Friday, March 19, 2004
Deadline for al Qaeda forces
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Heavy fighting continues in a mountainous region near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border where a "high-value" al Qaeda leader is believed to be holed up.
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told CNN that he suspects the fighters are protecting al Qaeda's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Pakistani forces have surrounded the estimated 200 al Qaeda fighters, and are asking them to "surrender immediately," Ahmend said.
"We have no choice as to give them a final time that if they are not going to surrender, we may take some serious action against them."
Ahmed was wary of providing more details, noting that al Qaeda is monitoring television and newspaper reports, and said he would be ready to give more information in 48 hours.
"They like to fight and they like to die there, so the only thing I can say is, we have to wait and see (if there is) more (in) 48 hours," he said.
The assault against the al Qaeda fighters consists of helicopter gunships and fixed-wing aircraft, the sources said.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said helicopter gunships and artillery were used Thursday to bombard the area in Waziristan, a remote region in northwestern Pakistan. He said the area surrounded has a perimeter of about 12 to 15 miles (20 to 25 kilometers).
Musharraf did not name the al Qaeda figure believed to be surrounded, referring to him as a "high-value target."
The well-trained and well-equipped al Qaeda fighters are trying to prevent al-Zawahiri's capture, an official in the intelligence services and another in the interior department said.
"The net is there," Musharraf told CNN. "We see very strong dug-in positions. The houses there are almost forts, they are mud forts. And all of these forts are occupied."
The area consists of a series of compounds, the sources said.
Escape 'very difficult'
Maj. Gen. Shaukat Suetan, Pakistani military spokesman, said human sources indicated a high-value al Qaeda leader was there.
Asked if it was al-Zawahiri, Suetan said with a smile, "Maybe, maybe."
"It's not clear yet, because there's lots of casualties. They are resisting, they are fighting, they are in large numbers," Suetan said.
He said the Pakistani forces were committed to "finish off the terrorists" and that within a day or two there might be "good news" to report. "You have to wait and see," he said.
Government sources said 18 al Qaeda operatives and some tribesmen were captured two days ago, and the information they provided suggested al-Zawahiri was in the area.
The government sources said the air assault would attempt to prevent al-Zawahiri from escaping.
The sources said they were concerned the fighters could try to use the cover of darkness to flee across the border. While Pakistani forces are trying to seal off the area, they cannot not do so completely, the sources said.
Pakistani information minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said if Zawahiri is in the region, it would be "very difficult for him to escape."
He said he expected the military operation to last another day or two.
Suspected 9/11 role
The 52-year-old al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian national, is considered to be Osama bin Laden's closest adviser and is viewed by many analysts as the operational brains behind the al Qaeda terror network.
U.S. officials believe bin Laden may be within miles of al-Zawahiri.
Al-Zawahiri is one of the most-wanted terrorists in the United States. U.S. officials believe if he is captured, they could likely work out a deal with Pakistan to have him turned over to U.S. custody.
He was indicted along with bin Laden for his alleged role as mastermind of the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people.
U.S. government sources also believe he played a significant role in the September 11, 2001, attacks in Washington and New York.
National security adviser Condoleezza Rice said al-Zawahiri's capture would be a "major step forward," but she emphasized there is an entire network to break down, "not just one person."
U.S. officials said the United States was providing reconnaissance information to Pakistan, but they stressed it was a Pakistani operation.
The surveillance equipment included unmanned Predator aircraft armed with thermal cameras that can spot a person by their body heat.
White House communications director Dan Bartlett said he could not comment on whether there was U.S. involvement in the military operation.
Musharraf said it was the "fierce resistance" that troops encountered when they entered the area two days ago that led them to believe a top official with the terrorist network was being protected.
"They are not coming out in spite of the fact that we pounded them with artillery," he said.
Asked if he believed bin Laden or al-Zawahiri was hiding there, Musharraf demurred.
"I'm not going to say that because my previous experience is whenever I say it, then headlines come that he says, 'Al-Zawahiri is there,' or something like this," he said.
The "pitched battle" has already claimed the lives of some Pakistani troops, he said.
One U.S. official who is in touch with Pakistani officials about the situation told CNN that Pakistani forces were "fighting like hell."
The military asked locals to leave, flew helicopters overhead and pounded the area with artillery, he said.
