Colbert strikes again as millions pour in for negative US election ads
With more negative TV ads pouring on to South Carolina screens ahead of the Republican primary this week, even the candidates are showing signs of getting embarrassed by the ads from the super-PAC groups - independent political committees - supporting them.
Meanwhile the super-PAC supporting the supposed campaign of comedian Stephen Colbert launched another wind-up ad described as 'An Orgy of Pure Distortion Leaving Nothing Behind'
Bloomberg Business Week reported that more money was now being spent by the super-PACS than the candidates themselves .
Super-PAC spending made up $3.1 million, or 60 percent of the $5.1 million spent on in political TV advertising in the state up to Jan. 16, said Bloomberg quoting Kantar Media, which tracks political advertising. This reverses the positions in New Hampshire and Iowa where the candidates spent more.
The super-PACs are now actually competing with the candidates for prime air time, crowding out candidate communications and driving up the cost of ads.
“It highlights the frustration some candidates are feeling about getting their messages out,” Anthony Corrado, a political scientist told Bloomberg. “Their ads are being swamped by the competing super-PACs.”
After a 28-minute super-PAC video last week supporting Newt Gingrich that attacked Romney’s role as a business executive , Gingrich came under from other Republicans . He then urged the group “to either edit out every single mistake or to pull the entire film.” The unedited commercial is still on the super-PAC’s home page.
In Iowa, Romney used his campaign cash to run about $940,000 in positive ads. HIs supporting super-PAC Restore Our Future spent $1.2 million on commercials attacking his competitors.
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum challenged Romney in a TV debate to direct his super-PAC to take down an ad he said was untrue.
Romney responded that, while he “can’t call” his super-PAC and “direct it” to remove or amend ads, “I can tell them publicly, as I can here, if there’s anything that’s inaccurate in any ads that support me, I hope they take it off and don’t run it.”
Romney has also said he would like to see all super-PACs eliminated “We all would like to have super-PACs disappear, to tell you the truth,” he said.
Meanwhile comedían Jon Stewart , who is "President For Life For Now" of the super-PAC supporting fellow comedian Stephen Colbert, told fans, "I want to let you know that I have not let this Super PAC thing go to my head, beyond the bejeweled crown I now wear on it. "
He said The Definitely Not Coordinating With Stephen Colbert Super PAC had been very busy, releasing another political ad today. "I think it came off great, though a little hard to see through the glare off my crown."