The Trail : A blog on the 2006 Alaska governor's race by Kyle Hopkins : Media services

Media services

Posted by thetrail

Posted: October 11, 2006 - 7:27 pm

The Palin campaign is criticizing Knowles on his latest campaign disclosure report this week, asking why Knowles spent more than $336,000 on “media services” with an East Coast company rather than keeping the money in state.

“Not only is the message coming from D.C., OK, the message being crafted for Alaska, but the money’s going to D.C.,” said Palin spokesman Curtis Smith.

Knowles campaign manager, Leslie Ridle, said the question of who makes the campaign’s commercials is a non-issue.

“People don’t make their decision on the future of Alaska based on who our ad company is,” she said.

What exactly does the company do for the campaign? Ridle said they help film the ads and place them on TV stations. “They technically do the creation of the ad, but with 100 percent input from the candidate.”

The firm is called Squier Knapp Dunn. It’s Web site says it worked for the last three Democratic presidential candidates.

One more blog item coming tonight. I'm feeling guilty about missing the health care debate right now.

8 October 20, 2006 - 5:49am | turdball

Endowment to the Bush Company???????

He gives AK $$$$ to friends and BUSH Co. ???
Is it true he awarded a no bid contract to his friend at Cambridge Energy????? Some professor from Berkley thinks so. It happened in September 2000.

September 1999 in a speech to the Resource Development Council and the Alaska Chamber, Tony did not mention a NATURAL GAS PIPELINE.

"The expanded corporate commitment from BP we seek includes: Increased Alaska hire and use of Alaska businesses; Fulfillment of Arco's plans to build new "Millennium-class," double-hulled tankers; Assessment and clean up of all contaminated sites on the North Slope; A substantial educational endowment to the University of Alaska for the technical training of young Alaskans and to build on the state's internationally known expertise in Arctic environmental engineering.
In the paper a couple of days ago a New York oil analyst questioned my manners and said this endowment idea was about as good as giving an endowment to the Bush Company. I want to assure you that's on the table."

DID HE SAY HE WAS GIVING MONEY TO THE BUSH COMPANY. TELL ME I READ IT WRONG????????????

WAS IT A JOKE?????????LOOK FOR YOURSELF. Its online...........

flag this »

7 October 13, 2006 - 9:42pm | alaskastraightalker

Palin is a teapot calling the kettle black

It fascinating that Palin is concerned about some Knowles media production. Where was she when Outside money from corrupt sources like Jack Abramoff and Ralph Reed was contributed to the Republican Governors Association? Where was she when, with her full knowledge, the RGA produced negative attack ads on her behalf?

That was a DC message paid with money which never left DC. Perhaps Palin should clean up her own house first before attacking others.

October 14, 2006 - 6:14pm | rfn

And where was

Where was Tony when Ted Kennedy was swimming the channel?

Unrelated?

OF COURSE.

But precisely as germane a question as yours.

Nice try.

October 15, 2006 - 8:39am | AlaskaSportsFan

Where was Tony?

RFN,

That's a great question. I checked Mr. Knowles' bio and it looks like he would have been working on the slope in 1969 when Senator Kennedy was 'swimming the channel'. It looks like he was back from serving in Vietnam and was then a roughneck slinging chain. Not quite Ted Kennedy.

October 17, 2006 - 9:49am | rfn

this time for comprehension

Please re-read, this time for comprehension.

Doesn't matter whether Tony was even born at the time. The validity of the Kennedy question was exactly as valid as was the Palin question.

Which is to say, BOTH questions have no bearing. Only one question...the first one...pretended to have any.

October 18, 2006 - 12:03am | truthseeker

I think you might be wrong there.....

rfn. Tony has hired tom kiley to do his polling for him (the source of those ugly push polls?) He ran ted kennedy's campaigns for many years and then kerry's for president. He is a true believer, including the democratic party's position against anwr. Tony has ted's people right in the middle of his campaign.

doesn't have anything to do with swimming in the river, but has lots to do with our economic future.

