It looks like Rush Limbaugh did us a huge favor by mocking Michael J. Fox’s Parkinson’s disease. No, not because it made people hate Rush Limbaugh, but because it caused the media to play the ad over and over again…for free. A study by HCD Research and Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion (MCIPO) found that support for Democrats boomed after watching Fox’s advertisement.
One key finding:
Respondents were asked to indicate what candidate they would vote for in the U.S. House of Representatives election if it was held today before and after viewing the ad.
Republicans who indicated that they were voting for a Republican candidate decreased by 10% after viewing the ad (77% to 67%). Independents planning to vote for Democrats increased by 10%, from 39% to 49%.
Sounds to me like this ad is particularly effective. Another interesting statistic is the level of support for stem-cell research from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.
Among all respondents, support for stem cell research increased from 78% prior to viewing the ad, to 83% after viewing the ad. Support among Democrats increased from 89% to 93%, support among Republicans increased from 66% to 68% and support among Independents increased from 80% to 87% after viewing the ad.
That’s a very high level of support for stem-cell research (even before watching the ad). Seems to me like we should be running these commercials anywhere the Republican is an opponent of funding the research. Of course, that’s exactly what happens when the cable news companies run the ads. Thanks Rush.
hope that they continue to stub their toes on their nasty talking points and ads
that when Mr. and Mrs. Average Voter get beyond the “fear and smear” tactics of the Republicans and find out what they really stand for, they’ll realize that the Democrats offer an alternative.
Now if the Democrats could just wake up and realize that they need to actually offer an alternative…
Too bad that shameful Corker ad was pulled. It might have made even more people aware of RNC ugliness had it still been aired.
Which shameful Corker ad? I know they pulled the playboy one, but I think I am even more appalled by the jungle music one. But, like Macaca Allen is finding out, you can be a blatant racist and still win a senate race. I’m not sure which is worse, that they hold such views, or that so many people are still willing to vote for them. Ugh.
I love these results but what I’d really like to see is a poll that only contacts registered dems/repubs who are LIKELY voters. Then we’d know if we were really making progress.
John Kerry had MJF make a nearly identical ad in his 2004 presidential bid to no discernable fuss that I’m aware of.
Who paid for/sponsored this latest stem cell ad? Kerry? (Asking cause I haven’t seen it and can’t find out who via Googling who the “owner” is.)
It’s for the Claire McCaskill campaign in MO.
her campaign committee? Just curious. I was wondering if a coalition of scientists engaged in this kind of research might have co-sponsored it.
As far as I know it was paid for by the campaign committee. He came to St. Louis to do a fundraiser for McCaskill a couple of weeks ago and that’s when it was filmed. I doubt it was that expensive to film and edit. It was buying the ad spots during the World Series that cost the money.
I don’t know who paid for it, but I read this morning that Fox did several of these ads for Democratic candidates in tight races. Sorry, other names escape me right now.
The scientists involved probably couldn’t afford it. The drug companies could, but I defer to maryb’s comment.