anna was raised by working class parents in a union household and has delivered bold and innovative ideas as Chicago City Clerk, and she fought for our communities during the Rauner and Trump administrations. Illinois voters know that Anna will always fight for them.”

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:19 am

Comments

  1. I’d give “Assist” an A. Very effective on making the point of making things easier.

    Comment by Steve Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:25 am

  2. I’d give both ads an A for their brevity, simplicity, and message. Might not exactly align with the Alexi many of us know, but very good ads.

    Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:30 am

  3. I think these ads will resonate very well with dems. Anna V. better step it up.

    Comment by Observer Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:30 am

  4. Line-Up is just a lie, so like, D? D-?

    Comment by Noah Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:31 am

  5. I think these a really good ads. They show the human side of the candidate very effectively. Solid A.

    Now, of course, the Alexi hater crowd will instinctively give them low marks because….it’s ALEXI!! But I think that ads are solid and very well done..

    Comment by McGuppin Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:31 am

  6. C-. I’ve order my last three stickers and my last DL online. What else you got?

    Dude makes a marshmallow seem substantial.

    Comment by Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:32 am

  7. Big old f…if you have to invoke Obama’s names to strengthen your candicacy then you’re doomed.

    Comment by Jilted Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:35 am

  8. They’re not bad, particularly “assist.” Solid B.

    Comment by Ducky LaMoore Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:36 am

  9. ===Full response from Anna Valencia===

    This made me spit out my coffee.

    Dear Valencia Crew,

    If you lose to Alexi, it will again, prove positive, that when campaigns sorely lack, getting out-maneuvered and out-worked is a *choice* by extremely poor campaigns.

    Every single day I’m less impressed by anything, and I do mean anything, this Crew is doing, has done, or even more comical, “plans to do”

    Alexi is a terrible candidate, who is bad for the ticket, and could win because… well… the campaign lacks.

    To the ads?

    They’re a B-, they lack depth, and mirror the real lack of depth Alexi has, but work because being superficial in :30 ads helps.

    It also helps that the Valencia Crew seemingly refuses to… run an actual campaign when Alexi is doing just that.

    They are B-, but are out there.

    Valencia letting Alexi define himself constantly and continually make B- ads… stronger.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:37 am

  10. also did he mix up the names of the ads? why is the one about waiting in line not called line-up?

    Comment by Noah Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:37 am

  11. ===if you have to invoke Obama’s names to strengthen your candicacy then you’re doomed===

    LOL

    You gotta be kidding me.

    If you can credibly invoke Obama’s name in a statewide Illinois Democratic primary, you’re not doomed, Einstein. It’s way too early to be that stinking drunk.

    Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:38 am

  12. -if you have to invoke Obama’s names to strengthen your candicacy then you’re doomed.-

    This is Illinois. Most voters do like Obama (Barack and Michelle). Alexi isn’t running in Texas.

    Comment by Steve Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:41 am

  13. Huh? They’re packing a lot on screen and in the script. I can’t process unless I watch it multiple times and pay close attention. Nice to make him seem relatable and laid back because Valencia doesn’t seem to have that in her. B-

    Comment by The Most Anonymous Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:43 am

  14. C on both. Did he really drop a “g” on living? He does bare a resemblance to a young Rauner.

    Comment by Justintime Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:45 am

  15. Seems like Valencia’s team missed a great opportunity to hit back on the basketball theme. If they had the resources, for example, they could do a 30 second ad titled, “Turnover” about Alexi losing Obama’s seat.

    They could do a spot called “Traveling” detailing Alexi’s wealthy, out of touch lifestyle. They could do one called “Goaltending” about his endorsement of Tom Cross. They could do one called “Airball” pointing to Alexi’s lack of substance or one called “Point Shaving” about Broadway Bank.

    Now that Alexi decided to use basketball to define himself, all of this is in play and a smart campaign would tattoo him with his own branding.

    At least, that’s how I’d play this game.

    Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:47 am

  16. Give both Ads an A.
    They keep your attention and the reference to President Obama is a high plus in a Democratic Primary election.

    Comment by Back to the Future Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:48 am

  17. Tumbling, hold my ouzo, because here comes me and basketball. Feels forced. C.

    Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:58 am

  18. If you think putting Obama in a Democratic primary campaign ad is desperate, you should give up lol. And people seem to be missing the basketball part, taking Obama out of it. There’s a big correlation between being a basketball fan and being a Democrat.

    Comment by Torco Sign Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 10:02 am

  19. Can’t stand the guy, but it’s a solid ad. Disgruntled A.

    Comment by SubRosa Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 10:04 am

  20. ===way too early to be that stinking drunk===

    I guess it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.

    Impressive that it took less than 8 seconds to get Obama into both ads. B+

    Comment by uialum Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 10:10 am

  21. Both are decent ads, but I’m downgrading the 2nd one because no one stands with their knees bent and back arched like that when they’re dribbling.

    Comment by Baloneymous Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 10:10 am

  22. They OK ads. At least they are not the typical “I’ll fight for”, “work for”, “…for the people” statements that most political ads have.

    Comment by zatoichi Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 10:21 am

  23. I would rather have one Jesse White add than 20 of these.

    Comment by Raising Kane Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 10:29 am

  24. B did anyone ask Obama before he got dragged in

    Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 10:34 am

  25. I’d give these ads an A. Shows a personal and likable side of AG.

    Comment by B Team Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 11:27 am

  26. Terrific spot if Lexi’s goal was to get those kids to vote for him for class president. Anything higher gets D- or F. It reminds the ‘Riffie team has lined up a former USA to smack him around in the fall.

    Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 11:34 am

  27. I’ve played in that gym before. Once with Alexi.

    Comment by SmoDaddy Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 11:39 am

  28. Wait, what? I have to pay attention to sports in order to vote for a Dem now?

    The ads are okay. I still don’t want to vote for him.

    Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 11:47 am

  29. These ads don’t help me. I am a reliable democratic voter - there are so few republicans who I would consider voting for that I can name them on one or two hands. ( we all can just about name them on a national level). So I need to know which Dem to vote for. This does not give me any information at all.

    Comment by Banish Misfortune Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 11:50 am

  30. “if you have to invoke Obama’s names to strengthen your candicacy then you’re doomed”

    Get out of your Facebook bubble…and visit with the real World.

    Comment by Dotnonymous Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 12:11 pm

  31. I imagine myself sitting in my local. TV over the bar. No sound, just images. A for the ads. Obama, kids, Darth Vader, BB.

    Comment by Uptown Progressive Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 12:12 pm

  32. ===Terrific spot if Lexi’s goal was to get those kids to vote for him for class president. Anything higher gets D- or F.===

    - Annonin’ -

    He mentions Obama. He’s bouncing a ball.

    You need to factor this in.

    :)

    Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 2:54 pm

  33. Also, - 47th Ward -

    I like where your head is at.

    My question continues to be, why are they so absent, is there no sense of engaging in a campaign?

    Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 2:56 pm

  34. ===why are they so absent===

    It’s a slam dunk, right?

    Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 3:06 pm

  35. === It’s a slam dunk, right?===

    It works, even from Downtown

    Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 3:09 pm

  36. Simple, to the point, easy to understand, and (as someone mentioned earlier) if you watch without the sound, it’s Barack and Alexi. Easy A.

    Comment by Soxfan Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:59 pm

  37. Definitely an A. Postive message, timely and shows a very likeable candidate

    Comment by Heather Thursday, Apr 7, 22 @ 10:27 pm

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