Ads attack Reid over Nevada's high jobless rate
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/07/09/art.anglead.0709u.gi.jpg caption ="Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle is out Friday with a new ad slamming her opponent, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid."]Updated at 2:30 p.m. ET
(CNN) - Call it a one two punch on a dubious honor.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's Republican challenger is out with a new ad Friday that slams Reid over the state's 14 percent unemployment rate, the highest in the nation.
"When Harry Reid became Majority Leader, Nevada's unemployment was only 4.4 percent. Now Nevada unemployment hits 14 percent, leads nation," states a headline in the commercial, which Sharron Angle's campaign says starts running Friday statewide in Nevada on broadcast and cable television.
The ad then uses copy from various news reports about Nevada overtaking Michigan to claim the highest state employment level in the country. The commercial ends by saying "Help is on the way. Visit http://www.SharronAngle.com."
When Reid took over as Senate Majority Leader in January 2007, Nevada's unemployment rate stood at 4.4 percent. The national unemloyment rate at that time was 4.6 percent at that time.
The ad is the first by Angle since she beat 12 other candidates in the June 8 GOP primary to capture her party's Senate nomination. Angle, a former Nevada state lawmaker, enjoys strong support from many in the Tea Party movement.
The commercial was released the same day that the Republican National Committee went up with a new ad also taking on Reid, as well as President Barack Obama, over the high jobless rate.
"It took thousands of men to build Hoover Dam and modern Nevada. But it only took two men to help tear down its economy," says the narrator in the commercial,
which begins running Friday on cable television in Las Vegas, according to an RNC official.
The state's unemployment rate stood at 9.6 percent when Obama took over in the White House at beginning of last year.
The release of the two ads comes just hours after Obama headlined two campaign events in Las Vegas Thursday night for the top Democrat in the Senate, who polls suggest faces a difficult re-election this year as he bids for a fifth term in office.
"We knew it would take us months, years, to dig ourselves out of the holes that we found ourselves in. That's longer than anybody would like, but here's what I also know. An economy that last year was shrinking by 6 percent is now growing. An economy that was shredding jobs at an unbelievable pace - we've now had six months in a row of private sector job growth," said Obama at the event. "That's because of policies that Harry Reid helped bring about. We have turned things around, and we are moving in the right direction."
The president is continuing that theme Friday, in a speech on the economy he was scheduled to deliver at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
Describing Reid, Obama said "he's a fighter, and you should never bet against him. And that's just what we need right now. We need someone who's going to fight for the people of Nevada and for the American people," according to excerpts released before the speech.
The ad wars in Nevada should continue next week, following an announcement Friday by the Tea Party Express, a national Tea Party group based in California that helped Angle during her primary bid. A spokesman for the organization tells CNN that new ads in support of Angle will air on Nevada TV next week, now that the group has met its fundraising goal of $100,000 to produce the commercials.
Updated at 2:30 p.m. ET with reaction from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: “After saying she would not be in the business of creating jobs and admitting she would not have acted to save 22,000 jobs at CityCenter, Sharron Angle’s first television advertisement blatantly contradicts her own words," said DSCC Press Secretary Deirdre Murphy. "In reality, Sharron Angle subscribes to the same reckless economic playbook put forth by Republicans that brought our economy to its knees and led to massive job losses. Nevadans rejected this failed economic approach before and will do so again this fall.”
Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn
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Help is on the what? It's better to keep Reid over there than electing a right wing nut tea bagger who stated in her own word that she will close the Department of Education, privatize social security, keep bush tax cuts to wealthy and rich people permanent and will not create jobs because it's not her business. What a stupid commercial. You said job creation is not your business but you are accusing somebody else of job creation that Republicans failed to do for 8 good years. Bush destroyed completely the economy and put the country in a catastrophic shape when Obama took office. So it will take time. The whole econmy should be in deeper recession if Obama hasn't put in place a courageous economic policies for just a year in office. So Nevada, it's better to keep Reid than voting for this morron and right wing angle. Reid is far better than her. The economy will take some time to grow and unemployment low. The way bush destroyed it is so terrible and severe.
Reid is the only one person that cares........Nevada remember this the Tea Hagger thinkd it is not her job to bring jobs to the state...............Reid has done alot for NV, tell me what those REP., have done in the last 8 yrs............or today ........bring it down. Reid is a good person and have a good heart.
... And thank god its those rascal dems again!! they have done it all although I dont understand the fall of Rome thing! just shut up already!!!
Reid is done. Nevada is in bad shape and Harry fiddles while Rome burns.
Hope he like retirement.
I'm an Independent voter who went to a Harry Reid and Sharon Angle rally....
I have to say that Harry Reid is by far the BEST choice!
Sharon Angle DID NOT present any plan at all. All she did was bash Harry. I want answers and solutions. Not tattle tailing.
Paul Steinhauser & John King, as well as Campbell Brown are turning CNN into another FIX NEWS
Divisiveness at it's best. Nothing but commentary and opinion. No real journalism anymore.
Is Rupert Murdock planning on buying the joint? Is this why the real reporters and journalists are jumping ship?
Good luck
The Dem leadership in Congress has been a disaster since they took controll in Jan of 2007. Reid has been the most outragous partisan to hold that position ever.
