Cardin vs. Steele Debate Matches Ad Strategies
The October 3rd debate between Democrat Ben Cardin and Republican Michael Steele for the U.S. Senate from Maryland saw both men do, in person, what their television advertisements were already doing in the Baltimore, MD, and Washington, DC, markets. Cardin tried repeatedly to associate Steele, whose ads don't even mention that he is a Republican, with President Bush. Steele tried to position himself as an agent of change and Cardin as part of a corrupt establishment. Beneath the surface were their appeals to the state's African-American voters.