'Finish the terrorists'
Word of the standoff came after Pakistan announced it had launched a fresh offensive against suspected militants near the Afghan border.
Hundreds of Pakistani troops backed by heavy artillery and helicopter gunships raided homes in the nation's tribal region of South Waziristan, two days after a fierce assault in the same area left dozens dead.
On Tuesday, at least 39 people were killed in a raid on suspected Taliban and al Qaeda militants in a fortress-like compound in Kaloosha, close to the border.
Fifteen soldiers died and Pakistani forces killed 24 suspects, most of them foreign fighters, military officials said.
In retaliation, angry tribesmen torched more than a dozen military vehicles -- some loaded with ammunition -- on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ahmed said Thursday that "for the first time in the history, Pakistani forces have entered there to finish the terrorists."
"We are committed against terrorism and we have to pay the price," he said.
Pakistan forces have launched a number of sweeps for "suspected foreign terrorists" along the border after Afghan and U.S. officials complained they were escaping to sanctuaries in Pakistan.
About 70,000 Pakistan troops are in the tribal regions, and the recent offensive coincides with a major U.S. military operation on the other side of the border in Afghanistan to capture terror suspects.
Though a spring offensive across southern and eastern Afghanistan, called Operation Mountain Storm, is yet to be officially launched, U.S. military operations there have been stepped up.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Heavy fighting continues in a mountainous region near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border where a "high-value" al Qaeda leader is believed to be holed up.
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told CNN that he suspects the fighters are protecting al Qaeda's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Pakistani forces have surrounded the estimated 200 al Qaeda fighters, and are asking them to "surrender immediately," Ahmend said.
"We have no choice as to give them a final time that if they are not going to surrender, we may take some serious action against them."
Ahmed was wary of providing more details, noting that al Qaeda is monitoring television and newspaper reports, and said he would be ready to give more information in 48 hours.
"They like to fight and they like to die there, so the only thing I can say is, we have to wait and see (if there is) more (in) 48 hours," he said.
The assault against the al Qaeda fighters consists of helicopter gunships and fixed-wing aircraft, the sources said.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said helicopter gunships and artillery were used Thursday to bombard the area in Waziristan, a remote region in northwestern Pakistan. He said the area surrounded has a perimeter of about 12 to 15 miles (20 to 25 kilometers).
Musharraf did not name the al Qaeda figure believed to be surrounded, referring to him as a "high-value target."
The well-trained and well-equipped al Qaeda fighters are trying to prevent al-Zawahiri's capture, an official in the intelligence services and another in the interior department said.
"The net is there," Musharraf told CNN. "We see very strong dug-in positions. The houses there are almost forts, they are mud forts. And all of these forts are occupied."
The area consists of a series of compounds, the sources said.
Escape 'very difficult'
Maj. Gen. Shaukat Suetan, Pakistani military spokesman, said human sources indicated a high-value al Qaeda leader was there.
Asked if it was al-Zawahiri, Suetan said with a smile, "Maybe, maybe."
"It's not clear yet, because there's lots of casualties. They are resisting, they are fighting, they are in large numbers," Suetan said.
He said the Pakistani forces were committed to "finish off the terrorists" and that within a day or two there might be "good news" to report. "You have to wait and see," he said.
Government sources said 18 al Qaeda operatives and some tribesmen were captured two days ago, and the information they provided suggested al-Zawahiri was in the area.
The government sources said the air assault would attempt to prevent al-Zawahiri from escaping.
The sources said they were concerned the fighters could try to use the cover of darkness to flee across the border. While Pakistani forces are trying to seal off the area, they cannot not do so completely, the sources said.
Pakistani information minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said if Zawahiri is in the region, it would be "very difficult for him to escape."
He said he expected the military operation to last another day or two.
Suspected 9/11 role
The 52-year-old al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian national, is considered to be Osama bin Laden's closest adviser and is viewed by many analysts as the operational brains behind the al Qaeda terror network.
U.S. officials believe bin Laden may be within miles of al-Zawahiri.
Al-Zawahiri is one of the most-wanted terrorists in the United States. U.S. officials believe if he is captured, they could likely work out a deal with Pakistan to have him turned over to U.S. custody.
He was indicted along with bin Laden for his alleged role as mastermind of the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people.
U.S. government sources also believe he played a significant role in the September 11, 2001, attacks in Washington and New York.
