Published: October 13, 2008 12:34 pm      

Behind The Ads: Race for Indiana governor

Fall is here.

The air is crisper. The days are shorter. And Peyton Manning is pitching everything from touchdowns to cell phones.

But it’s not all sweaters, headlights and football.

No, fall is also that time of year when politicians, both local and national, buy up the airwaves. They tell you what they’re all about and why you should cast your vote for them in November.

Sometimes, as is the case in the Indiana gubernatorial race, they paint two completely different pictures of the same reality.

Advertisements from incumbent Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels talk of prosperity, budget surpluses and record job creation.

Those offered by his opponent, Democratic challenger Jill Long Thompson, talk about the exodus of manufacturing jobs and a governor who is out of touch.

What’s a voter to believe?

Here’s our attempt at clarity in the campaign.



Daniels: Years of growth and progress

Daniels has had a lot more to say on the ad front, because he’s run seven times as many as opponent Jill Long Thompson.

The governor’s campaign has run 20 TV advertisements across numerous media markets. And campaign manager Cam Savage says more could be on the way before Nov. 4.

What’s said: In Daniels’ ad, “Jobs,” a claim is made that Indiana is leading the Midwest in job creation, tax reduction and bringing in new companies.

Behind it: The claims are based on a 2007 report from the Indiana Economic Development Commission, on which Daniels serves as chairman of the board of directors.

Since 2005, companies have committed to creating 74,000 jobs, according to Mitch Frazier, spokesman for the commission. However, only about 17,500 of those jobs have actually been created. About 18,500 jobs were supposed to be created by the end of the year 2007, meaning that the companies are about 1,000 jobs away from what was originally anticipated.

“The bulk of the jobs are still to come,” Frazier said.

What’s said: In the same ad, the text “Indiana is an ‘Island of growth in the Midwest’” appears across the bottom of the screen.

Behind it: The quote comes from the Indianapolis Business Journal, which is cited in the advertisement. According to Greg Andrews, managing editor for the Business Journal, the line appeared in a column from economist Mike Hicks, who is the director of the Bureau of Business Research at Ball State University.

What’s said: In Daniels ad, “Change That’s Working,” a claim is made that record-breaking road construction has taken place without any new debt.

Behind it: “To say that we’re spending more money than (the Indiana Department of Transportation) has ever spent is completely accurate,” said Andy Dietrick, communications director for the agency.

Previously, the agency would spend about $700 million per year, he said. In 2007, approximately $826 million was spent. And there are plans to spend $939 million this year.

“At any given time there are 55 to 60 projects going on in the state,” he said.

How that happened, however, has been one of the most controversial elements of Daniels’ first term and something on which Long Thompson has repeatedly attacked the governor.

The Northern Indiana Toll Road was leased to a foreign consortium for $3.8 billion as a part of a plan called Major Moves. Long Thompson’s criticism has been that the road was undersold and that Indiana toll dollars will eventually be going into the pockets of those foreign leasers.

Regardless, the money was banked and the interest generated, along with traditional funding such as gasoline taxes, was used to fund all those road projects without creating new debt.

What’s said: In the same ad, a claim is made that 800 new child protection workers have been added.

Behind it: Those 800 caseworkers were hired in 2007, according to the Division of Family and Social Services Administration’s 2007 budget review.

Indiana political columnist Brian Howey notes that the hiring of those workers has dramatically reduced the number of caseloads each worker had.

The hirings were something Daniels said he wanted to do in his first or second day in office, Howey said.

What’s said: In that same ad, flying text notes that more children are in full-day kindergarten.

Behind it: There has been a significant jump.

There were 22,187 children enrolled in the 2005-06 school year, according to Indiana Department of Education. That more than doubled in 2007-08, to 46,409.

The increase is due to higher appropriations to a state grant program that provides money for full-day kindergarten. In 2007, there was about $8.5 million in the program. That rose to $33.5 million in 2008 and is expected to jump to $58.5 million next year. Back in 2007, when the Indiana General Assembly was debating the issue, Daniels wanted even more, unsuccessfully pushing for all schools to eventually offer full-day Kindergarten.



Long Thompson: Hoosiers face tough economic times

Democratic challenger Jill Long Thompson has run only three advertisements since the general campaign got under way. Right now, she’s off the air in all markets, but campaign spokes-man Jeff Harris said more are on the way.

Here’s what’s been touched on so far:

What’s said: In her ad, “Comeback,” an Indianapolis Star headline reads “Jobless rate in Indiana hits 5.8 percent.”

Behind it: The ad is referencing a July article in the Star.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Indiana’s unemployment rate for August has worsened to 6.4 percent.

That said, the rate has actually fluctuated up and down since Gov. Mitch Daniels took office. It was 5.6 percent in January 2005, and it was at 4.8 percent just last April.

Since then, both the state and national unemployment rates have increased.

Indiana’s unemployment rate was higher than the national in August, which came in at 6.1 percent. However, it is better here than in any of the neighboring states — some of which are more than 7 percent and 8 percent.

What’s said: In the same ad, a narrator declares “The Bush-Daniels economic policies aren’t working” — an attempt to align the governor with the unpopular president.

Behind it: Daniels served as President George W. Bush’s director of the White House Office of Management and Budget from 2001 until 2003. While there, he advocated the president’s 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, a plan which many Democrats have blamed for turning what had been a budget surplus into a deficit.

What’s said: In the “Comeback” ad, Long Thompson says good jobs are leaving and being replaced with lower wage jobs.

Behind it: According to Indiana columnist Morton Marcus, such a claim can be vetted by looking at average personal income figures.

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, per capita personal income has increased every year since 2004. In 2007, the latest year in which data was available, it was $33,152, up from $30,547 in 2005, when Daniels first took office.

The general idea is that manufacturing jobs are leaving, but Marcus believes that has less to do with politics than it does with increased efficiency. Robots or computers are handling many of the jobs formerly occupied by workers, he said.

“The real economic issue here is we just don’t have the workforce.”

Education and training likely needs to increase for those ages 25 through 45 in order to attract jobs, Marcus said.

What’s said: In her ad, “Small Town,“ Long Thompson declares “I grew up on a farm.”

Behind it: According to her bio and many media reports, Long Thompson indeed grew up on a farm in rural Whitley County.

But why does that matter?

“A candidate’s roots are very important,” said Brian Howey, veteran Indiana political columnist.

“Being raised on a farm is part of her roots message.”

However, he notes, that many politicians use the beginning of their campaigns to talk about their roots and then move on to issue-oriented topics.

He also stated that some Internet jokesters have spoofed Long Thompson’s farm claims with a video that proclaims “seriously she grew up on a freakin’ farm.”

What’s said: Additionally in “Small Town,” Long Thompson says Daniels is out of touch when he says the economy is in great shape.

Behind it: Daniels has used his advertisements to tout recent economic successes, such as job creation.

However, Marcus said, claims of success or failure by either candidate may not be as pertinent as most would think.

“The economy of the state is dependent on what’s happened in the last 20-30 years.”

The economic payoffs of improving education or improving roads or infrastructure take years, Marcus said.