Dole Campaign Press Release - Press Release on Campaign, California TV Advertising

There have been several stories in the past few days regarding Senator Dole's commitment to California.

The Associated Press reported that money for an ad blitz "will be squeezed out of Dole's already modest advertising budget in California." And that this week's media plan would be "about half the levels" of last week.

The L.A. Times last Friday report with regard to this week: "The ad purchase in California will be cut by about half relative to previous weeks,..."

The San Diego Union Tribune reported last Saturday: "Our of roughly $ 2.5 million spent on advertising last week, only about $ 300,000 dollars was earn market for California." It further stated that the media buy was extended to California" although at a fairly low spending level." And that, further, "the campaign decided to siphon ad money from California to pay for more aggressive advertising elsewhere."

Each of these statements is categorically wrong.

The media plan for this week was not cut in half its spending was increased by 21 percent over last week. We are in more markets, not fewer. We are in dozen of cable system; our national media buy is very large. Given the markets we are in, the buy has never been "modest".

Last week's media buy was not "about $ 300,000." That figure is not even close, and whoever provided it doesn't know what he/she is talking about. Moreover, several reporters have relied upon such information from sources in the Clinton/Gore campaign. That information has been repeatedly wrong.

Television advertising levels are public information. Reporters can check station logs throughout California. They can check all the cable systems. And they can check each national network (not just major networks) for our national buys.

Some of you are being lie to and the resulting false and misleading reportage makes sense only if one concludes that media outlets willingly wish to be used to further personal agendas that are not the are not the agendas of the Dole-Kemp campaign.

I am writing this memorandum because, frankly, I have no obligation to answer inquiries fueled by deceit. Senator Dole campaigns in California again tomorrow and Wednesday. Our California media budget has grown and is very large in each market. Jack Kemp is planning an extended visit shortly. We have the largest state organization with full operational support.

It seems that I can no longer convince those of you who have embraced the creation of a self-fulfiling prophecy that California will not be contested. Thus, I will no longer provide information with regard to our media buys.

I will continue to be forthcoming on all other aspects of our campaign.