National security adviser Condoleezza Rice said al-Zawahiri's capture would be a "major step forward," but she emphasized there is an entire network to break down, "not just one person."
U.S. officials said the United States was providing reconnaissance information to Pakistan, but they stressed it was a Pakistani operation.
The surveillance equipment included unmanned Predator aircraft armed with thermal cameras that can spot a person by their body heat.
White House communications director Dan Bartlett said he could not comment on whether there was U.S. involvement in the military operation.
Musharraf said it was the "fierce resistance" that troops encountered when they entered the area two days ago that led them to believe a top official with the terrorist network was being protected.
"They are not coming out in spite of the fact that we pounded them with artillery," he said.
Asked if he believed bin Laden or al-Zawahiri was hiding there, Musharraf demurred.
"I'm not going to say that because my previous experience is whenever I say it, then headlines come that he says, 'Al-Zawahiri is there,' or something like this," he said.
The "pitched battle" has already claimed the lives of some Pakistani troops, he said.
One U.S. official who is in touch with Pakistani officials about the situation told CNN that Pakistani forces were "fighting like hell."
The military asked locals to leave, flew helicopters overhead and pounded the area with artillery, he said.
'Finish the terrorists'
Word of the standoff came after Pakistan announced it had launched a fresh offensive against suspected militants near the Afghan border.
Hundreds of Pakistani troops backed by heavy artillery and helicopter gunships raided homes in the nation's tribal region of South Waziristan, two days after a fierce assault in the same area left dozens dead.
On Tuesday, at least 39 people were killed in a raid on suspected Taliban and al Qaeda militants in a fortress-like compound in Kaloosha, close to the border.
Fifteen soldiers died and Pakistani forces killed 24 suspects, most of them foreign fighters, military officials said.
In retaliation, angry tribesmen torched more than a dozen military vehicles -- some loaded with ammunition -- on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ahmed said Thursday that "for the first time in the history, Pakistani forces have entered there to finish the terrorists."
"We are committed against terrorism and we have to pay the price," he said.
Pakistan forces have launched a number of sweeps for "suspected foreign terrorists" along the border after Afghan and U.S. officials complained they were escaping to sanctuaries in Pakistan.
About 70,000 Pakistan troops are in the tribal regions, and the recent offensive coincides with a major U.S. military operation on the other side of the border in Afghanistan to capture terror suspects.
Though a spring offensive across southern and eastern Afghanistan, called Operation Mountain Storm, is yet to be officially launched, U.S. military operations there have been stepped up.
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Bush defends his economic policy
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- President Bush traveled to the battleground state of Ohio Wednesday to defend his economic agenda, which has taken a pounding from Democrats in recent months.
In a speech in Cleveland, Bush said the U.S. economy was changing and that the government had a responsibility "to create an environment that increases more jobs and helps people find the skills to fill those jobs."
Bush took issue with critics who he said have a "tired, defeatist" attitude in supporting higher taxes, more spending and protectionist trade barriers that are "a recipe for economic disaster."
"They never get around to explaining how higher taxes would help create a single job in America, except maybe at the IRS," Bush said.
"They don't explain how closing off markets ... would help the millions of Americans who produce goods for exports or work for foreign companies right here in the United States."
Administration aides said Bush wanted to launch a new explanation -- and defense -- of his economic approach in one of the major industrial states where the debate over trade policy, and so-called "outsourcing" of jobs to lower-wage overseas locations, is most emotional.
On the Democratic campaign trail Sen. John Kerry, the party's presumptive nominee, described Bush's economic policies as failures.
Kerry had a face-to-face meeting Wednesday with one of the rivals he vanquished during the primary season, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, whose supporters and donors he has been trying to woo. He also visited the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee for what DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe called "a great discussion" about strategy for the fall.
Dean did not offer an endorsement of Kerry and emerged from the meeting without speaking to reporters. But he later issued a statement describing their conversation as "a very good meeting," saying he would "work closely" with Kerry to beat Bush in November.
Kerry, looking to keep his momentum at full speed, faced something of a jolt when a comment he made -- calling certain Republicans "crooked" -- was captured by the media.
Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, found himself briefly in the spotlight when he appeared to entertain the notion that he could be Kerry's running mate.
But his office later released a statement making it clear that the maverick Republican was not interested in the Democratic running mate slot.