October 18, 2006 - 10:01pm | justintime

Stop lying.

Seriously. Kiley did not run Kerry's campaign. He is a pollster. One of the best really.

Stop with the ANWR crap. Rs have had the "stars alligned" for 6 years and nothing. Guess what. I am about to say something that people do not dare to say in Alaska. It will NEVER BE OPEN. Doesn't matter who is in the white house, who is on the 3rd floor in Juneau, and who is in charge of Congress. IT IS NEVER GOING TO OPEN. I frankly wish it would....sick of the freaking debate.

October 18, 2006 - 9:15am | rkniaziowski

So?

Is Kiley volunteering his time or is he being paid? You say he is a true believer and yet four days ago you had to look him up on the internet to find out who he was. Sounds like he is a hired gun to me. A true believer would be Leslie - doing all this for very little money.

You keep bringing up ANWR and how it's the D's that have stopped it all these many years. And I have always supported opening ANWR - before you label me as an extremist of any kind. Granted, opposing ANWR became a D's mantra (anywhere but Alaska). The Rs had strong majorities in both houses and the White House and couldn't pass it. Why? Because you had many R's that had to oppose it to keep their own citizens happy back home. And now the pendulum swings the other way. D's might take over the Senate and pick up a few seats in the house. President will go into his last two years without the ability to move a lot of legislation. How is ANWR going to happen now?

Not sure why I keep blogging here. I say I'm just going to read through and move on. And then I find these glaring lies and/or spins and can't leave them alone.

I was leaning to Halcro but he doesn't look to be gaining. Sarah is just out of the question for me. Guess that leaves Tony as the only logical choice.

6 October 12, 2006 - 5:34pm | Beachwriter

Halcro's I want a Governor adds...

that were produced here in Alaska make the others look pale in comparison. I haven't seen the Knowles commercial with the union guy, but I thought the poker add was cheesy. It probably cost five times more as well.

5 October 12, 2006 - 9:08am | quixoticneophyte

Ads probably weren't worth all that money anyway

I actually wasn't that impressed with the Knowles ads.

The second one (the one with the Union Yes guy) was pretty good, but quite standard. Anyone should be able to do that.

The chips one... I'm not sure really where to begin. It just seemed weird. I understand their message - Sarah has no experience, so trusting her is a risk, just like gambling is a risk - but I just never made the connection between voting and gambling. Gambling just seems to far off, too distant, too I don't know, too Outsiderish, too Las Vegas-ish, too non-Alaskan. It just didn't connect.

The kiss at the end was a clever touch though. And the guy looked like Josh Turner at first glance.

Maybe it's just me, but I would think that people would connect better with candidates working to load up their all-Alaskan airplane than some random couple gambling.

But I guess that's what you get when you hire Outsiders.

4 October 12, 2006 - 8:14am | truthseeker

Who is Tom Kiley?

Its not just any old outside firm. I saw that one of the pollsters/advisors involved was tom kiley. Looked him up on the internet and he he ran ted kennedy's campaigns for many years and also was a key advisor on john kerry's failed run for president.

Why would tony so closely associate himself with people who have been alaska's biggest enemies on ANWR and a host of other issues? The tone of the campaign is also east coast negative more suited to someplace like New Jersey.

3 October 11, 2006 - 9:50pm | leslie

When Your Candidate Can't Answer Questions

Throw up a smokescreen. Curtis hopes we won't remember his candidate doesn't have a plan for getting the pipeline if he throws out a claim about our TV ads. Not one person calls our campaign to ask who creates our ads. Not one.
But, people call every day to ask about education, the pipeline, healthcare and more.
Never forget--voters can see through smokescreens--no matter how glibly they're thrown out there.

October 12, 2006 - 4:04am | sue_wright

This is your job.

