Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

'Thanks, Bob' ad spawns spoof

'Big oil' replaces 'charter schools' in Schaffer spot

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 8, 2008 at 3:06 p.m.
Updated April 9, 2008 at 12:53 a.m.

Text size  
The original ad

The original ad

The parody

The parody

Related Links

More Elections

More stories »

An ad that features school children thanking Republican Senate candidate Bob Schaffer for his commitment to charter schools has inspired a parody.

The spoof ad shows "oil executives" bragging about record profits and thanking Schaffer for supporting tax breaks for their industry.

The scripts are nearly identical, with the phrase "charter schools" being replaced by "big oil."

"Thanks, Bob," can be heard numerous times in each ad.

The initial ad is from a national term-limits group that wanted to recognize Schaffer in some way for keeping his term-limits pledge when he served in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The ad was shot in Colorado, features Colorado kids, and cost $470,000 to make and air, the group president said Tuesday. It began airing March 31.

The parody that debuted Tuesday is from ProgressNow, a Denver-based liberal group that has carped about Schaffer's ties to the oil industry. Schaffer now works for Aspect Energy LLC.

"All it cost to make this ad was a bottle of scotch and some cheap cigars," said Michael Huttner, president of ProgressNow.

"We did it with volunteers because we think Schaffer has done a lot more for big oil than he has for kids."

The spoof appears on YouTube.com, but ProgressNow is trying to raise money to show it on local TV channels, Huttner said.

Dick Wadhams, Schaffer's campaign manager, said he hadn't seen the parody and isn't likely to look it up.

When the charter school ad first appeared, Wadhams got comments from people saying, "I like your ad." Wadhams explained the ad came from an independent group, and had nothing to do with the campaign.

When Schaffer first ran for Congress in 1996, he vowed to serve only three terms. He kept his pledge, although he later called it "stupid" because it limited his effectiveness.

This election, facing Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs, Schaffer has made no such pledge.

Philip Blumel, president of U.S. Term Limits, said the organization no longer asks candidates to agree to serve limited numbers of terms. The group believes that that the push for term limits needs to come from political institutions and not from individuals, he said.

Blumel said the Virginia-based group has no position on charter schools, but knew it was a "signature" issue for Schaffer, who now serves on the state Board of Education.

As a state senator, Schaffer co-sponsored the Colorado Charter Schools Act in 1993, and later sponsored a bill to create an advisory committee to help improve charter schools.

The ad has "the hook of having happy children say 'thank you, which is more effective than having me say 'thank you,' " Blumel said.

Political consultant Katy Atkinson of Denver said she found the parody "cute" but was disturbed that the accusation of Schaffer giving tax breaks to the oil industry was never sourced.

"Maybe I'm old fashioned," she said. "Or maybe they think people are suckers."

Huttner said congressional records show Schaffer in 2001 voted for President Bush's energy plan. Democrats called it $33 billion giveaway to the energy industry.

bartels@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5327

Same script, different actors

Two campaign ads about Bob Schaffer feature people saying, "Thanks, Bob," to the Repub- lican U.S. Senate candidate. The scripts are nearly identical, but the original ad features schoolchildren while the parody features Schaffer opponents playing big oil bigwigs.

* THE ORIGINAL AD

Announcer: Today we have more charter schools, thanks to Bob Schaffer.

Group of students: Thanks, Bob!

Four students repeat one after another: Thanks, Bob!

Student: We couldn't have done it without you.

Student: Thanks for standing up for us.

Student: Even when it was really, really hard.

Student: Bob does the right thing.

Student: Bob keeps his promises.

Woman with girl: Thanks, Bob Schaffer for giving my daughter a chance.

Announcer: Bob Schaffer helped create the Colorado Charter School Act. Tell Bob Schaffer to keep giving us real education options.

Student: Thanks, Bob!

Students in unison: Thanks, Bob!

* THE PARODY

Announcer: Today we have record profits, thanks to Bob Schaffer.

Group of oilmen: Thanks, Bob!

Four oilmen repeat one after another: Thanks, Bob!

Oilman: We couldn't have done it without you.

Oilman: Thanks for standing up for us.

Oilman: Even when it was really, really hard.

Oilman: Bob does the right thing.