But the day's primary focus on the campaign trail was the economy.
The administration has been under fire over the outsourcing issue since a top White House economist appeared to suggest last month that the migration of jobs overseas was a good thing.
N. Gregory Mankiw, chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, later said his comments were taken out of context. (White House works to defuse criticism on jobs report)
The issue could be critical the election. According to a CNN/USA Today/ Gallup poll released Wednesday, six in 10 Americans say that keeping jobs from going overseas will be a very important issue in their vote for president this November.
Kerry told a gathering of the AFL-CIO in Chicago, Illinois, that Bush is quickly losing support for his agenda.
"It's got to be getting lonely for George Bush. It seems he's the last person left in America who actually believes his failed policies will ever work," Kerry said.
"We have a president who seems content to see the quality of life in America go backwards, not forwards. I'm not."
Kerry traveled to Ohio recently to promise a more aggressive approach to protecting American jobs, including a government requirement that workers be given three months' notice if an employer decides to eliminate a U.S. job in favor of outsourcing it to a cheaper overseas labor market.
He has also promised tougher enforcement of trade laws and has proposed steering government contracts to U.S. firms, ending tax credits that reward American companies that move offshore and providing new tax credits to encourage new manufacturing jobs in the United States.
Ohio went for Bush in the 2000 presidential election by only 4 percentage points, and no Republican has ever won the White House without picking up the state's electoral votes.
Kerry's campaign plans to fight hard for votes in the state, which has lost manufacturing jobs and has an unemployment rate of 6.2 percent -- above the national average of 5.6 percent.
Bush said higher productivity leads to higher wages and makes U.S. products more competitive in the global market.
But he said it also creates economic challenges, because it takes fewer workers to do the same amount of work.
He said it was important for American workers to get the education and training they need to be more productive.
In acknowledging anxiety over manufacturing job losses, outsourcing and rising health and retirement costs, Bush drew a parallel to 15 or 20 years ago, when the rise of the Japanese auto industry had some people predicting the end of the U.S. automotive sector.
Bush noted that 10 percent of Japanese car maker Honda's workforce is in Ohio "because of the quality of our workers," and that companies based overseas employ an estimated 6.4 million Americans.
Bush also extolled the virtue of "free and fair trade" and suggested other steps are necessary to add more vitality to the economy.
He said those include making his 10-year tax-cut package permanent, lowering energy costs, reducing regulation, controlling health care costs and reforming medical malpractice and legal liability.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- President Bush traveled to the battleground state of Ohio Wednesday to defend his economic agenda, which has taken a pounding from Democrats in recent months.
In a speech in Cleveland, Bush said the U.S. economy was changing and that the government had a responsibility "to create an environment that increases more jobs and helps people find the skills to fill those jobs."
Bush took issue with critics who he said have a "tired, defeatist" attitude in supporting higher taxes, more spending and protectionist trade barriers that are "a recipe for economic disaster."
"They never get around to explaining how higher taxes would help create a single job in America, except maybe at the IRS," Bush said.
"They don't explain how closing off markets ... would help the millions of Americans who produce goods for exports or work for foreign companies right here in the United States."
Administration aides said Bush wanted to launch a new explanation -- and defense -- of his economic approach in one of the major industrial states where the debate over trade policy, and so-called "outsourcing" of jobs to lower-wage overseas locations, is most emotional.
On the Democratic campaign trail Sen. John Kerry, the party's presumptive nominee, described Bush's economic policies as failures.
Kerry had a face-to-face meeting Wednesday with one of the rivals he vanquished during the primary season, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, whose supporters and donors he has been trying to woo. He also visited the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee for what DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe called "a great discussion" about strategy for the fall.
Dean did not offer an endorsement of Kerry and emerged from the meeting without speaking to reporters. But he later issued a statement describing their conversation as "a very good meeting," saying he would "work closely" with Kerry to beat Bush in November.
Kerry, looking to keep his momentum at full speed, faced something of a jolt when a comment he made -- calling certain Republicans "crooked" -- was captured by the media.
Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, found himself briefly in the spotlight when he appeared to entertain the notion that he could be Kerry's running mate.
But his office later released a statement making it clear that the maverick Republican was not interested in the Democratic running mate slot.
But the day's primary focus on the campaign trail was the economy.
The administration has been under fire over the outsourcing issue since a top White House economist appeared to suggest last month that the migration of jobs overseas was a good thing.
