Ad campaign aims to keep lawmakers backing war

WASHINGTON - A group led by a former Bush White House staff member is starting a $15 million advertising campaign that will attempt to shore up support for the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ads will air in Minnesota markets with the aim of putting pressure on lawmakers to continue their support of the war in Iraq.

The ads, which began running Wednesday in 20 states and more than a dozen congressional districts, are sponsored by a new group, Freedom's Watch. They end by providing a toll-free number for viewers to call their representatives and urge them to support the war and its funding.

The ad campaign in the Twin Cities market will cost about $220,000, according to an anti-war group, Americans United for Change, which claims to have obtained details of the campaign plan.

The group says the ads zero in on members of Congress, mostly Republicans, who have come under public criticism for their support of the war and could now be wavering.

Brad Blakeman, president of Freedom's Watch and former director of scheduling for President Bush, said his organization would not confirm the markets where it has purchased ads.

"This ad campaign is to let people know that there's another voice out there," Blakeman said in a phone interview Wednesday. "We believe the message will resonate with American people that surrendering is not an option."

Published reports state the ads are meant to influence members such as Minnesota Republicans Sen. Norm Coleman, Reps. Michele Bachmann and Jim Ramstad. Blakeman would not confirm or deny those accounts.

Ads: It's no time for politics

The four spots feature injured Iraq war veterans and wives of soldiers killed in action who say members of Congress changing a vote for "political reasons" is "unthinkable."

In one of the most touching spots, an Iraq war veteran speaks to the camera and is seen walking on artificial legs.

"Congress was right to vote to fight terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan," the veteran says in the ad. "I reenlisted after Sept. 11 because I don't want my sons to see what I saw. I want them to be free and safe. I know what I lost. I also know that if we pull out now, everything I've given and the sacrifices will mean nothing. They attacked us, and they will again. They won't stop in Iraq. We are winning on the ground and making real progress. It's no time to quit. It's no time for politics."

The ads come as Congress prepares to hear a progress report about the war from Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker.

In a statement responding to the ads, Coleman said: "We all share the goal of getting our troops out of harm's way as soon as possible. But our approach must guarantee the safety of our troops and the security of our nation. No matter what your opinion of this war, we must defend against terror, defeat Al-Qaida, and never lose sight of the sacrifice of our neighbors and friends who are currently deployed or are in the process of returning home."

Coleman has already been the target of several ad campaigns about the Iraq war. Americans United for Change showcased the ties between the first-term senator and Bush in a campaign that reportedly cost more than $100,000. Vets for Freedom, based in Washington, ran a spot that thanked Coleman for his support of the war.

Bachmann has also caught the attention of Americans United for Change. A new ad decries her support of the war using much of the same footage as the ad against Coleman -- burning cars and violent scenes in Iraq. The last frame of the new ad shows the first-term congresswoman in her now-famous embrace of Bush after the State of the Union in January.

Calls to her office were not immediately returned.

Jake Sherman • 202-408-2723

Jake Sherman • jsherman@startribune.com