Anti-Palin 'Wolf' Ad Expands Into Battlegrounds

Of all the ads to have aired this presidential campaign, one of the most successful may have been one of the least remarked-upon.

Weeks ago, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund released a 60-second spot titled "Brutal," denouncing Gov. Sarah Palin's support for an aerial wolf killing program as well as a policy that places bounties on the forelegs of killed wolves. It was, according to trackers of voter responses, one of the most effective ads of the cycle.

It also earned the organization $600,000 in donations in the six hours after it was released, and more than $1 million overall. With the extra funds, the organization is now plowing money back into its advertisement.

On Wednesday, the wildlife group will announce that they are expanding the airing of its ad to additional swing states - a measure meant to correspond with Thursday's vice presidential debate. The ad is currently airing in Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Northern Virginia; voters in Colorado and Missouri will soon see it also.

"Defenders of Wildlife has found a more effective critique of Palin than the Obama campaign or Democratic Party," said a source with the organization. "The ad damages Palin with exactly the voters McCain put her on the ticket to attract -- suburban women, moderate Independents."

The group's initial spot scored incredibly well among focus groups. A study of 312 Democrats, Republicans and Independents showed that the ad produced "moderate movement among all parties" in Obama's favor. The spot earned a Political Communications Impact Score of 23.5, making it, according to the site Media Curves, the second most effective ad to have aired this cycle.

And unlike many presidential campaign ads this cycle, the claims made in the Defenders spot are virtually all true, albeit with some caveats, according to FactCheck.org.

"Aerial killing of wolves may not be your standard national election issue, but it is one that helps illuminate an important part of Sarah Palin's character," President of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund Rodger Schlickeisen said in a statement. "We believe voters deserve to know about her support for this brutal practice, and we are confident the issue can move votes as we head into the home stretch of this campaign."

Comments

[lucca2004]

04:44 AM on 10/07/2008

Sarah Palin not only supports aerial hunting of wolves and bears, she also supports shooting bears habituated to humans (such as at the Katmai Preserve) even though the vast majority of Alaskans (even sport hunters) are opposed to this. Additionally, under Palin, for the first time since Alaska’s statehood in 1958, it’s legal to do land-and-shoot killing of bears & their cubs.

Ms. Palin wants to also take both the Polar Bear and the Beluga Whale off the Endangered Species lists (which even the Bush Administration opposes) so that they can be hunted since they're getting in the way of more arctic oil drilling.

Sarah Palin is a very sadistic and callous woman and she doesn't deserve to be Vice President of the United States! Go back to Alaska and don't come back!

[Dan54]

10:09 AM on 10/03/2008

If the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund was going to be consistent, they would also attack Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius as well. In Kansas, the state shoots wild pigs from helicopters.

[corkreanj1]

01:52 PM on 10/03/2008

if aerial hunting is allowed, i see know reason why michael vick is in jail. aerial hunting is just as brutal as dog fighting. probably one of the most brutal ways an animal can die.

[MCEsquire]

10:15 PM on 10/01/2008

That ad was absolutely horrible. It brought tears to my eyes.

[MadamRoma]

06:26 PM on 10/01/2008

I would like to donate to the making of these ads, also the jailing of Sarah Palin.

[Nina64]

06:17 PM on 10/01/2008

If you see pictures of her in Alaska at home you will see a lot of animal skins at her parent's house and even her baby's cradle was an animal skin hanging to hold the infant. There is no thought as to what this does to the animal when shot from above. It is horrible to watch. My daughter has a large dog and that's all I could think about when watching this. The wolf is in agony with all the pain it causes.

[Nina64]

06:11 PM on 10/01/2008

I learned that wolves mate for life and some of them in Alaska have stood in front of their den to protect their cubs and were shot with the cubs. Whether Palin is vp or not, this should stop. I don't agree with her on this one. The cutting off of their front paw for $150.00 is barbaric.

[williebite]

04:20 PM on 10/01/2008

WATCH THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN CONSIDER THAT IF ELECTED SHE WOULD BE A HEARTBEAT AWAY FROM BECOMING THE PRESIDENT -
IT'S ENOUGH TO GIVE EVERYONE NIGHTMARES.

VOTE OBAMA / BIDEN

[Krikkit]

03:48 PM on 10/01/2008

This ad just plays to the far left base. It does not play to independent women who are concerned about paying their bills. I don't think this ad is effective if it is aimed at independent women.

[wookierage]

05:58 PM on 10/01/2008

uh right. i showed this spot to three or four non-political women I know, and they all reacted with tears of sadness and rage. after seeing it, they wanted to destroy palin.

[MadamRoma]

06:27 PM on 10/01/2008

You tell them wookierage, I would love to see Ms Sarah's butt slammed in jail for the cruelty of animals.

