2020 AdWatch: on Health Care


Amy McGrath: Improve ACA; don't get rid of private insurance

McGrath is against "Medicare for All" and free college tuition in a new TV pitch. "We need a senator who fights for things like affordable health care, college and technical school, not tax cuts for wealthy donors," McGrath says. "That doesn't mean free college or Medicare for All, I'm against that." Instead improve the Affordable Care Act without getting rid of private health insurance. McGrath also calls for students to perform unspecified "national service" to pay for higher education.

When McGrath ran for Congress two years ago, she said how she favored a single-payer plan but didn't believe it could pass. In four separate interviews during the course of that campaign, McGrath indicated she liked the idea of a government-run health care system but thought it wasn't feasible. "If we were to start over and have to start over from scratch, say this was 10 years ago -- I think we now know that single-payer would be the way to go," McGrath told NPR in an August 2018 interview.

Source: Courier Journal AdWatch on 2020 Kentucky Senate race Feb 11, 2020

David Perdue: Coronavirus numbers projected were supposed to be much worse

JON OSSOFF [off camera]: I'm Jon Ossoff and I approve this message.

IMAGE ONSCREEN: Still photos of Pres. Trump superimposed with Senator Perdue, with a moving graph and count of "Coronavirus Deaths in the US" from January to July.

TRUMP: In terms of cases, it's very, very few.

PERDUE: Very, very few people have been exposed to it."

IMAGE: Chart at 7 deaths in February.

TRUMP: The risk to the American people remains very low.

PERDUE: The risk of this virus still remains low.

IMAGE: Chart at 34 deaths

TRUMP: We've had flus before

PERDUE: We've had ordinary flu seasons with more deaths

IMAGE: Chart at 11,455 deaths

TRUMP: Those numbers are nowhere near what was projected.

PERDUE: The numbers projected were supposed to be much worse.

IMAGE: Chart at 97,592 deaths

TRUMP: It's going very well.

PERDUE: It's going very well.

IMAGE: Chart at 141,870 deaths

VOICEOVER: David Perdue ignored the medical experts; downplayed the crisis; and left us unprepared.

Source: OnTheIssues transcript AdWatch on 2020 GA Senate race Jul 27, 2020

Democratic Party: AdWatch: Trump called coronavirus "their hoax" & "fake news"

[TV ad, "Failed to Act"]

Voiceover: The warnings were there

Headline: Before Virus Outbreak, a Cascade of Warnings Went Unheeded

Voice: Millions of Americans at risk

Text: 10 million Americans were expected to become ill

Voice: But Donald Trump failed to act

Video: Donald Trump smiling for interview

Text: Jan.22: 6 cases

Reporter: "Are you worried about a pandemic at this point?"

Trump: "No, not at all; we have it under control; it's gonna be just fine."

CNN headline 2/25: Top officials are warning that the spread of the coronavirus in the US appears "inevitable."

Text: Feb.26: 257 cases

Reporter: "Do you agree with that assessment?"

Trump: "Well I don't think it's 'inevitable.'"

Politico headline 2/28: On coronavirus fears: President Trump blaming the "fake news"

Trump: "This is their new hoax."

Text: Mar.3: 359 cases; more than 20 deaths

[Note: Trump sued over the use of the word "hoax," noting that it referred to the Democratic response, not the virus]

Source: American Bridge AdWatch on 2020 presidential hopefuls Mar 21, 2020

Donald Trump: AdWatch: Trump called coronavirus "their hoax" & "fake news"

[TV ad, "Failed to Act"]

Voiceover: The warnings were there

Headline: Before Virus Outbreak, a Cascade of Warnings Went Unheeded

Voice: Millions of Americans at risk

Text: 10 million Americans were expected to become ill

Voice: But Donald Trump failed to act

Video: Donald Trump smiling for interview

Text: Jan.22: 6 cases

Reporter: "Are you worried about a pandemic at this point?"

Trump: "No, not at all; we have it under control; it's gonna be just fine."

