Spanish Language Campaign Ads

(Let’s listen first to this new Obama ad.) [Clip of Obama ad.] (What is the message you’re getting from that ad?) The ad is about the economy and taxes, and it says McCain wants to give tax cuts to large corporations and he has no health plan, and it’ll be more money in the pockets of the health insurance companies. It’s also playing with the idea that the Republicans are hiding something and playing to the mistrust of Latinos towards Republicans. This ad is focusing more on these two issues than generally the economy or, we’re going to do better for you. They’re focusing on taxes and health care because these are big issues of Latinos. (Now let’s listen to McCain’s ad. [Clip.] What’s the message here?) The big focus of the McCain campaign has been Latinos and small businesses, he doesn’t talk much to Latino workers. He knows Latinos have a lot of small businesses. He’s talking about how Obama is going to raise taxes for these small businesses. (What are the differences between English language ads and Spanish language ads?) A lot of the ads in Spanish have to do with immigration. In previous campaigns we have seen how immigration is used in negative ways to attract conservative voters. Now it’s being used in Spanish language campaigns and who will get immigration reform faster. You won’t hear that in English. (Are Latinos buying that?) Latinos are convinced they’ll be better off with the Democrats and that’s part of the problem McCain has even though he has a decent record on immigration.