Latte-Drinkers to Galvanize Around Dean?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}AD: Back to Vermont
TARGET AUDIENCE: Iowa
PRODUCER: Club for Growth
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}POLITICAL EFFECTIVENESS RATING: 1.5 stars (out of four)
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ANALYSIS: While it's cute and eye-catching, this ad seems to be doing two things. First, the obvious: trying to hurt Dean among general election voters. Second, the not-so-obvious: trying backhandedly to help Dean among liberal Democrats who vote in the Iowa caucuses and would be repelled by an attack such as this one.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}I am not sure that the intent of the spot is to outrage Democrats so much by the nature of the attack that they galvanize around Dean and support him, but it may very well be an effect of the spot.
Usually, spots like this either work or they don't. This may not accomplish either goal, intended or not. Who knows what it'll accomplish in the end.