CNN headline 2/25: Top officials are warning that the spread of the coronavirus in the US appears "inevitable."

Text: Feb.26: 257 cases

Reporter: "Do you agree with that assessment?"

Trump: "Well I don't think it's 'inevitable.'"

Politico headline 2/28: On coronavirus fears: President Trump blaming the "fake news"

Trump: "This is their new hoax."

Text: Mar.3: 359 cases; more than 20 deaths

[Note: Trump sued over the use of the word "hoax," noting that it referred to the Democratic response, not the virus]

Source: American Bridge AdWatch on 2020 presidential hopefuls Mar 21, 2020

Jon Ossoff: AdWatch: We were left unprepared for the pandemic

JON OSSOFF [off camera]: I'm Jon Ossoff and I approve this message.

IMAGE ONSCREEN: Still photos of Pres. Trump superimposed with Senator Perdue, with a moving graph and count of "Coronavirus Deaths in the US" from January to July.

TRUMP: In terms of cases, it's very, very few.

PERDUE: Very, very few people have been exposed to it."

IMAGE: Chart at 7 deaths in February.

TRUMP: The risk to the American people remains very low.

PERDUE: The risk of this virus still remains low.

IMAGE: Chart at 34 deaths

TRUMP: We've had flus before

PERDUE: We've had ordinary flu seasons with more deaths

IMAGE: Chart at 11,455 deaths

TRUMP: Those numbers are nowhere near what was projected.

PERDUE: The numbers projected were supposed to be much worse.

IMAGE: Chart at 97,592 deaths

TRUMP: It's going very well.

PERDUE: It's going very well.

IMAGE: Chart at 141,870 deaths

VOICEOVER: David Perdue ignored the medical experts; downplayed the crisis; and left us unprepared.

Source: OnTheIssues transcript AdWatch on 2020 GA Senate race Jul 27, 2020

Raphael Warnock: AdWatch: Don't get rid of healthcare in middle of a pandemic

VOICEOVER: Raphael Warnock eats pizza with a fork and knife.

VIDEO: Warnock eating pizza with a fork and knife.

VOICEOVER: Raphael Warnock once stepped on a crack in the sidewalk.

VIDEO: Warnock stepping on a crack in the sidewalk.

VOICEOVER: Raphael Warnock even hates puppies.

VIDEO: Puppy barking at the camera.

WARNOCK [sitting on porch steps, speaking to camera]: Get ready, Georgia. The negative ads air coming.

TEXT ONSCREEN: Reverend Raphael Warnock

WARNOCK: Kelly Loeffler doesn't want to talk about why she's for getting rid of healthcare in the middle of a pandemic. So she's going to try and scare you with lies about me. I'm Raphael Warnock, and I approve this message because I'm staying focused on what Washington could do for you.

VIDEO: Warnock smiling at camera, holding and petting that same puppy.

WARNOCK [speaking offscreen]: And by the way, I love puppies.

TEXT ONSCREEN: Approved by Raphael Warnock. Paid for by Warnock for Georgia.

Source: OnTheIssues AdWatch transcript: 2019-20 Georgia Senate race Nov 5, 2020

Woody Thrasher: AdWatch: Be proactive on coronavirus, not reactive

Thrasher's ad offers ideas, including increasing unemployment benefits, bridge loans for small businesses, and deferment of mortgage payments. "We're all dealing with this coronavirus. It's certainly creating hardships, and I believe those hardships might get greater before they get better," Thrasher said in the ad. "I also think it's a time where West Virginia needs to be proactive in terms of its reaction to this crisis, not reactive the way we have been so many other times."
Source: Weirton Daily Times AdWatch:2020 West Virginia governor race Mar 29, 2020

  • The above quotations are from AdWatch: transcripts from 2020 candidates.
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2016 Presidential contenders on Health Care:
  Republicans:
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Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
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Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
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Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
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Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)

2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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Page last updated: Dec 17, 2023