TITLE: "Deserves"
LENGTH: 30 seconds
AIRING: Statewide in Wisconsin
SCRIPT: Male announcer: "Barack Obama still won't agree to debate in Wisconsin. And now he's hiding behind false attack ads. Maybe he doesn't want to explain why his health care plan leaves out 15 million people and Hillary's covers everyone. Or why he voted to pass billions in Bush giveaways to the oil companies, but Hillary didn't. Or why he said he might raise the retirement age and cut benefits for Social Security. Why won't Barack Obama debate these differences? Wisconsin deserves better."
Hillary Clinton: "I'm Hillary Clinton and I approved this message."
KEY IMAGES: The ad opens with the words "Barack Obama still won't agree to debate in Wisconsin." It then shows an image from an ad Obama ran in response to Clinton's call for him to debate. The announcer claims Obama is "hiding behind false attack ads." Flashing pictures of Obama and Clinton on the screen, the announcer then says that Obama's health care plan leaves out 15 million people and Clinton's covers everyone. Obama had said in his ad that his plan covers more people than Clinton's. The new Clinton ad also says Obama needs to explain why he voted to pass "billions in Bush giveaways to the oil companies" and "why he said he might raise the retirement age and cut benefits for Social Security." The ad ends with words on the screen that say "Why won't Barack Obama debate these differences? Wisconsin deserves better."
ANALYSIS: Clinton's ad is the second by her on the debate issue. She put out the first ad on Wednesday pushing for the two candidates to debate ahead of Tuesday's primary. Obama countered with an ad on Thursday noting that they've debated 18 times and have two more coming up -- in Texas on Feb. 21 and Ohio on Feb. 26.
Clinton has criticized Obama on the debate issue while she has opted not to campaign in Wisconsin until Saturday. Obama has been in the state since Tuesday and a poll released Friday showed him with 47 percent to her 42 percent among likely Democratic voters.
Clinton and Obama continue to spar on the differences in their health care plans.
Obama's plan would not mandate the purchase of health insurance, but would provide government subsidies to encourage more Americans to buy it. Clinton has said that would still leave up to 15 million people without insurance. Obama has said it's more important to reduce insurance costs so everyone who wants it can afford it. Clinton's plan would require everyone to obtain health insurance and extend government assistance to those who can afford it.
Clinton criticizes Obama for voting for President Bush's 2005 energy bill that provided $6 billion in oil and gas subsidies. Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, in response to the ad, called it laughable that Obama would somehow be a lackey for the oil companies.
Clinton also argues that Obama may raise the retirement age and cut Social Security benefits. The Obama campaign argues that it has a plan to preserve Social Security without cutting benefits or raising age limits.
------
Analysis by Scott Bauer
