When you look at statistics like this, it’s no wonder that McCain is losing:
Barack Obama spent $3.3 million on TV ads on Monday alone—a remarkable one-day expenditure that more than doubled rival John McCain’s spending that day, according to the ad tracking firm, Campaign Media Analysis Group.
The Obama campaign has been ratcheting up its ad spending over the last month, increasing it by about 20% per week, said CMAG’s Evan Tracey. The previous Monday, Sept. 30, the Obama campaign spent $2.4 million on ads.
“They are going to turn the battleground states into echo chambers. It’s going to be impossible for McCain to break through,” Tracey said. He compared it to standing in a room where 20 people are shouting. “You only hear the loudest person,” he said.
On Monday, the McCain campaign, combined with the Republican National Committee, spent less than half of what Obama did: about $1.5 million, according to CMAG data.
Separately, a report released today by the Wisconsin Advertising Project found that McCain’s recent advertisements have been nearly all negative. Just 34% of Obama’s ads have been negative.
The disparity in spending between the campaigns is possible because Obama, a prolific fund-raiser, declined public funds (after saying he would take them) and is not subject to spending limits.
Just look at the numbers from the battleground states:
Pennsylvania:
- Obama — $2.2 million
- McCain — $1.6 million
Ohio:
- Obama — $2.2 million
- McCain — $1.7 million
Florida:
- Obama — $2.2 million
- McCain — $659,000
Virginia:
- Obama — $2.1 million
- McCain — $547,000
Colorado:
- Obama — $980,000
- McCain — $801,000
Nevada:
- Obama — $616,000
- McCain — $329,000
Missouri:
- Obama — $492,000
- McCain — $193,000
Robert Stacey McCain sums it up:
In state after state, the Obama campaign is simply burying McCain in terms of TV advertising. Combining the three key swing states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida, Obama outspent McCain by 65% ($6.6 million to $4 million).
Every conservative blogger is complaining about media bias, but nobody seems to acknowledge the reality that McCain, the guy who pushed campaign finance reform to “get the big money out of politics,” is being buried by an avalanche of big money.
Actually, I look at it differently. If the author of McCain-Feingold is falling victim to the very laws he championed, well that’s just poetic justice.
