CommonGround: Political news and analysis by Chuck Raasch, Gannett National Writer

Recent columns

If Super Bowl ads were designed by political consultants

February 9, 2010

Forbes estimates that the NFL gets roughly $2 billion a year from TV contracts, which the networks cover by selling advertising. Double that over the course of a two-year political campaign and you roughly match the $4 billion that some think could be spent on advertising in the 2010 political campaigns.
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Super Bowl ads: Not just about the beer anymore

February 4, 2010

While accepting a Focus on the Family anti-abortion ad, CBS rejected a Super Bowl ad for a gay dating service.
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60 is the loneliest number for Obama

January 28, 2010

Unless the political logjam in Congress is broken, starting with health care reform, where the threat of a filibuster has ground Democrats' efforts to a near halt, a scenario exists where President Barack Obama would seek re-election in 2012 by running against Republicans and a do-nothing Senate where Democrats are in the majority.
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Obama tries to reclaim populist, reformer mantle

January 27, 2010

President Barack Obama used his first State of the Union address to remind his national audience of the state of the union he inherited a year ago, with record deficits and a spiraling economy. And in plain language, he defended his actions and pushed for more: a jobs bill, tax credits for small business, clean energy spending, a freeze on a small part of the federal budget, and most significantly, passage of health care reform.
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Will court ruling on campaign spending hit least populated states hardest?

January 26, 2010

Two national political operatives from opposing camps were among those highly critical of last week's historic Supreme Court decision to allow corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money to elect or defeat political candidates, in part because of its potential impact on sparsely populated states. last week's historic Supreme Court decision to allow corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money to elect or defeat political candidates.
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Obama to pivot to jobs, spending in State of the Union message

January 26, 2010

With polls showing flagging public support for the Democrats' health care plan while other issues like jobs and government spending rise in public concern, Obama's State of the Union could turn out to be a course correction.
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In politics, never dis a pickup truck

January 21, 2010

Scott Brown's pickup truck became a metaphor for his stunning Senate victory in Massachusetts.
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About Raasch

Chuck Raasch is national political writer for Gannett. His column, New Politics, appears here and on USA TODAY.com. A native of South Dakota and a graduate of South Dakota State University, Raasch has covered political campaigns since 1978, including Tom Daschle's first race for Congress and George McGovern's last race for the Senate. He has covered presidential campaigns since 1988.