The First Hutchison TV Spot
Hutchison is shown sitting in a living room, or perhaps a hotel suite. She is wearing a white blouse with a dark vest, brown or perhaps purple. A lamp is lit on a desk behind her left shoulder. In the foreground is a built-in segment of a bookcase. A red sofa is in the background off to the left.
The spot opens with Hutchison saying, “I’m going to do everything I can to stop the government takeover of health care.” The screen fades to black. White letters come up, reading, “KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON on fighting government health care while running for governor.” The lighting comes back, the camera refocuses on her, and she continues, “And that’s why I’m staying in the Senate through the primary at risk to my political future. I cannot walk away while this is pending in Congress. Everything about it is going to raise taxes, raises costs, and lowers the quality of health care. And we don’t need a government takeover of health care, not at the federal level, not at the state level, not ever.”
* * * *
What can I say? This is what we have been waiting for? Everything about this spot is dreadful. I can’t even give it a positive grade. It is going to lose votes. She has no energy. Her body language radiates defeat. The fighting words have no defiance in them. The subject matter is wrong. The message is wrong. And where was an editor when somebody wrote a script that raised the red herring of a state takeover of health care? That’s from outer space. Anyone who is backing her and sees this spot is going to be not just disappointed, but dismayed. Even horrified.
Perhaps Hutchison is trying to follow the old rule of “hang a lantern on your problem.” But the problem that she is hanging a lantern on is not that she had a difficult time making a decision about leaving the Senate. The real problem is that she has never given a rationale for her candidacy. If she had spent half the energy she devoted to worrying about her resignation on developing a message, she would be in much better shape today. Are we supposed to vote for her for governor because she’s against Obama’s health care program? We already have a governor who is against it. Who is going to be persuaded to vote for Hutchison because she vows to do the job she was elected to do?
Why in the world would Hutchison choose to make her first spot one that focuses on a process issue? Nobody cares about process. People care about what she is going to do for the state. Why is she still talking about a decision that has been made? She can’t undo the past and all the dilly-dallying and undisciplined talk about whether and when she would resign, September, October, November, December, January, never, whenever. It just highlights the lack of self-confidence that comes out in her body language.
I hate to say these things. I have known Kay for a long time. I like her personally, and I think she has been a very good senator for Texas. The attacks of the Perry campaign on her senatorial record, particularly in calling the things she has done for Texas “pork,” are unfair. But that person, that senator, is a creature of Washington—not in the way Perry means it, that her values have been infected by the cooties of the Capitol, but in the sense that she stayed too long. She originally said she would serve two terms, and that is what she should have done: Quit in ‘06 and run for governor, and there is a good chance she would be running for reelection today. She has no feel for Texas politics anymore, or what the Texas Republican party has become—otherwise she would never have undertaken the suicide mission of attacking Perry for refusing the unemployment insurance stimulus funds, when 70+% of Republican primary voters agreed with him. But she is determined to prove that she is as much of a conservative as he is, which is futile. She had months to do her homework on Texas issues, and that time is now gone, and she hasn’t done it. If she gets in a TV debate with Perry on Texas issues, she’d better have EMS on hand because she is going to get slaughtered.
Maybe George Strake, Jr. is right. If this is the best she can do, she ought to quit the race.
Tagged: ads, governor’s race, kay bailey hutchison, rick perry.
Jamie says:
I agree, Paul. I like KBH and all, but she has made a series of poor decisions in this campaign. She has a vulnerable voting record she won’t be able to get around. And Rick Perry has surged into the spotlight as a national conservative figure who is standing up against Obama. I just don’t see how she has any path to victory other than going kamikaze on this race.
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Anonymous says:
As someone who has voted for Kay in the past, I think it’s time to admit that she’s toast if she goes through with the race, and she must know that by now. I think she’s just looking to rehab her image, like this ad is trying to do. She really should take a step back and think about what a humiliating defeat will do to her legacy. If she doesn’t run and doesn’t resign, she can stay in DC and fight Obama until her term is up in 2012 and be remembered as a fighter instead of a loser.
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Anonymous says:
Paul, you needn’t worry, there will not be a debate. This is just to rehab her image on her way out. She will not run and risk what is certain to be humiliating defeat. She will serve out the remainder of her term and hope everyone will forget and remember her as a fighter as anon 11:27 said.
