Mullti-million dollar ad campaigns supporting health overhaul launched

Various advertising campaigns take to the airwaves. Among their messages are the moral imperative of reform and the importance of cooperation.

CQ Politics reports: "A group of religious leaders launches a health care blitz Wednesday that will be highlighted by television ads, sermons and a nationwide 'call-in' to the White House that will stress the 'moral imperative' to extend affordable coverage to the nation's uninsured. The '40 Days for Health Reform' initiative by the interfaith groups will include prayer services in congressional districts, meetings of religious leaders with members of Congress and a 'Nationwide Health Care Sermon Weekend' with preaching from the pulpit on the need for a health care overhaul. The leaders say they're the ones who see up close the problems with the insurance system and the need for change."

The event is being sponsored by denominations and groups that include a range of organizations such as the National Baptist Convention USA, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, United Methodist Church General Board of Church & Society, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, the Episcopal Church, Unitarian Universalist Association, African Methodist Episcopal Church and Islamic Society of North America. "The group also is sponsoring a 30-second TV ad that criticizes unnamed 'special interests in Washington' seeking to block health overhaul" (Norman, 8/19). 

The Associated Press reports on another campaign: "The drug industry and a consumer advocacy group on Tuesday launched a $3.5 million ad campaign in the home states of 15 senators to thank them for being willing to work across the political divide. ... The ads from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and Families USA will run through Labor Day. They ask voters to call their senators to say thanks and urge them to keep on trying to find a way around partisan gridlock" (8/18).

Raleigh, N.C., NBC news affiliate My NC reports: "The debate over health care reform hits the air with a television ad targeting Senator Richard Burr and other Republicans who've spoken out against the current Democratic reform proposals. Two groups, 'Health Care For America Now' and the 'American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees' have launched an ad campaign that points out Members of Congress receive good health care through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The ad then calls into question Senator Richard Burr's loyalty to health care reform or the insurance company lobbyists" (Genardo, 8/18).

Meanwhile, Politico reports: "Critics of President Obama's health-care overhaul are zeroing in on his senior adviser David Alexrod, whose former partners at a Chicago-based firm are the beneficiaries of huge ad buys-now at $24 million and counting-by White House allies in the reform fight."

"It revolves around two separate $12 million ad campaigns advocating Obama's health care plan that were produced and placed partly by AKPD Message and Media, a firm founded by Axelrod that employs his son and still owes Axelrod $2 million. A separate firm, GMMB, is also handling the campaigns. Both AKPD and GMMB did millions of dollars of work on Obama's presidential campaign, continue to tout their connections to the campaign and still maintain close ties to his inner circle" (Vogel, 8/19).