[Manx]

03:03 PM on 10/01/2008

This ad is extremely effective. I don't think Americans of all political persuasions would vote for a person who gets her thrills by shooting innocent dogs from an airplane.

[Krikkit]

03:49 PM on 10/01/2008

Most people don't care about wolves in Alaska. Yeah, the practice is brutal, but it has absolutely nothing to do with ordinary lives of ordinary people.

Waste of money.

[Iluvdarin]

05:07 PM on 10/01/2008

You are wrong. 82% voted against aerial hunting

[MadamRoma]

06:30 PM on 10/01/2008

You couldn't be more wrong, there is plenty of space for any animal to roam the lands of Alaska, any animal but the brutal, heartless, witch Sarah Palin.

[AliMac02]

02:00 PM on 10/01/2008

And she said in Couric's interview, "I am unapologetically pro-life." Obviously she is for the sanctity of HUMAN life, not animal life. She also "unapologetically" murders the latter. Aren't we all "God's creatures," Sarah? Is one life more worthy of preserving than the other?

I'm donating now!

[Lithia]

02:42 PM on 10/01/2008

I donated and will again. This is horrible, people need to research this issue. Wolves are being killed they are no threat to Alaska this all about big trophy hunters. How can you just hunt and shoot these animals where they have no place to run. Also some of the wolves shot had 4-8 week old puppies that were later killed. We are all God's creatures! Sarah Palin does not represent me nor will she ever! So please help by donating.... As far as Sarah Palin goes she has no respect for the planet, she is in constant battle with the Indians in Alaska who know how to protect wildlife!

[ConnieInCleveland]

11:59 AM on 10/01/2008

Animal cruelty for the 'sport' of man?

Facts matter! The TRUTH matters! Ordinary Americans should know this is "Palin Policy".

I don't care about pigs and lipstick. But, I care about shooting animals from planes! I care if people get paid to cut off paws of animals.

I care if MSM ignore this story! MSM should cover this, but advise children to leave the room.

[TomNY]

11:44 AM on 10/01/2008

We MUST get this out to more battleground states. Please donate or pass this along to several friends.

https://secure.defenders.org/site/Donation?ACTION=SHOW_DONATION_OPTIONS&CAMPAIGN_ID=2661&s_src=4JY08WDCSAW&s_subsrc=4JY08WDCSAW_web

[MyMangosteenGal]

07:54 PM on 10/04/2008

Yes!! Please email the link to your local TV stations and the big ones and ask them
why we are not hearing the truth about this not so nice"hockey mom"??????
Only one way to stop her..PRESSURE" from the world. Let them know
about her horrific activities. Falls into the category of clubbing baby seals
as far as I am concerned. This breaks my heart and I have been
donating and will continue to do so. Yet, the enterainment programs
continue to hail her as if she was a celebrity. SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT
HER NOW!!!!

[GiggidyGeshmoygen]

11:40 AM on 10/01/2008

palin and her posse go up in a helicopter and find a whole pack of wolves -

then they chase them across the snow til the wolves are exhausted and can no longer run -

the helicopter ride is loads of fun and can last up to an hour depending on how close they keep on the tails of their $150 targets -

at this point the whole adventure becomes target practice and it's just a matter of somebody chopping off the front paws -

[Lotus19]

11:35 AM on 10/01/2008

I remember when this ad first came out. It was the same day that Planned Parenthood aired an ad and Ari really gave it to a Republican mouthpiece. It was a turning day for Obama's campaign. The adst didn't receive much coverage, but it get get a lot of YouTube viewings, because it just so happened that it was the Friday before Ike hit Texas.

I was speaking of this ad to a friend yesterday; I haven't forgotten about it. There were a couple of other Wolf ads, out there in cyberspace, but this one by "Defenders of Wildlife" is very powerful and has an impact.

Folks should donate whatever they can to keep this ad on the air, or maybe send a note of thanks to Defenders for their work.

[MyMangosteenGal]

08:21 PM on 10/04/2008

I have not fogotten either and have been reading about this evil woman for months.
Help us spread the word. Email the link for the ad to your local and major TV stations and ask them why we aren't seeing and hearing the truth about this woman?? She used 400K of
Alaskan money to push through this horrific hunt instead of using the money to help the Ailing
Alaskan school system. They have a very high drop out rate. Does anybody really want
her near the White House. i think she needs to answer to the courts for animal abuse.
Let's apply all the pressure we can. Email the link for the ad and help spread the word!

[parunach]

11:26 AM on 10/01/2008

I was disgusted when I saw this ad to see the kind of person Sarah Palin is. I immediately donated money to this organization. She is not some nice hockey mom as people made her out to be, she is a brutal and dangerous person, apart from being ignorant about issues that concern us. The quicker she is eliminated, the better for all of us.