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Anonymous says:
agreed. when i saw her spot i thought, huh, what the heck? then i saw perry’s spot and i thought, that david weeks is one smart fella…
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Joe says:
Finally someone tells it like it is. This has been disappointing from the start of her campaign and it is too bad this had to come on a blog instead of from her advisors — but then again they are probably to afraid of her. I gave money to her early and have been asked for money again and again and again. I will not give anymore. The TV ad is terrible and the radio is pointless and if she thought this would assure us that she is in the race then she was wrong. I am a republican and will vote republican, but I thought she would do better than this.
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Lewy says:
What an election cycle. The dominant question is which candidates will switch races or not even run at all. KBH and Bill White? ‘Nuff said. Kinky now that Farouk is in? How about Abbott, Dewhurst, Shapleigh, Ronnie Earle?
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it's a trap! says:
ouch. paul, has her campaign issued you their response yet? usually something like this:
it’s a trick. she’s only acting like the worst candidate with the worst campaign ever. she’s hiding her energy and making all these missteps–all part of the plan.
in the end, she will judo chop the polls and you will all be wrong. she will magically become conservative and appeal to the base (and change her Senate record). it’s a super secret strategy. you all wouldn’t understand.
sincerely,
D. Beckwith
damage control
kay for guv
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paulburka says:
Hi David, I’m hoping this is an imposter and you and your wife are on one of your trips to Australia and can’t get access to my blog.
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Dave Beckwith Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Not quite. I’m not in Australia, and when I am, I can still get access to your blog.
But the post above from “it’s a trap” is yet another contribution from the prolific Perry Blog Management Team. I can’t accurately predict the governor primary, but I know the Perry Blog Management Team is posting well over 39% of the comments here.
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Anonymous Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Not even Beckwith can muster the effort to defend her terrible ad. And he’s on Kay’s payroll.
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Fiftycal Reply:
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Hey, how do I get a check from Rick? I support him, but he asks ME for money. How do I turn that around? Oh, great ad Kay Baby. I’m sure that if you had quit, Govenor Perry would appoint someone that would SUPPORT obammaocare. Duh. I wonder if this isn’t just Worldwide Wrestling. Kay is playing the victim so Rick can beat on her and then KBH drops out in the middle of Feb?
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Venting says:
Thank you for posting this Paul. Like my post said, it reminds me of a deadbeat parent who wants an award for paying child support, most of the time. She is a deadbeat senator, who is going to stay to vote even though it is not what SHE wants to do (and she continues to miss votes!). She has disappointed and let down her supporters, again. Perry 2010.
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Confused says:
There’s a logic disconnect here. Senator Hutchison keeps saying, “I am good at A (Senator), so I should get to do B (Governor).” If she is so good at being a Senator, should’t she just keep being one?
Her mantra is all about doing what is best for Texas, but it seems reasonable to conclude that the state best served by her remaining a Senator and Perry being Governor.
In essence, voters are now presented with two choices:
1. Gov. Perry and Sen. Hutchison
2. Gov. Hutchison and a freshman Senator
How can even her supporters argue that voters are more likely to choose #2 when Hutchison herself keeps stressing that it takes a Senator with her experience to be successful fighting Obama and the Democrats?
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Dallasite says:
Texas has the highest insurance rates in the country, high electricity rates, etc. and she runs an ad about fighting Obama? Is she running against Obama? This is a great illustration of how her campaign has never been about Texas. Please tell voters why she should be in the governors office! Who cares if she takes a personal political risk? Voters care about themselves not anyone’s political career.
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Briscoe Democrat Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Dallasite, if this race was between Barack Obama vs. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Obama would DESTROY her all over the place and use negative ads against her personal life, etc.,
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Altec says:
“And that’s why I’m staying in the Senate through the primary at risk to my political future.”
LOL!
Oh, thank you, thank you Kay! How very brave of you to risk your political future in order to do your job! We are not worthy–please let me tote your purse for you.
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Anonymous Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Altec, you owe me a keyboard. LMAO & spit Coke all over it!!!!!