Oilman: Bob keeps his promises.

One oilman to another: Thanks, Bob Schaffer for giving my company a chance.

Announcer: Bob Schaffer helped give big oil $33 billion in tax cuts. Tell Bob to keep giving big oil tax giveaways so we can keep our record profits.

Oilman: Thanks, Bob!

Group of oilmen: Thanks, Bob!

Comments

  • April 8, 2008

    3:26 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    temurlan writes:

    Why is this a news story?

  • April 8, 2008

    3:56 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AWM writes:

    It's a good thing they didn't run a parody of Illegal immigrant criminals thanking Denver's fromer DA, Ritter, for the Agricultrial Trespass plea bargins. They just might have been prosecuted!

  • April 8, 2008

    4:24 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Golden writes:

    It is news worthy because it is a slam against a Republican politician. You know neither the post or the rocky miss a chance to praise a Dem and slam a Rep.

  • April 8, 2008

    4:33 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    temurlan writes:

    "We did it with volunteers because we think Schaffer has done a lot more for big oil than he has for kids."

    That sentence make no sense whatsoever. So you would have paid someone if you thought different?

  • April 8, 2008

    4:59 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    happymike44 writes:

    I am sick of big oil getting richer while making the average working class poorer.They need to reduce the amount of tax breaks they are being given.These guys are taking us to the cleaners and laughing all the way to the break.Why because they are gouging us and then we pay them more with the tax incentives they receive.This is unfair to many of the middle class and low income families because they have the least to say yet they have to pay more.All I would like to say is thanks to the republicans we are all a lot poorer then we were 8 years ago.

  • April 8, 2008

    6:29 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    maukaman writes:

    Gee happymike, as I remember Pelosi said the Demos would lower gas prices when they controlled Congress. What happened? The answer is that we don't control world oil prices. BTW, do you even know what tax breaks you are talking about?
    While I think about it, the Demos have complained about a lack of political progress in Iraq. But what have the Democrats done in the last two years except complain?

  • April 8, 2008

    9:42 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Jack_Bauer writes:

    Happymike - do you drive a car? do you ride on a bus? do you buy groceries at the grocery store?, do you ride a bicycle? Do you turn on your lights?
    You see happy mike, without "big oil" you wouldn't have any fuel for your car, you wouldn't have any diesel for your bus, the grocery store shelves would be empty and you would not have received your bicycle or ever had tires made for it and the local power plant wouldn't have any coal to burn (coal transported by diesel trains that is) so that you can turn your lights on. In fact you write your posting on a computer that the plastic comes from oil and is more than likely powered by coal that was transported via a diesel train engine.
    But of course you live in a cave and do not use any petroleum products and wipe your tush with tree leaves.
    You obviously do not know the first thing about how oil is bought and sold and how it is the world market that drives the price of that oil not "big oil".
    "Big oil" does not set the price - the speculators do, and since there is a very high demand, not only here in the US but in burgeoning econmonies such as China and India plus we currently have a weak dollar (thank you Bush)and oil is traded in US dollars the net result is that the price per barrel of unrefined oil is currently much higher. But you see this as the fat cats sitting back and laughing all of the way to the bank. Did you know mike that the governement is reaping bigger profits on gasoline taxes than the big oil you speak of? look it up http://www.taxfoundation.org/publicat...
    I find it amazing that you do not hear the Dems complaining about government taxes exceeding these oil companies profits - all they do is bitch about the companies profits - never mind that it is us that foots the bill for ever bigger government via the proposed "excessive profits taxes". And don't kid yourself mikey - if our illustrious democrats do tax the oil companies even further on their profits - you and I will be paying for it evenmore in higher gas prices - as those same oil companies just pass this on to the consumer.
    So until you can come up with an alternative to all of the petroleum products used in our everyday lives please be quiet about Big oil" and how "Evil" they are. It is very tiring listening to your types complain about them when your daily life depends on the products that are brought to you courtesy of "big oil".

