Philly radio station refuses to run Democratic ad

A Philadelphia news radio station has rejected a Democratic ad that features an impersonator of President Bush thanking GOP congressional candidates for supporting the “Big Oil” agenda.

{mosads}Philadelphia KYW-AM Vice President and General Manager David Yadgaroff said his station decided not to run the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) ad because it was worried its listeners would be misled.

“As an all-news station, we were concerned that our listeners would have been misled by usage of an impersonator in the creative delivery,” Yadgaroff said in an e-mail sent to The Hill.

The ad was part of a $100,000 DCCC ad campaign in 13 different congressional districts held by Republicans. In the ad, a Bush impersonator calls the local GOP congressman, thanking him for “continuing to support the Big Oil agenda” as a member of the “Grand Oil Party.”

KYW broadcasts in Rep. Jim Gerlach’s (R-Pa.) district. The Philadelphia station is the only one known to have decided against running the ad.

The DCCC criticized the station for rejecting the ad. "The station didn't think their listeners were savvy enough to understand it [the Bush impersonator] was a parody," DCCC communications director Jennifer Crider said.

Other Republicans targeted by the DCCC include Reps. Steve Chabot (Ohio), Robin Hayes (N.C.), Virgil Goode (Va.), Patrick McHenry (N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.) and Jean Schmidt (Ohio).

McHenry spokesman Brock McCleary criticized the ad.

“Patrick McHenry is fighting for energy independence and lower gas prices while the liberal congressional leadership does nothing — except bankroll his liberal opponent’s smear campaign, that is,” McCleary said via e-mail.

The final airings of the weeklong ad campaign will take place on Friday, according to the DCCC.