CAMBRIDGE, Md.—While trying to ignore the CNN broadcast in my hotel,* I noticed some melancholy piano music and a lengthier-than-usual monologue. Turned out I was seeing the latest ad from Americans for Prosperity, the Tea Party goliath chaired by David Koch.
It’s a perfect “educational” ad: Viewers are told that Barack Obama lied to them, and that Obamacare is basically murdering this nice woman, but they aren’t told to vote for anyone in particular. They’ll see this ad in swing states (AFP has outspent Democrats in competitive states so far in this cycle), and make up their minds about which party to support. It’s much, much smarter than the Solyndra ads that AFP blanketed cable and swing states with in 2012—after the election, Democrats cited this as an obvious-to-them waste of money that conflicted with the main Republican message.
*Cambridge isn’t that far from D.C., but far enough to slow this blog down a little today.