N. Gregory Mankiw, chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, later said his comments were taken out of context. (White House works to defuse criticism on jobs report)
The issue could be critical the election. According to a CNN/USA Today/ Gallup poll released Wednesday, six in 10 Americans say that keeping jobs from going overseas will be a very important issue in their vote for president this November.
Kerry told a gathering of the AFL-CIO in Chicago, Illinois, that Bush is quickly losing support for his agenda.
"It's got to be getting lonely for George Bush. It seems he's the last person left in America who actually believes his failed policies will ever work," Kerry said.
"We have a president who seems content to see the quality of life in America go backwards, not forwards. I'm not."
Kerry traveled to Ohio recently to promise a more aggressive approach to protecting American jobs, including a government requirement that workers be given three months' notice if an employer decides to eliminate a U.S. job in favor of outsourcing it to a cheaper overseas labor market.
He has also promised tougher enforcement of trade laws and has proposed steering government contracts to U.S. firms, ending tax credits that reward American companies that move offshore and providing new tax credits to encourage new manufacturing jobs in the United States.
Ohio went for Bush in the 2000 presidential election by only 4 percentage points, and no Republican has ever won the White House without picking up the state's electoral votes.
Kerry's campaign plans to fight hard for votes in the state, which has lost manufacturing jobs and has an unemployment rate of 6.2 percent -- above the national average of 5.6 percent.
Bush said higher productivity leads to higher wages and makes U.S. products more competitive in the global market.
But he said it also creates economic challenges, because it takes fewer workers to do the same amount of work.
He said it was important for American workers to get the education and training they need to be more productive.
In acknowledging anxiety over manufacturing job losses, outsourcing and rising health and retirement costs, Bush drew a parallel to 15 or 20 years ago, when the rise of the Japanese auto industry had some people predicting the end of the U.S. automotive sector.
Bush noted that 10 percent of Japanese car maker Honda's workforce is in Ohio "because of the quality of our workers," and that companies based overseas employ an estimated 6.4 million Americans.
Bush also extolled the virtue of "free and fair trade" and suggested other steps are necessary to add more vitality to the economy.
He said those include making his 10-year tax-cut package permanent, lowering energy costs, reducing regulation, controlling health care costs and reforming medical malpractice and legal liability.
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
Bush's ads target conservatives, Hispanics
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Tune in to a NASCAR race on Fox Sports Net sometime soon, and you'll see a political ad praising President Bush. Same for CNN or the Golf Channel or Dennis Miller's new talk show on CNBC.
The first advertising of Bush's re-election campaign begins Thursday, and the multimillion-dollar buy, the cable stations chosen for the spots and the type of ad provide a window on his spring strategy: appeal to the conservative base.
The campaign also looks to make inroads with Hispanics, the nation's fastest-growing minority group.
Bush's approval ratings have dropped steeply after months of criticism by Democrats out to take his job. Campaign officials are directing his ads on national cable channels to energize core supporters and, perhaps, boost his national poll numbers.
At least $4.5 million worth of airtime has been bought on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and other networks for ads over three weeks. Political analysts say it's the first significant advertising buy on national cable stations by a presidential campaign.
About half the buy so far is for airtime on Fox News Channel, which Bush opponents contend reports most favorably on the GOP among the 24-hour news networks, and Fox Sports Net, mostly during NASCAR programs. The sport is watched heavily by white males, many with Southern or rural roots.
The campaign also has indicated to networks that it will place ads on ESPN, watched mainly by 18- to -34-year-old men, and the Golf Channel, where the average viewers are affluent, 45-year-old males.
It also has checked rates on others, including Home and Garden, favored by older, wealthier women, and the History Channel, also popular among men.
Political analysts say advertising through cable TV allows the campaign to target its advertising to specific constituencies and be on the air everywhere, including in states that may not be in play in the election.
"It's a fairly efficient way to engage voters without having to cherry-pick states," said Evan Tracey, president of TNS Media Intelligence/Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks ad spending.
Bush-Cheney advisers say polling shows that Republicans watch less broadcast TV than Democrats, which suggests that the best way to reach the GOP base is to target cable networks with high Republican viewership.
The ads' principal message will be about Bush's "steady leadership in changing and dangerous times." The Bush-Cheney campaign started buying airtime Friday with local broadcast affiliates in at least 50 media markets in 17 states that were competitive in 2000.
