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IowaPolitics.com: Analysis shows McCain outspending Obama on Iowa TV ads
10/31/2008

By Lynn Campbell
IowaPolitics.com

John McCain and the Republican National Committee outspent Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee on Iowa television advertising in the past week, according to new study released today by the University of Wisconsin Advertising Project. This Iowa focus by McCain comes despite a trio of polls showing Obama with a double-digit lead in the state.

The new study shows Obama outspent McCain nationally on TV ads, $21.5 million to nearly $7.5 million from Oct. 21-28. But Iowa bucked that trend, with McCain spending $429,000 to Obama's $298,000.

Des Moines also had the third-highest number of airings of McCain ads -- 447 in the past week -- only less than Tampa, Florida's 519 and Orlando, Florida's 506. In contrast, Des Moines did not make the Top 10 list for places with the most Obama TV ad airings in the past week.

The new report follows an analysis by IowaPolitics.com showing that McCain outspent Obama on Des Moines network TV affiliates for the past two weeks. McCain spent $271,332 to Obama's $178,963 this week on KCCI, WOI, KDSM and WHO, and McCain spent $201,660 to Obama's $140,145 from Oct. 20-27. But the week prior to that, Obama topped McCain $147,575 to $101,626 from Oct. 13-20.

The Wisconsin ad study found that 63 percent of Obama's ads and 79 percent of McCain's ads have been negative in the past week. More than half of both candidates' ads have been about taxes and the economy. About one-third of the TV ads feature the American flag. More than one-quarter of McCain's ads talk about experience, while more than one-third of Obama's ads mention the word "change."   The ad analysis comes as three polls of likely Iowa voters released this week showed Obama maintaining his double-digit lead over McCain. A Lee Enterprises poll showed Obama up by 15 points, 54 percent to 39 percent. A new Survey USA poll had the same margin but slightly different totals -- 55 percent for Obama compared to 40 percent for McCain -- while a Marist University poll showed Obama up by 10 points, 52 percent to 42 percent. But despite the polling margin, the state is getting two presidential ticket visits in the brief time before the election -- Friday’s scheduled visit by Obama to the Des Moines area and Palin's scheduled Monday visit to Dubuque. Those stops are on top of last weekend’s visits to the state by both McCain and Palin.
Iowa not overlooked in final round of campaigning


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