‘Swift Boaters’ spending sinks

By this time four years ago, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth had pumped millions of dollars into television advertising, seeking to discredit Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry’s military record and making “Swift Boating” part of the political lexicon.

But this year, no one has taken the Swift Boaters’ place, and overall spending by outside political groups - which arguably helped Republicans more than Democrats in 2004 - is down dramatically.

“This [independent group money] was supposed to be the calvary coming over the hill,” said Brad Blakeman, former president of the conservative advocacy group Freedom’s Watch. But “this is more like Custer’s calvary, because we may be slaughtered.”

The economic downturn may further limit outside groups in the final weeks of the campaign, he said.

“We’re seeing spending that is a mere pittance of what was spent in 2004 this year, and I attribute it directly to the economy,” Mr. Blakeman said. “When you have investors investing back in their companies, they don’t have the disposable dollars they had in the last cycle, so it’s prioritized their giving.”

Organizations not associated with the campaigns - such as unions, advocacy groups or the so-called 527s that have to file with the Federal Election Commission - had spent $73.2 million on presidential campaigning as of Monday, compared with the $192.4 million spent during the 2004 election season, according to FEC filings.

Freedom’s Watch, which earlier this year was dubbed as the next “Swift Boaters,” has spent about $2.5 million so far this month, the filings show.

The economic downturn is not the only explanation for the reduced role of the groups, which can spend unlimited amounts of money on television “issue ads,” or work that indirectly supports or opposes a candidate.

Analysts say the public may have listened when Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain each appealed for large donors to write checks to them or their national committees instead of to the outside groups. They also say many of the organizations are focusing this year on congressional races.

“There is a much smaller percentage [of television advertising] sponsored by groups this year, and they got started later [in the election cycle],” said Sarah Niebler, deputy director of the Wisconsin Advertising Project, which tracks political ads.

The majority of the $73.2 million that outside groups have spent this year has helped Mr. Obama. As of Monday, about $42.6 million had been spent on ads supporting him or opposing Mr. McCain. Another $30 million had been spent supporting Mr. McCain or opposing Mr. Obama.

The top spenders supporting or opposing the presidential candidates so far this election cycle include the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which has spent $23.3 million supporting Mr. Obama; the Republican National Committee, at $16.4 million; the liberal MoveOn.Org, at $5 million; and the conservative National Rifle Association, at $3.9 million.

Overall spending - on races at all levels - by 527 groups also is down. The 527 groups, which are named after their tax code, have spent $324.3 million this election cycle. That’s just more than half of the $599.2 million they spent during the entire 2004 election season, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The presidential candidates, as well as the Republican and Democratic national committees, are playing much larger roles in political advertising this year.

From Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, the Obama campaign spent almost $17.5 million, while Mr. McCain and the Republican National Committee, combined, spent nearly $11 million. Four years ago, the top two candidates and allies spent just more than $18 million combined during the same time period, according to the Wisconsin Advertising Project. The Obama campaign is outspending Mr. McCain’s in most states.

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