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MysteriousTraveller says:
In the age of Sarah Palin not quitting is considered a virtue.
Hey Kay Bailey Hairdo, you were elected to do the people’s business not just to look after your political future.
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Buck says:
We had two senators run for president last year.
Neither felt compelled to explain why he stayed in the Senate.
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Anonymous Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Silly Buck, neither was challenging a sitting President in their own party. Instead, it was a lame duck session with not a whole lot going requiring their vote/fight. She, on the other hand, is abandoning Texas’ interests when all hell is breaking loose in D.C., to fight (I use that word VERY loosely) an incumbent governor of her own party at a time when her state is doing better than any other. And of course, she is doing so poorly that virtually everyone thinks she is hedging her bet and planning to drop this latest venture altogether. Oh yeah, and she did say repeatedly she would leave the senate before the end of the year to fight (hee hee) this governor. That’s why she is compelled to explain. duh. Now go fetch her purse and put the cosmetics in the fridge.
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it's a trap! says:
aaaaah. i’m cancelling cable
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Dukakis_in_a_Tank says:
How does she not stick the margin tax right in Perry’s eye? “First tax increase on business since” whenever. Say how high the unemployment rate is–highest Texas has seen since whenever. Make Perry waste money on explaining the nuances of the need for the margin tax and how Texas employment is in bad shape but better shape than other states. Put the toll road in there. Use the distinction that Cheney alludes to: talking conservative vs. being conservative. Would a conservative impose a tax on Texas businesses? Would a conservative take private property from farmers and give it to ta foreign corporation? Would a conservative advocate seceding from the United States when so many of our young Texans are fighting overseas with the stars and stripes on their sleeves?
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T says:
You’re right, Paul, Rick Perry knows how to play to the crazy people who make up the Republican primary. They are generally mad at the world. Rick knows how to stoke their anger, their fear. Kay’s more reasoned approach is futile with that group. A reelected Governor Perry is the best thing that could happen to Texas Democrats. By 2014 and beyond, his brand of politics will seem like an anachronism in Texas. It may still be more conservative, but it will be more like Kay’s.
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Briscoe Democrat says:
Burka, what Kay Bailey should have done is to discuss her plans to bring Texas to No. 1 in Education, health care reform (the right way), and build an economic boom to the state, but what did she do ?
She whined and whined, stick a fork in her SHE’S DONE and Perry is back because I know some TX Democrats who secretly want him to get reelected so that they can take back the governorship in 2014 if Dehwurst doesn’t run by then.
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The Freedom Doctor says:
I still don’t get why KBH started running in the first place. Is there big money behind her?
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Friday Observer says:
I always enjoy reading Briscoe Democrat’s nonsensical postings. He either 1) states the obvious 2) throws out some prediction from left field or 3) claims to have some secret knowledge of the internal workings of the Democratic party. (Do they even have internal workings?)
And he ALWAYS speaks with such certainty as he is SURE to capitalize AT LEAST one word in every post.
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anon says:
Paul -
I have an off the topic question I’m hoping you will give your opinion on. When Hobson switched and Boyd Rithcie was asked at a press conference if this doomed the Dems hopes of gaining a house majority, he shrug the question off and said that prior to the switch they only needed 2 seats and that they felt confident in a lot more challenges than that.
Well, according to Capitol Inside’s candidate list, which I will point out that it is not 100 percent accurate, currently there are only 3 announced Democrat challengers in the now 77 seats held by Republicans. And one of those 3 are in Swinford’s seat, which is not a realistic pick up opportunity. Compare the D’s 3 challengers to the 12 seats held by Dems that have at least 1 Republican challenger lined up and it is eye popping.
My question, Paul, is where are all these democrat candidates that Boyd Ritchie is so confident in? Do they exist? Or did Farabee, Hobson, and reality spoil the Democrats’ plan of protecting what they already have, flipping both Harper-Brown and Bohac, and coming back with 76 Ds?
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Briscoe Democrat Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Anon, I don’t see the Texas Democrats taking back the State House until at least 2012 when Obama is on the ballot again.
Assuming there’s a Senate race in ‘12 as well.
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anon Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Brisco -
On the surface you make an argument, but when you consider that a Republican controlled redistricting will happen between now and 2012, I don’t think even Obama and his tanking numbers will help Texas Democrats.
