Woo’s First TV Ads Claim Foes Distort Record

Running ahead in early polls but behind in the race to the airwaves, Los Angeles mayoral candidate Michael Woo today will run his first television commercials, including one accusing his opponents of “distorting my record.”

Five other candidates have already aired commercials, including wealthy businessman Richard Riordan, who stepped up his media blitz Wednesday with his third TV ad.

One of the Woo commercials seeks to rebut a Riordan ad that attacks Woo for accepting public funds to finance his campaign.

“My opponents are having a field day distorting my record,” Woo says. Then, shrugging his shoulders, he adds: “I guess it comes with the territory.”

In both ads, Woo pledges to add 1,000 police officers, ban “Saturday night specials” and create jobs if elected mayor. But he offers no specifics in the 30-second spots. In one of the ads, he manages to work in the name of popular Police Chief Willie L. Williams by promising, if elected, to “back up Chief Williams.”

Joe Scott, communications director for Riordan, suggested that Woo was feeling heavy pressure to begin advertising.

“He must be seeing something in his polling that is worrying him,” said Scott, who could provide no poll data to confirm his theory. “I can only assume that he is beginning to feel the heat.”

But Woo campaign manager Vicky Rideout said the campaign had planned to begin advertising this week. “I don’t have any evidence that Michael is slipping in the polls,” she said.

Rideout declined to say how much air time the campaign has bought but said: “We’ll be competitive with everybody else.”

Another mayoral contender, Stan Sanders, will air his first TV ad tonight, with less than five weeks to go before the April 20 election. The spot, which will debut during the NCAA basketball tournament, spotlights Sanders as the first black Rhodes scholar in 50 years.

The ad features a scene from last year’s riots and says: “The politicians turned their backs on us. After the riots, they gave us lip service. . . . It’s time for a new direction.”