The Hispanic vote
The campaign also has made courting Hispanics a major part of its ad strategy. Ads will start next week on Spanish-language networks Univision and Telemundo in markets in New Mexico, Florida, Nevada and Arizona, advisers say.
"President Bush feels that it's very important to reach out to citizens throughout this country who may not have English as their native tongue," said Scott Stanzel, a campaign spokesman. "Our media and advertising campaign will reflect that effort."
Hispanics traditionally have favored the Democratic Party in presidential elections, but support has dropped in recent years. In 1996, 72 percent of Hispanics voted to re-elect President Clinton, versus just 21 percent for Republican Bob Dole. Four years later, Democrat Al Gore won 62 percent of the Hispanic vote compared to 35 percent for Bush.
States with large Hispanic populations, such as Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Florida, were competitive in 2000, with contests being decided by 6 percentage points or fewer. They are considered in play again in 2004.
"If the Republicans take 5 (percent) to 10 percent of the Hispanic vote, they're going to kill the Democrats in those key states," said Joe Velasquez, a Democratic consultant with Moving America Forward, a group trying to mobilize Hispanic voters.
The number of Hispanics in America has more than doubled in the past decade to 35 million, and about 9 million are expected to be registered to vote by November.
As the group has grown, presidential candidates have stepped up efforts to court it using advertising.
In 1996, Clinton and the Democratic Party spent about $1.1 million on such TV ads. Four years later, Bush and the Republican Party poured in an estimated $2.3 million, outspending Gore and the Democratic Party more than 2-to-1, according to the Wisconsin Advertising Project, which tracks ad spending.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Tune in to a NASCAR race on Fox Sports Net sometime soon, and you'll see a political ad praising President Bush. Same for CNN or the Golf Channel or Dennis Miller's new talk show on CNBC.
The first advertising of Bush's re-election campaign begins Thursday, and the multimillion-dollar buy, the cable stations chosen for the spots and the type of ad provide a window on his spring strategy: appeal to the conservative base.
The campaign also looks to make inroads with Hispanics, the nation's fastest-growing minority group.
Bush's approval ratings have dropped steeply after months of criticism by Democrats out to take his job. Campaign officials are directing his ads on national cable channels to energize core supporters and, perhaps, boost his national poll numbers.
At least $4.5 million worth of airtime has been bought on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and other networks for ads over three weeks. Political analysts say it's the first significant advertising buy on national cable stations by a presidential campaign.
About half the buy so far is for airtime on Fox News Channel, which Bush opponents contend reports most favorably on the GOP among the 24-hour news networks, and Fox Sports Net, mostly during NASCAR programs. The sport is watched heavily by white males, many with Southern or rural roots.
The campaign also has indicated to networks that it will place ads on ESPN, watched mainly by 18- to -34-year-old men, and the Golf Channel, where the average viewers are affluent, 45-year-old males.
It also has checked rates on others, including Home and Garden, favored by older, wealthier women, and the History Channel, also popular among men.
Political analysts say advertising through cable TV allows the campaign to target its advertising to specific constituencies and be on the air everywhere, including in states that may not be in play in the election.
"It's a fairly efficient way to engage voters without having to cherry-pick states," said Evan Tracey, president of TNS Media Intelligence/Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks ad spending.
Bush-Cheney advisers say polling shows that Republicans watch less broadcast TV than Democrats, which suggests that the best way to reach the GOP base is to target cable networks with high Republican viewership.
The ads' principal message will be about Bush's "steady leadership in changing and dangerous times." The Bush-Cheney campaign started buying airtime Friday with local broadcast affiliates in at least 50 media markets in 17 states that were competitive in 2000.
The Hispanic vote
The campaign also has made courting Hispanics a major part of its ad strategy. Ads will start next week on Spanish-language networks Univision and Telemundo in markets in New Mexico, Florida, Nevada and Arizona, advisers say.
"President Bush feels that it's very important to reach out to citizens throughout this country who may not have English as their native tongue," said Scott Stanzel, a campaign spokesman. "Our media and advertising campaign will reflect that effort."
Hispanics traditionally have favored the Democratic Party in presidential elections, but support has dropped in recent years. In 1996, 72 percent of Hispanics voted to re-elect President Clinton, versus just 21 percent for Republican Bob Dole. Four years later, Democrat Al Gore won 62 percent of the Hispanic vote compared to 35 percent for Bush.
