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An Ad That Looks Like News

Senate

NEWARK, N.J. (AllPolitics, Oct. 9) -- In a ruse designed to fool casual viewers, Rep. Dick Zimmer (R-N.J.) has unveiled a tough, new campaign attack ad designed to look like a TV news broadcast.

The TV spot summarizes a series of controversies involving Zimmer's Democratic rival, Rep. Robert Torricelli. But what makes the spot unusual is that it uses an actress portraying a news anchor and sports the words "Breaking News" crawling across the bottom of the screen. It also includes the words "Torricelli Scandal" and a mug shot-like photo.

The ad looks so much like a regular news broadcast that WCBS-TV in New York decided to air it only after adding its own disclaimer.

Josh Isay, a spokesman for the Torricelli campaign, told The New York Times it was an attempt to get news organizations to rehash old issues reported in the ad. "It's a media ruse," Isay told the Times.

The ad blasts Torricelli for being involved with a Korean bank embezzler, although Torricelli has said he did nothing wrong when he helped arrange private schooling for the man's daughter.

The spot also says Torricelli was a keynote speaker at an event sponsored by an Islamic terrorist group. Torricelli delivered a 1993 talk to an American Muslim conference sponsored by a group that federal officials say has ties to the Islamic group Hamas, but says he would not have gone had he known.

Zimmer and Torricelli are battling for the seat held by retiring U.S. Sen Bill Bradley (D-N.J.). The harsh Senate campaign has drawn criticism from the Black Ministers Council of New Jersey, which has urged the two to stop the attacks and talk more about the issues.


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