Pennsylvania Politics: Why is Bob Casey Smiling?
Susan Cirba
August 08, 2005
I wonder how much cash is in the Casey for Senate bank account right now? He must have plenty because it looks as though he’s got a whopping bill coming from the Scranton Times. h, you say Bob Casey Jr. did not PAY to have his name appear in dozens of Scranton Times - Scranton Tribune newspaper ads, television ads, and ads plastered on the side of Lackawanna County Colts Buses? Then how did they get there?
The Scranton Times and Scranton Tribune (the evening and morning papers respectively) recently merged into a single paper; the Times-Tribune. In promoting their new paper, someone no doubt friendly to U.S. Senatorial candidate Bob Casey Jr., decided to promote Casey as well.
The ad graphics include samples of the Health, Classified, Sports, Lifestyles, and Business pages with the front page on top. What a coincidence! The front page just happens to have a headline which reads “Casey to run for Senate”, with Bobby Jr.’s smiling face on front. And why shouldn’t he be smiling? Look at all the free advertising he’s gotten from his friends at the Scranton Times! Times advertisers were even nice enough to remind voters of the Terri Schiavo case, an issue Democrats believe will hurt his opponent U.S. Senator Rick Santorum in the upcoming election.
The interesting thing about that front page headline,it never existed except on the pages of these ads. Casey announced his candidacy on March 3rd or 4th. The March 4 Times story featured in the mock-up ad originally had the headline “Casey at Bat”. The Saturday paper’s headline read “Casey In, Hafer Out” And the Terri Schiavo article did not appear that same weekend, but after Easter which would have been March 26th or 27th.
Times-Tribune “Better Together” ads have been running in the Times and Tribune daily during the months of June and July. The dollar value of this Casey promotion can only be guessed at, but I’d say a least million dollars. After the Times and Tribune merged the Times-Tribune continued with another Casey promo in their “new” paper. The second Times ad focused on food, columnists, cartoons and Surprise! under the “Better Together” ad text is a copy of the mocked-up “Casey to run for Senate” paper. In addition to more than 60 days of free newspaper advertising add the cost of a least five billboards, numerous television spots and bus ads.
I don’t know much about campaign finance laws but I understand politicians. If Casey won’t be paying for these ads with cash, I believe he’ll be paying for them with political favors.
The Scranton Times and Scranton Tribune (the evening and morning papers respectively) recently merged into a single paper; the Times-Tribune. In promoting their new paper, someone no doubt friendly to U.S. Senatorial candidate Bob Casey Jr., decided to promote Casey as well.
The ad graphics include samples of the Health, Classified, Sports, Lifestyles, and Business pages with the front page on top. What a coincidence! The front page just happens to have a headline which reads “Casey to run for Senate”, with Bobby Jr.’s smiling face on front. And why shouldn’t he be smiling? Look at all the free advertising he’s gotten from his friends at the Scranton Times! Times advertisers were even nice enough to remind voters of the Terri Schiavo case, an issue Democrats believe will hurt his opponent U.S. Senator Rick Santorum in the upcoming election.
The interesting thing about that front page headline,it never existed except on the pages of these ads. Casey announced his candidacy on March 3rd or 4th. The March 4 Times story featured in the mock-up ad originally had the headline “Casey at Bat”. The Saturday paper’s headline read “Casey In, Hafer Out” And the Terri Schiavo article did not appear that same weekend, but after Easter which would have been March 26th or 27th.
Times-Tribune “Better Together” ads have been running in the Times and Tribune daily during the months of June and July. The dollar value of this Casey promotion can only be guessed at, but I’d say a least million dollars. After the Times and Tribune merged the Times-Tribune continued with another Casey promo in their “new” paper. The second Times ad focused on food, columnists, cartoons and Surprise! under the “Better Together” ad text is a copy of the mocked-up “Casey to run for Senate” paper. In addition to more than 60 days of free newspaper advertising add the cost of a least five billboards, numerous television spots and bus ads.
I don’t know much about campaign finance laws but I understand politicians. If Casey won’t be paying for these ads with cash, I believe he’ll be paying for them with political favors.
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