BY SANDY THEIS
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
COLUMBUS -- Bob Taft, the Republican candidate for governor, is courting voters in an unusual way: He's being silent.
Mr. Taft became the first statewide candidate to air campaign commercials for the general election when he debuted a 60-second spot Thursday that features video and music, but no words.
Instead, voters will hear music and see footage of Mr. Taft, young children and an American flag -- all in a classroom. The spot ends with a photo of Mr. Taft and a sign that says: "Bob Taft Governor."
"TV is always talking to you. It's always yammering something at you about Monica Lewinsky or the new car that you ought to be buying," explained Taft campaign manager Brian Hicks. "When a spot goes up that does not have somebody announcing a position on something, people will pay attention to it."
It opens today in Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus and Dayton and will begin running in Cincinnati by Monday.
After it runs for what Mr. Hicks called "several days," a voice-over will be added that features both Mr. Taft and an announcer talking. He would not disclose what they will say.
Ohio State University political scientist Herb Asher said the silence, the timing and the length (30-second spots are the norm) make this commercial unusual.
"It seems to me that this kind of commercial works better when the candidate has a reasonably high level of recognition," he said.
During the 1968 presidential race, Hubert Humphrey aired a spot that featured him and his wife, but neither talked, he said. At the time, the electorate was well acquainted with Mr. Humphrey. Although the Taft name is well known, Mr. Asher doubts that many voters outside the Cincinnati area recognize his face.
"If the commercial captures people's attention, and they are wondering why the screen is silent and they are watching imagery they like, that may be a way of building some recognition," he said.
Average voters traditionally do not tune into politics until closer to the November election. Both Mr. Taft and his rival, Democrat Lee Fisher, have been trying to change that.
Public opinion polls show Mr. Taft, who is finishing his second term as Secretary of State, leading Mr. Fisher, Ohio's former attorney general. The lead is deceptive, Mr. Hicks said.
"The polls are based on name ID and Bob has better name ID than Lee right now," Mr. Hicks said.
In addition to a better-known name, Mr. Taft has a larger campaign kitty. TV is traditionally a campaign's biggest expense, and Mr. Taft has opted to spend his money early.
The Fisher campaign downplayed the commercials.
"It doesn't tell the voters anything -- and neither does Bob Taft," said Fisher spokeswoman Judy Barbao.
Over the past several weeks, the Fisher campaign has stepped up its visibility, mainly by offering initiatives to reform managed care.
While initially calling the Fisher plan "too cumbersome," Mr. Taft has endorsed the bulk of it, an endorsement that Fisher aides billed as a testimony to their boss' leadership.
The back-and-forth continued Thursday when Fisher campaign chairman Alan Melamed called on Mr. Taft to retract what he termed "false statements" made in a July 29 fund raising letter.
Signed by Mr. Taft, the letter accuses Mr. Fisher of "unethical" fund-raising from labor unions.
Democrats contend that a quirk in a Republican-written campaign finance law gave them a 12-day window during which they could raise money beyond the $2,500 limits contained in current law. Republican leaders argue the donations are illegal and filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission.
The Taft letter is dated nine days after he signed -- and dared Mr. Fisher to sign -- a pledge to refrain from name-calling and half truths.
Mr. Fisher declined to sign it, noting that both campaigns already have been working with a non-partisan group that is crafting a code of conduct for candidates.