Consider that in this next redraw, Denton and Collin counties will pick up probably 3 seats between them. All three will be new Republican districts, and they will be coming from Dallas and Harris counties. True that under the current guidelines, you pretty much have to draw out anglo/republican districts in each county, but in both Dallas and Harris counties, there are plenty of democrats that represent anglo/republican districts. Cohen, Miklos, Vo, Kent…if they all survive re-elect, their next daunting tast will be to make sure that their districts stay in tack.
If the democrat party’s plan is to wait until ‘12, they will be one cycle too late. They better come up with something for ‘10, and with the filing period right around the corner, they better come up with a plan fast.
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Briscoe Democrat Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Anon, what happens IF Obama loses re-election in 2012, will his tanking poll numbers drag down every single Democrat in the down-ballot races across the country.
Harris County is slowly trending Democratic, but I have a feeling Adrian Garcia (D) might not get reelected Sheriff since some folks are pissed at him for getting demoted or losing their jobs.
I also here that if Annise Parker is elected Mayor, she plans to tell current Police Chief Harold Hurtt to pack his bags, no word how Gene Locke feels about this.
Michael Sullivan says:
I’m sure Sullivan and Parham have purchased their plane tickets for another infamous skull session at KBH’s kitchen table. She’s been running for 4+years and this is all we get? They aren’t going to kill her in the cradle, they are going to prop her up long enough for the slow, torturous death next March. You can tell she continues to run the show. It is sort of sad to watch, if it weren’t so delicious.
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Jamie says:
Weekend at Bernie’s. I like it.
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Venting Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Kay Bernie Hutchinson
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agreed says:
it’s like watching a fawn try to walk immediately after birth. the problem is that her campaign (i’ve heard rumors there IS one) has been built up for years. years! if she couldn’t lay any groundwork over the better part of this decade, what makes her think she can change anything in 3 months?
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Cow Droppings Fan Club President says:
I just saw the ad on my HDTV flat screen — not good. Time has not been kind to KBH, and her team did her a tremendous disservice by allowing this to air. I would like to say something clever and funny like Cow Droppings might have said, but the slow, painful and public death of a politician is never funny. It is, indeed, a tragedy that a slightly-less-than mediocre Senate career will be forgotten altogether and those few memories replaced by a memory similar to that of Joe Theisman’s leg being broken on Monday Night Football. You know, you pretend to cover your eyes and avoid watching the painful part, but all the while you are watching through the cracks in your fingers because you can’t believe what you just saw.
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Dallasite says:
One thing to keep in mind Perrry posters: It ain’t even Christmas yet. Remember when Clinton looked crazy to challenge Geo H W Bush? Things can change.
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Briscoe Democrat Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Dallasite, like Ann Richards who was POPULAR with a 70 percent approval rating in 1994 and still CHOKED to Bush Jr.,
KBH is heading into dangerous territory with her ME-ME statements.
This reminds me of Brett Favre pissing off everyone by flip-flopping whether to retire or not before the Packers finally had enough of his soap opera.
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bleck Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Dallasite, we are 16 weeks out. Comparing KBH to Clinton (either one) is like comparing 9 1/2 weeks to the blue dress. She is the Chris Simms of politics, looks great on paper- no heart, no delivery. She could have been a contender. She wouldn’t even make late night joke material.
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Boxer Shorts w/ Starch Reply:
November 21st, 2009 at 9:17 am
Hey Bleck maybe you should check counting skills?
Early voting starts 2/15/09 11 weeks away, with Thanksgiving week, Christmas week, New Years Week and National Champion week still to come. Tick tock your time is running out. If your team thinks this ad and the $ 1million spend this week on that message, (robo calls to every primary voter, radio on Talk and Christian radio and TV plus Fox News cable) is going to move voters your correct. Move them away from KBH to Perry. what a turnoff.
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Contrarian says:
Yeah, Perry’s probably gonna win the primary, but not before KBH unloads $15 million of attack TV on him.
And Farouk – he’ll spend $10 mil dumping all over Perry. After all, McClung’s gotta get paid.
The result? You’ll have an incumbent Governor badly damaged going into the general election. His poll numbers with moderates, independents and conservative D’s may be in the cellar.