  • April 9, 2008

    12:58 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    happymike44 writes:

    To Mr Bauer
    I have always lived in a green lifestyle how about you.I live in a smaller home now I am single.I have always driven a small car and walk to the grocery store and the drugstore. I grow my own vegetables and a few fruit trees.So I am some what self suffeficent I do not drive 50 miles a day one way,I have been living a green life for almost my entire life.What about you?You seem to judge me by your gas guzzling use the world like a toilet friends.I have acted responsible all my life.I do not turn on the air conditioner until it gets up to about 90 degrees.Like I say practice what you preach.Many of the poor and limited income crowds are now spending every dime they make to survive.So Mr Bauer I guess you do not know this your to busy pretending to be a action hero on t.v.

  • April 9, 2008

    2:13 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    SteveM writes:

    Why on earth do self-proclaimed Republicans like paying $3.50 per gallon of gas? You bash people for wanting fair gas prices, and assume they are democrats. Illogical. There used to be a time, back when Republicans knew what they were, that they would have done everything in their power to keep gas taxes and gas prices low because the Republican party USED to stand for smaller government and lower taxes. What exactly do you Republicans stand for now? The only unifying thing I can figure out as an independent voter who votes his conscience not some idiotic sense of loyalty to radio talk show hosts, is Anti-everything: immigration, gay marriage, and abortion. The only thing is that none of these things has much to do with anything important in to this country's longevity. If the Republicans of today were anti-taxes and anti-big government like the founders of the party, they might find a lot more of us excited about their candidates. Instead, sorry, yeah, I'd vote for Democrats because they are anti things that matter, big oil profits, war, homelessness, exporting of jobs over seas, the most advanced nation on earth without a national health care system, and so on. Too bad the Republicans who post in the DRMN forums all deliver nearly the same pointless rhetoric about how the press is biased against you, etc. Rather than offering sound solutions, you just plug away on your same old bandwagon.

  • April 9, 2008

    6:58 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Ike writes:

    Where in your reply did you answer the point the oil companies don't control the demand of emerging economies, happymike? Congratulations on your pseudo self sustaining lifestyle. Yet look around the surroundings you live in and look at all the petroleum products essential to your lifestyle or how much petroleum products indirectly affect the transportation and manufacture of those supporting elements in your supposed self sufficiency.

    Just remember to breathe and buckle down, happymike, because the analysts say 4.00 per gallon and I say 5.50 by this time next year. Not price gouging or tax breaks, just market driven economics. All those Chinese and Indians just want to elevate themselves to the level you are and it takes energy, a lot of it, to accomplish even the simple life you live you self righteously proclaim to lead.

  • April 9, 2008

    7:02 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    StraightTalk writes:

    happymike44, you said "I am sick of big oil getting richer while making the average working class poorer." You obviously just hear garbage like that on the MSM new programs on TV or in print.

    Here's some facts, if you can handle FACTS instead of the dream world you obviously live in. Last year Exxon's tax payment in 2007 was $30 billion (that's $30,000,000,000 for slow learners like you, happymike44) and is a record, exceeding the $28 billion it paid last year. Let's put it in perspective for idiots that just spout liberal lies - over the past four years, Exxon's average tax payment was $27.4 billion, and equaled the total taxes paid by the bottom 50% of Americans (roughly 65 million Americans). That's just the taxes paid by ONE BIG OIL COMPANY!

    Here's another FACT for you, happymike44: Over the past 25 years, oil companies directly paid or remitted more than $2.2 trillion in taxes, after adjusting for inflation, to federal and state governments—including excise taxes, royalty payments and state and federal corporate income taxes. That amounts to more than three times what they earned in profits during the same period, according to the latest numbers from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and U.S. Department of Energy.

    I could quote you more facts, but I figure the above statistics are more than you can handle today.

    Now, what do you have to say about BIG OIL, happymike44?

  • April 9, 2008

    9:56 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    rathmone writes:

    funny piece. Though since it's all about politics, I'd think noting the "political consultant" Katy Atkinson is a longtime REPUBLICAN strategist- Tancredo/Hank Brown/McInnis- would be relevant.

  • April 9, 2008

    8:55 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    YellowCatRedCat writes:

    I like how all the "pro-big-business" people on this board only bother responding to the one guy who is making an absolute fool of himself ("I am a martyr! I am a hero! I only occasionally use air conditioning!") and don't bother responding to more intelligent commentary - i.e. that of SteveM. Way to go, guys.