States with large Hispanic populations, such as Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Florida, were competitive in 2000, with contests being decided by 6 percentage points or fewer. They are considered in play again in 2004.
"If the Republicans take 5 (percent) to 10 percent of the Hispanic vote, they're going to kill the Democrats in those key states," said Joe Velasquez, a Democratic consultant with Moving America Forward, a group trying to mobilize Hispanic voters.
The number of Hispanics in America has more than doubled in the past decade to 35 million, and about 9 million are expected to be registered to vote by November.
As the group has grown, presidential candidates have stepped up efforts to court it using advertising.
In 1996, Clinton and the Democratic Party spent about $1.1 million on such TV ads. Four years later, Bush and the Republican Party poured in an estimated $2.3 million, outspending Gore and the Democratic Party more than 2-to-1, according to the Wisconsin Advertising Project, which tracks ad spending.
Friday, February 27, 2004
Airline explores tolerance for frill-free flying
LONDON, England (AP) -- You got a cheap airline ticket, what else do you want?
Ryanair, Europe's most successful budget airline, is testing the Spartan spirit of its passengers and extending the frontiers of cost-cutting.
It recently announced it will dispense with the plane's window blinds, reclining seats, Velcro-anchored headrest covers and the seat pockets where customers normally find a safety notice and free magazines. The required safety notice will be stitched to the back of each seat.
Ryanair also said it may charge for checked-in luggage, and is switching to leather upholstery because it lasts longer and is easier and cheaper to clean.
Removing such "nonessential extras" from its new Boeing 737s will save Ryanair hundreds of thousands of dollars per plane in the purchase price and the maintenance normally required on broken reclining seats, said Paul Fitzsimmons, the airline's chief spokesman. The goal, he said, is to pass the savings on to its customers.
No matter what carrier you choose, many of the cabin features are set by regulations covering seat belts, environmental-control systems, lighting and the number of doors. Beyond that, an airline is free to decide what amenities, if any, you'll get on board, including toilets, closets and in-flight entertainment.
Theoretically, an airline could abolish toilets and free drinking water on its short flights -- and Ryanair's main competitor in Europe, easyJet, has reduced the number of toilets on its Boeing 737s from three to two, adding another revenue-earning seat.
Toby Nicol, the head of corporate affairs at easyJet, said no one had complained.
"If you don't serve free food on board or show films, you don't have a rush to the toilets with lines outside. On normal flights," Nicol said in an interview, "that happens after dinner and when the film ends."
Cutting comforts
Flights by no-frill carriers in Europe often average about an hour, with the longest being about two and a-half hours.
Ryanair offers its customers no assigned seats, no free food or drinks, no frequent-flyer miles and no help with connecting flights. It flies to secondary airports, has strict baggage weight limits, issues most tickets over the Internet and doesn't use enclosed ramps to take its customers from terminals to airplanes.
Airline analysts said they would be surprised if Ryanair's latest cutbacks cause much griping by customers, who relish the cheap tickets. Given how close the seats already are on most cut-rate airlines, some analysts said tall people could be overjoyed to learn that the person sitting in front won't be crunching their knees.
Michael Boyd of the Boyd Group, an aviation consulting firm in Evergreen, Colorado, said Ryanair and easyJet should be praised for shedding services that planes don't really need, especially on the short flights they specialize in.
"Reclining seats aren't a big deal. People won't notice the missing curtain. The seat pockets often are mostly used by customers as garbage cans," he said.
"I even applaud only two toilets," said Boyd, adding that he wouldn't object if budget airlines began using pay toilets.
Ryanair "is going further than other carriers in Europe have done in taking away the comfort enhancers," said Simon Evans, chief executive of Britain's consumer watchdog for air passengers, the Air Transport Users Council.
"Ryanair has never made any secret of its cost-cutting goals. They say they have given consumers the cheapest possible air traffic, and it's hard to argue with them, given their numbers. They are pushing the boundaries of minimum levels of service. It will be interesting to see how much consumers put up with that," said Evans.
Michael Clarke, an aviation reporter for Travel Weekly in London, said Ryanair may have had little choice but to cut more frills, given two recent setbacks: the European Commission ruled that payments to the airline by government-owned airports were illegal, and the airline fell short of its passenger growth targets.