The GOP base gets you the nomination, but it does not win a general election. The overall electorate does not want the same man as Governor for 14 years.
Are you listening Bill White?
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Anonymous says:
So the question that’s begging to be answered — who’s calling the shots in this campaign, KBH? Ray? Or are her consultants really this bad?
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Sidewinder says:
Hans, Keats, and Sullivan have run a miserable campaign. Wiley was right to jump when he did. This campaign is a disaster. The lobby has been talking about this for a little while, but the heat just jumped about 50 degrees after seeing these two ads. The only question now is does Kay run an ad to talk about her decision not to run in the primary.
There’s no way she files for election given what’s happened. She doesn’t have time to turn this thing around, espeically given the incompetence of her staff. Heck, even Karen Hughes hasn’t added a thing to this effort. A miserable ad and she’s supposed to have one of the world’s best message people by her side in Hughes?
This is pathetic. I can’t believe my PAC donated to this effort. Good thing we donated to Perry also.
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Lobby Watcher Reply:
November 21st, 2009 at 9:20 am
Hey Sidewinder, hope your group did not endorse KBH! Oh wait no one from TX has endorse KBH never mind. This ad should be listed as the number one suicide ad ever run by a statewide candidate period.
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Anonymous says:
To anonymous who said “at a time when her state is doing better than any other”:
Did you know that Texas has a higher unemployment rate than Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas or New Mexico?
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Lobby Watcher Reply:
November 21st, 2009 at 9:23 am
Hey Ray Hutchison (anon. 10:53), We all know Johnny Walker is a good friend but regardless, TX created more jobs last month (Oct.09) over 40K then any other state in the nation. How’s the bond business? Better get those deals signed soon.
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Anonymous Reply:
November 22nd, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Things are so great that our high unemployment numbers are a good thing, is that what you’re saying? I’m doing soooooo goooooood that everybody wants to come here so they can add to the unemployment rate!
Yea! That’s it!
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Anonymous says:
well, golly gee. Do they have thousands moving there every month? Cause we’re sure not hearing about it. I can’t imagine folks rushing to New Mexico unless they can afford to retire in the resort area. Never met anyone who lived there who didn’t gripe about the government there. I know their teachers sure make less and that’s in the few urban areas. Louisiana? Arkansas? I know lots of folks who have moved here from there, but do not know anyone moving there. If the case is to be made that these states are doing better than Texas, how come the WSJ isn’t writing about it? Are businesses rushing to these states? I mean really, do tell us.
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David Siegel Reply:
November 21st, 2009 at 9:25 am
Only 20% of Texas’ population growth this decade is due to people moving here from other states. Most of it is because of our young population — lots of babies, not that many people dying.
But if we don’t take care of these kids (educate them, keep them healthy), Texas won’t be looking so attractive soon.
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Anonymous says:
Anybody see Ms. Milquetoast on Meet the Press?? If you’re gonna just repeat Republican talking points and try to play to the Texas wingnut base, why not go ahead and call for Geithner’s resignation or firing?? She looked mindless and spineless as usual.
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salting her own wounds says:
right about now, I bet the Hutchison campaign staff is realizing that debate season is coming up. they already know that whenever she opens her mouth on TV she loses votes. with comments like her one on Meet the Press where she admitted that she should be fired for fiscal irresponsibility…or the one on Maher where she didn’t know who was a better president (bush vs clinton)…debate season will see her poll numbers cut in half. she should think twice about filing.
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west-texan says:
NOT voting against the Obama/Pelousy/Reid trillion $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ boondoggle would be political suicide.
This is very important subject matter.
If she does not vote against Obama and his socialism…then Kay might as well have complete failure tattooed across her forehead.
>>>>>>>>>> Kay gains votes by voting against Obama.
Are you aware that a recent Gallup Poll says conservatives outnumber liberals in 47 of 50 states?
http://www.gallup.com/poll/122333/Political-Ideology-Conservative-Label-Prevails-South.aspx#1
Have you read the poll that shows more voters trust Republicans than Democrats?
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/trust_on_issues
Have you read the poll where most voters want less government and lower taxes?
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/america_s_best_days
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