Eagle Forum takes to the radio for Hoffman

Eagle Forum, a conservative public policy advocacy organization founded by author Phyllis Schlafly, is taking to the radio airwaves with a one-week buy in Watertown, Syracuse and Burlington, Vt., on behalf of Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party's candidate for the 23rd Congressional District seat. The spot goes live tomorrow.

They're paying $4,996.38 to Mountaintop Media, Sparta, for the spots, according to an FEC filing.

Here's the ad:

But here's the transcript of the one-minute ad, "Socialist Agenda":

"Barack Obama's Socialist agenda is bankrupting America. Can he be stopped? That's a question that north country and Central New York will answer on Election Day - because the only way to stop Obama is to elect someone who will stand up to him. And that's Doug Hoffman.

"Doug Hoffman is a CPA, a business owner and civic leader who's gained the attention of conservative activists across America. Why? Because Hoffman is the only one committed to fighting Obama's socialized medicine schemes and his big government bailouts. Only Hoffman will oppose Obama's radical green agenda. And Hoffman's the only one to take on Obama's assault on marriage and the unborn. Doug Hoffman backs your gun rights and only Doug Hoffman opposes amnesty and government handouts for illegal aliens.

"Doug Hoffman for Congress. Because if you want to stop Obama, elect someone who will stand up to him. And the only choice is Doug Hoffman. That's why Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum PAC paid for this ad and is solely responsible for its contents."

The ad employs an interesting strategy - deciding to take on Barack Obama instead of what has become the more popular target, Nancy Pelosi.

Mr. Obama won this Congressional District, 52 percent to 48 percent. And a recent Siena poll shows he's still well liked around here. Fifty-six percent have a favorable opinion of him, with 40 percent having an unfavorable opinion.

It's kind of a mixed return from there. The president is more disliked than liked among Republicans, so this ad may help Mr. Hoffman recruit more from the most registered party here. But the poll suggests he's liked by independents - and this message's forceful conservative ideology may turn some of them off.

Certainly the debt and health care are two big issues for conservatives, especially activists who have formed or joined local "tea party" coalitions. I don't hear a lot about the president's "radical green agenda" or "government handouts for illegal aliens" - actually the latter is something I don't think I've seen discussed at any time in this race.

Besides the radio spot, Eagle Forum has sent $2,000 to the candidate and written letters to its approximately 1,000 members who live in the district urging them to vote for Mr. Hoffman.

I asked Colleen M. Holmes, the group's executive director, why they backed Mr. Hoffman. She said it was unfortunate that the Republican Party "left conservatives with no choice in this race."

"We were very impressed with Doug stepping up and taking on a difficult battle," she said. "He's standing up for the ideals that people are really taking to the streets and and demanding right now. So we felt we had to do everything that we could to support him."