"Ryanair need to do this. Their whole business model is based on low prices, cutting them below everyone else's," he said. "Their philosophy is what do you expect for a 10 pound ($18.70) fare?"
All three analysts said it could be risky if Ryanair angered customers by charging for carry-on luggage since the expanding cut-rate airline market is getting more competitive.
"You've got to be careful," said Boyd. "Everyone has the highest respect for Ryanair. I applaud it. But you've got to watch your competitors when you reduce your services."
LONDON, England (AP) -- You got a cheap airline ticket, what else do you want?
Ryanair, Europe's most successful budget airline, is testing the Spartan spirit of its passengers and extending the frontiers of cost-cutting.
It recently announced it will dispense with the plane's window blinds, reclining seats, Velcro-anchored headrest covers and the seat pockets where customers normally find a safety notice and free magazines. The required safety notice will be stitched to the back of each seat.
Ryanair also said it may charge for checked-in luggage, and is switching to leather upholstery because it lasts longer and is easier and cheaper to clean.
Removing such "nonessential extras" from its new Boeing 737s will save Ryanair hundreds of thousands of dollars per plane in the purchase price and the maintenance normally required on broken reclining seats, said Paul Fitzsimmons, the airline's chief spokesman. The goal, he said, is to pass the savings on to its customers.
No matter what carrier you choose, many of the cabin features are set by regulations covering seat belts, environmental-control systems, lighting and the number of doors. Beyond that, an airline is free to decide what amenities, if any, you'll get on board, including toilets, closets and in-flight entertainment.
Theoretically, an airline could abolish toilets and free drinking water on its short flights -- and Ryanair's main competitor in Europe, easyJet, has reduced the number of toilets on its Boeing 737s from three to two, adding another revenue-earning seat.
Toby Nicol, the head of corporate affairs at easyJet, said no one had complained.
"If you don't serve free food on board or show films, you don't have a rush to the toilets with lines outside. On normal flights," Nicol said in an interview, "that happens after dinner and when the film ends."
Cutting comforts
Flights by no-frill carriers in Europe often average about an hour, with the longest being about two and a-half hours.
Ryanair offers its customers no assigned seats, no free food or drinks, no frequent-flyer miles and no help with connecting flights. It flies to secondary airports, has strict baggage weight limits, issues most tickets over the Internet and doesn't use enclosed ramps to take its customers from terminals to airplanes.
Airline analysts said they would be surprised if Ryanair's latest cutbacks cause much griping by customers, who relish the cheap tickets. Given how close the seats already are on most cut-rate airlines, some analysts said tall people could be overjoyed to learn that the person sitting in front won't be crunching their knees.
Michael Boyd of the Boyd Group, an aviation consulting firm in Evergreen, Colorado, said Ryanair and easyJet should be praised for shedding services that planes don't really need, especially on the short flights they specialize in.
"Reclining seats aren't a big deal. People won't notice the missing curtain. The seat pockets often are mostly used by customers as garbage cans," he said.
"I even applaud only two toilets," said Boyd, adding that he wouldn't object if budget airlines began using pay toilets.
Ryanair "is going further than other carriers in Europe have done in taking away the comfort enhancers," said Simon Evans, chief executive of Britain's consumer watchdog for air passengers, the Air Transport Users Council.
"Ryanair has never made any secret of its cost-cutting goals. They say they have given consumers the cheapest possible air traffic, and it's hard to argue with them, given their numbers. They are pushing the boundaries of minimum levels of service. It will be interesting to see how much consumers put up with that," said Evans.
Michael Clarke, an aviation reporter for Travel Weekly in London, said Ryanair may have had little choice but to cut more frills, given two recent setbacks: the European Commission ruled that payments to the airline by government-owned airports were illegal, and the airline fell short of its passenger growth targets.
"Ryanair need to do this. Their whole business model is based on low prices, cutting them below everyone else's," he said. "Their philosophy is what do you expect for a 10 pound ($18.70) fare?"
All three analysts said it could be risky if Ryanair angered customers by charging for carry-on luggage since the expanding cut-rate airline market is getting more competitive.
"You've got to be careful," said Boyd. "Everyone has the highest respect for Ryanair. I applaud it. But you've got to watch your competitors when you reduce your services."
