AD WARS

	September 21, 2000
	Spending on political television ads continues to increase as candidates heat up their battle over the airwaves. After this background report, three experts examine their ads and what impact their message is having on voters.

TERENCE SMITH: With six and a half weeks to go before election day, the nation's airwaves are becoming thick with political advertising. To date, most of the national ads in the presidential race have focused on the candidates' policy differences, rather than personal attacks. This Republican National Committee ad currently running in 17 states attacks Gore's prescription drug plan. AD SPOKESMAN: Gore's plan: When seniors turn 64, they must join a drug HMO selected by Washington, or they're on their own. Bush's plan: Seniors choose, and it covers all catastrophic health care costs. Gore's plan doesn't, and has a government HMO, and a $600 fee, a prescription for disaster. TERENCE SMITH: This Democratic National Committee ad currently running in nine key states blasts Bush's record in Texas. AD SPOKESMAN: When Congress passed a law to help states provide health insurance for kids, Bush opposed its expansion to 220,000 children in Texas, and a federal judge had to step in, ruling "Texas fails to provide adequate health care for children." George Bush: His real plans hurt real people. TERENCE SMITH: The Bush and Gore campaigns and the national parties have spent more than $31 million apiece on ads since the beginning of June; nearly half of public funds each side receives for the fall campaign. An NYU/University of Wisconsin study of the top media markets released this week, says Gore is outspending Bush in battleground states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico. Florida, where Jeb Bush is governor, is also hotly contested. SPOKESMAN: My friend and yours, George W. Bush. (Applause) TERENCE SMITH: Much of this year's political advertising is being financed by soft money contributions to the national parties at fundraisers like these, or to independent groups. A new study by the Annenberg Center at the University of Pennsylvania reports that spending on so-called "issue advertising" had jumped to $342 million by September 1, more than the last two election cycles combined.