Spending Big On Local Attack Ads

Nielsen Monitor-Plus reports that since June 7, when the primaries ended, through the first week in September, Sen John McCain (R-AZ) has run 76,192 ads attacking Sen Barack Obama (D-IL) while Sen Obama has run 75, 246 ads attacking Sen McCain. Their focus has been Ohio (14, 397 McCain ads, 11, 037 Obama ads), Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. The McCain campaign has now shifted virtually 100 percent of his national ad spending into negative ads attacking Obama, a detailed breakdown of his ad buys reveals. By contrast, the Obama campaign is devoting less than half of its overall ad spending to ads attacking McCain. More than half of its spending is going to a spot that doesn't once mention his foe. Evan Tracey, who tracks national ad spending for the Campaign Media Analysis Group, says, Obama is now outspending McCain by nearly two to one on the air -- Obama is spending $2.4 million per week, and McCain is spending $1.3 million weekly.