Reid, Pelosi and the Dem Congress won't even do its constitutionally mandated job of bringing up the BUDGET for next fiscal year, they just "DEEM" it passed without debate or amendments and keep spending!!!!! THEY DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO SEE WHAT A TRAIN WRECK THEY HAVE BEEN.
WHERE IS THE STORY ON THIS PIECE OF "TRANSPARENCY" CNN??????? NOT ONE WORD ABOUT IT HERE OR IN MOST LIBERAL MEDIA OUTLETS.
I agree with Rick. Obviously Reid doesn't give a darn about his constituents, or unemployment wouldn't be the highest in the country. Please, citizens of Nevada, do not allow this guy to continue to run our country into the ground. Your vote impacts your great state as well as every other state. Please vote this guy out.
Just how is Angle going to create jobs for Nevadans…and the rest of the country? She’s a typical opportunistic politician; exploit a painful situation all for political gain, but won’t present any tangible ideas or plans on how she’s going to pull off this miracle. What a sad choice for Nevadans come November.
to support Reid...you are either stupid, or a democrat....well, wait, those are the same
So lets get this right, angle accuses Seantor Reid of NOT creating jobs yet HER OWN interview a week or so ago she states that her job if elected as a senator is NOT to creat jobs. MORE republicant hypocrisy.
"It took thousands of men to build Hoover Dam and modern Nevada....."
....and millions of $$ from the U.S. Government during the administration of that other socialist President, FDR.
The Republican Party has turned into a bunch of hypocrites.
Angle said:
" It's not a job of a senator to create jobs"
" People who are unemployed are spoiled, lazy because they don't want to work if unemployment benefit keep coming, so she want to stop unemployment benefits to Nevada people"
" She will privatize social security and give the management of the funds to Wall Street big banks for gambling"
" She will cut education funding, close the department of Education"
" The S20 million fund Obama require BP to set up and pay the oil spill claims is a slush fund"
You see this Nevada, Reid is far better than her. It's better to keep him than this out of touch, right wing tea bagger lady angle. The economy will take time to recover and unemployment low. The way bush destroyed it is more severe than we thought. Help is on the what? Not angle. She said she will not create jobs because it's not her business. So Nevada, be wise to vote for Harry Reid because if you don't where you are going at least, you know where you come from. Reid did a lot for Nevada people and will continue.
Republicans show no respect for the intelligence of the American people. As if Reid is responsible for Nevada's economy. Please. On top of that, they're trying to associate President Obama in it as well. As if his18 months in office is also responsible for their economy. Right. Nevadans... don't let the Republicans twist your arm.
Sharon Angle was in the Nevada state government from 1999 – 2005. Doesn't she deserve as much of the blaim for Nevada's job lost as Harry Reid? I THINK SO...WHAT A HYPOCRIT!!!!! And where's she been since 2005...sharpening her scientology skills. You know massages for prisoners. This lady will be eventually exposed for who she is...I just hope I'm not affected by her policies. Do the right thing Nevada and re-elect Harry Reid.
Everyone knows the GOP is about savaging the middle class to profit the corporate sector.
High unemployment is good for business: when competition for jobs is stiff, corporations can get more for less. Job applicants will settle for less; current employees can be threatened with job loss and can be squeezed harder.
High unemployment fits the Republican ideal from start to finish; what are they complaining about?
George Bush ruined the US economy. Inviting people like Sharron Angle to continue the destructive policies of the Bush administration would be a huge mistake.
Time to go Reid. You have failed your State miserably. You would think that you would support your own people. Chose Obama instead. Big mistake.
You better vote for HARRY or face the loss of SOCIAL SECURITY and the DEPARTMENT of EDUCATION. Reid's opponent want's to SCREW UP EVERYTHING for NEVADA'S SENIORS.
VOTE FOR HARRY REID NOT THE LYING Sharon Angle.... she is the worst nightmare for NEVADA.
Angle will be NEVADA'S DOWNFALL...
Be for real people!! Ever consider that people just don't have the money to waste in Las Vegas because of state the country was left in by GEORGE W. BUSH!! The unnecessary funds spent on a war based on a LIE!! No matter what our current President does, it'll never be enough for some of you idiots!! Even, if you benefit from it!
Angle said “People ask me, what are you going to do to develop jobs in your State”? Angles reply -“well that’s not my job as a US Senator” and “I am NOT in the business of creating jobs”.
Why the flip flop? Or is it just the Democrats/Harry Reid's job to provide jobs, while the Republicans cut taxes for Tony Hayward (salary $4.7 million) and "unnecessary" spending and half the jobs in Louisiana's oil spill coordinator’s office.
One good thing about Angle is that with Reid gone, Yucca Mountain repository will reopen – Angle supports it – and that will provide jobs dealing with nuclear waste in Nevada, and stimulate the construction of new nuclear power plants nationwide -even more jobs!
She will throw away all NEVADA NEW JOBS... She is a lying piece of rip-publican crappola.
SENIORS.... VOTE FOR REID TO SAVE SOCIAL SECURITY.
So let's elect them again.
America: How may times do you need to get a hangover, before you stop drinking republican hootch?
If you build your economy on gambling, you're going to the whopped by a recession. Ditto for Tourism and other leisure activities that depend on people have discretionary income to spend. Florida got whopped for the same reason. Until we return to some sort of tangible productivity in this nation; the production of real goods and services and revive the manufacturing sector, we will not only have a very fragile economy, but we will be a slave to the nations that actually produce things that people really need.