After looking at the APOC reports. Mr. Knowles has spent much more thatn $336,000.00 to a DC firm. Its close to $1,000.000.00 give or take. Thats alot of money, JOBS FOR ALASKANS, and messages from DC. Taking a look at the payroll, looks like he also has a solid number of people getting paid to defend his positions. Gosh, I get up early and stay up late to have this kind of fun. And I do it for nothing.

It is time for a change in Alaska, a governor who is accessible, LISTENS to constituents, and has an open door policy. Mr Knowles has had his chance.

A pipeline could have been built, and he had many many very talented people surrounding him that were and still are admired. Their talent was harnessed in the wrong direction. Alaska needs a governor with vision. Not one that is working with hindsight. Sarah is the logical choice.

October 13, 2006 - 9:31pm | alaskastraightalker

Palin's Cronies

Thanks for admitting that Knowles had many talented people working for him.

On the other hand, Palin has given an indication of the "talent" that she will hire. She has lobbysts like Paul Fuhs and Rick "I sold Veco a hunting lodge" Halford, and John Bitney as her main campaign confidants. Robin Taylor, who has failed in his political manipulatin of the ferry system, claims Palin has offered to keep him in that job. That's talent.

You can also look at her record as mayor, technically a nonpartisan job. She hired a public works director with no engineering expereince or relevant job qualifications- other than she was a good Republican. She fired the longtime city attorney, and hired a Republican party attorney for the job. That's talent.

Her record speaks volumes about the talent that she'll bring to state government. So does Knowles' record. Thanks for the reminder.

October 12, 2006 - 7:07pm | AlaskaSportsFan

Fuzzy Math

Ms. Wright,

As I'm trying to decide for whom I should cast my vote for governor I've looked at the candidates' APOC reports. If memory serves Mr. Knowles hasn't even raised $1,000,000.00 - he's somewhere over $900,000.00. Your perhaps valid point is lost when you lie in an attempt to make it.

More and more it seems that both Ms. Palin and her supporters will lie to win or make a point.

Very sad.

October 13, 2006 - 4:49am | sue_wright

I really made a mistake and admit it.

Boy are you right on the math. Well I did more figuring. Tony has not raised more than a million. But when you pointed out my error, I went back to double check.

He has not raised more than $1,000,000.00. It was $868,000.00.

Of that $868,000.00 he donated $5,000.00 to the Federal Democratic party ( will it help Hillary or help stop ANWR?????)

He spent $336,000.00 on DC advertising or production of ads.

He paid a Boston Company $30,000.00 for research.

And paid a no name company in Davis California as a "calling service".

He bought another $5,000.00 in software from a DC Company.

So I did some further math, and this time I think I did it right but you double check.

Nearly 43% of total money raised during this campaign has gone straight outside.

Now I remember reading somewhere that a dollar spent in Alaska turns over 7-10 times before it heads south. So I could argue Tony deprived the Alaskan ecomony of a 2-3 million push by choosing to spend campaign dollars outside.

A better argument might be that he should have supported Alaskans.

So yes you were right about the actual amount, and I admit I was wrong.

I am glad you sent me back to the APOC reports to remind me. I might look at past campaigns.

And now those are the facts.

October 13, 2006 - 3:38am | sue_wright

One dollar is one dollar to much

I may be mistaken and to show you I make mistakes I will go back and add it up. Sorry. Even nearly a third of a million is about 336,000 to much. It could be spent right here in Alaska.

October 14, 2006 - 12:42pm | AlaskaSportsFan

Viability

First, when there's 'too much' of something we use two o's - not one. We don't want people to think your spelling is as bad as your math!

While I don't know this for sure, I assume there are no strong campaign media companies in Alaska who help Democrats. It doesn't seem right a campaign should be penalized with an inferior product just because their message isn't one shared by local media folks.

I've lived here my entire life and always buy Alaskan...unless doing so would mean buying a totally inferior product.

Of course if you really only use Alaska companies you probably should blog on this California company's blog....

October 12, 2006 - 12:55am | disenchanted01

Now that you mention it..

