U.S. Chamber’s new TV ads burnish Doherty, ignore Cicilline
May 10th, 2012 at 1:17 pm by Ted Nesi under Nesi's Notes, On the Main Site
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched what’s it’s calling “an advertising blitz in Rhode Island” on Thursday morning with a new television ad campaign burnishing Republican Brendan Doherty’s credentials on the economy.
“Doherty has demonstrated that he understands free enterprise, not bigger government, is going to drive the economic recovery in Rhode Island and across the country,” Rob Engstrom, the U.S. Chamber’s senior vice president and national political director, said in a statement. You can watch the TV ad here.
The U.S. Chamber’s strategy in Rhode Island’s 1st District is an interesting one. Many of its new ads this month are negative spots targeting incumbents – but here in Rhode Island, the Chamber is running a positive message promoting Doherty that never mentions Cicilline. That may be a sign Doherty needs introducing – he hasn’t run any ads yet – or that Cicilline is already damaged enough.
“As both a mayor and now as a member of the Small Business Committee in Congress, David has been a strong fighter for jobs and an advocate for Rhode Island’s small business community,” Eric Hyers, Cicilline’s campaign manager, said Wednesday.
Hyers also noted – accurately – that the U.S. Chamber does not speak for its local affiliates such as the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. Sometimes their views diverge markedly, as when Jack McConnell was up for a federal judgeship and the local Chambers didn’t endorse the national group’s attacks on him.
(screen grab: U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
Tags: 1st Congressional District, brendan doherty, campaign 2012, david cicilline, greater providence chamber of commerce, u.s. chamber of commerce
Nesi's Notes covers politics and the economy in and around Rhode Island for WPRI.com. (Twitter: 
[...] US Chamber of Commerce is up on local television (h/t Ted Nesi) with a commercial making the case for Republican Brendan Doherty in the First Congressional [...]
When Col Doherty first announced his intention to run for congress I thought what a welcome change to the political climate in this state. The more I read about the Col. the less I believe this is true. In a time when so many people are being asked to take pension cuts, salary and benefit cuts, if you are lucky enough to even have a job, here is a man with a 6 figure pension and benefits that cost the state a small fortune looking for another 6 figure job that will afford him another 6 figure pension should he serve long enough. Though his economic plans are quiet at this time he has expressed a desire to trim social security and medicare benefits for those of us who have worked decades and are forced to live yearly on less than he makes in a month. A true man of integrity leads by example not by rhetoric. How about cutting your pension and benefit package Col. After reading of his campaign pledges from the RI political establishment I now believe that he is not worthy of my vote. I actually thought you were a compassionate man of integrity, but now I think your position of authority has gone to your head. The I am worth my compensation camp but everyone else needs to take a cut.
flhden,
In these hard times, I know it is on everyone’s mind to spread the pain. I have no idea how Col Doherty would instruct the pension board to lessen his pension paycheck. I speak as someone who had his own private sector pension cut by 30% in a cash balance conversion in the 1990′s, so I speak from experience.
I do know that when he went back into public service after retiring from the state police, he did not leverage that extra time on payroll to uplift his pension, even though he could have. That was by choice and is in the public record. You might give him some credit for not exploiting that situation. Many have.
The man does have the integrity we need in public office.
Gary,
I applaud your loyalty, but I do wonder if you have a personal interest or affiliation in Mr. Doherty. To me your statement is like the thief who robs people of all their belongings but does not take their watches so they will not be late for work and thinks he is moral.
“Mr. Gemma’s comments are an insult to countless hard working people throughout Rhode Island who have committed themselves to public service. To dismiss public service as living “in a bubble” and clueless about the challenges facing our state is demeaning to the police and firefighters of Providence, who have had to accept financial concessions as a result of the city’s overwhelming fiscal crisis, the retired workers in Central Falls, whose penions have been slashed and the Providence teachers who received termination notices last year. The attitude completely ignore the impact of Rhode Island’s fiscal crisis on these working families.”
The above quote is a Doherty camp reply to Mr. Gemmas comment of him living in a bubble. Although I agree 100% with the quote I fail to see how Mr. Doherty falls into this category. What has he given up?
As you can see I am still totally disappointed in this field of candidates. At first I thought the colonel would be a clear choice but not any more. His idea of entitlement only seems to apply to himself. Another 5000.00 contribution from a convicted coin stealing felon, though returned has me wondering. How about him currently pursuing a Master of Science Degree in Leadership at Roger Williams University. Although I can not say but I would love to know who is footing this bill as well as his past degrees from Anne marie college.
I do have to apologize about the”convicted coin felon” comment. After further research I see where he has not been found guilty of anything so this could be a moot point.
flden,
Since you imply I have some interest for personal gain, I don’t (retired since 2007 and happy to be here).
I am in support of those who show integrity in public service.
RI is a great state worth saving. The fact that more than 50% of the population lives in municipalities close to financial ruin, and a protracted flu like economy will drive us all down, is reason enough to fight for our great state with no personal gain.
Cicilline you should not even run.
Brendan Doherty is inept and David Ciccilline is a criminal, some choice Rhode Islanders have for congress.
Ed:
Inept because ???? He’s not a professional BS artist who can talk people in circles? He’s a good man. Perhaps if we had more good people in Congress and fewer “experts” we’d be better off?.
A few weeks ago and he had no clue about the issues that were being discussed. This was on WPPI. You might want to go back and watch what he said. That is why I call inept about the issues. He is a professional BS artist who are you kidding? He is just a little more ethical than Ciccilline.
[...] you see the US Chamber of Commerce’s TV ad for Brendan Doherty? You can watch it here, if you’re into that kinda [...]
I would rather see Doherty get the “on the job” training in the senate than see another thief and liar like Cicilline in there. I also prefere Doherty to the professional manipulator Gemma.
[...] received other support from Washington this week, however, as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched a television ad campaign on his behalf. The organization isn’t disclosing how much it spent in Rhode Island. Tags: 1st [...]