Why didn't the Knowles campaign hire a media specialist/film maker in state? There are numerous reputable and talented production companies in Alaska. If our Alaskan gubernatorial candidates cannot support local business why would we want that person as governor? Outside that elitist society of politics is a whole lot of Alaskans struggling to get by on wages that don't quite cover the increasingly high cost of living in Alaska. These candidates are spending more money on signs than most people make in a year. Thursday night in Wasilla they will try to convince us we need to build a $350 Million prison. Poverty and crime go together, which one of these gubernatorial candidates understands that? The Corrections business is so big its important to know who prison guards endorse as a candidate. Knowles didn't support Alaska business in his campaign, Palin didn't stop outside interests from buying in until after she was called on it. Where's the integrity? The excuses are starting to sound like, excuses.

October 12, 2006 - 10:48am | bmcdaniel9

Union work

I like the fact that Dem candidates use union labor for their campaign products. Here in Alaska, I wonder where they find the union shops to produce them.

I'm not a member of any union but I do credit unions for setting the American labor standards for the 40-hour workweek, overtime pay, vacation time, medical/life insurance, retirement, and giving rise to the American middle class.

2 October 11, 2006 - 8:11pm | arajack

Get real

I have been in a resale/repair/ distributor business for years. To stay in business I have to be very competitive, which means much of my goods come from "outside" firms and factories. When I can, and it is available, I purchase local. I lose a lot of sales from the internet, etc. I realize that my custormers are also trying to get best value and cost, I can't blame and there is no benefit to sit and complain. The state and local governments do the same. The very printer that Palin's people cried about probably came from a big national chain store. is this the type of governor-ship we might have to deal with? I become more disappointed every day, Mr. Smith.!!

October 13, 2006 - 4:37am | sue_wright

When you can you do

Good for you. The issue is that when you can buy local you do buy local.

Mr. Knowles could have bought local. $336,000 is over 1/3 of the $868.000 he has raised. It went straight outside. Period. A dollar spent in Alaska turns over several times before it gets to the "outside food chain" He missed his chance.

Also where did the $5,000.00 donation go to the Federal Democratic party. To re elect Hillary?? To stop ANWR. Some poor choices there

$30,000 to a Boston Company for research. Gosh we have companies and people who do that right here in Alaska. What a novel idea. Buy Alaskan. HMMMM.

And what is the CALLING SERVICE in Davis California???? On Knowles APOC there is no business name. Have to ask about it. Perhaps they will answer here. So of the nearly $900,000.00 some
$374,000.00 has gone right outside Alaska.

Thats %43 of money raised for the Alaska Democratic Governors Campaign reportable to APOC has benefited people in DC, Boston and California.

Now thats supporting Alaskans.

1 October 11, 2006 - 8:08pm | ilovelucy

Palin's a Hypocrite

It's hypocritical of Palin to criticize Knowles for his ads, when she has the Washington DC based Republican Governor's Association spending over $200,000 on ads for her campaign.

If she were truly ethical she wouldn't have let them film her for the spots in the first place, and she wouldn't have lied about knowing what they were doing in the second.

The RGA was used as a money laundering conduit for the DeLay-Abramoff money, stolen from an unwitting Indian Tribe.
She's as much a part of the Republican corruption culture as any of them.

Knowles simply hired a company, and reported his expenditures like he was supposed to. He didn't throw in with the bad guys like Palin was only too happy to do.

She's getting petty - maybe because she's tubing.

October 13, 2006 - 4:39am | sue_wright

Do you really want to look at outside money last campaign??

I havent even looked at the past Knowles APOC reports for previous campaigns, but if I remember right there was lots of outside money involved.

Really want to go there????

October 13, 2006 - 9:34pm | alaskastraightalker

Let's look at your boss

Why don't you examine where your boss got money to run for the legislature? I wonder if there was any outside money there.

Also, can you tell us if you ever shop or vacation out of state, putting your money where your mouth is?

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