Ad Watch

GOP Pushes Bush’s Views on Education in New Commercial

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The Republican National Committee launched this 30-second ad Tuesday featuring GOP presidential candidate George W. Bush. The ad, called “Expect More,” will be aired in 21 states, including California. *

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Producer

Alex Castellanos of National Media.

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The Pictures

Bush speaking to camera. Black and Latino children looking at the camera and surrounding Bush. Students at a commencement.

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The Script

Bush: “If we really want to make sure no child gets left behind in America, we need the courage to raise standards in our schools. We need more accountability and more discipline. And we need to stop promoting failing children to the next grade and giving up on them.”

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Female announcer: “George Bush raised standards. Test scores soared. Texas leads the country in academic improvement.”

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Bush: “It’s easy just to spend more. Let’s start by expecting more.”

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Announcer: “Learn more about the Bush blueprint for accountability, high standards and local control.”

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Accuracy

Many of the issues Bush mentions--such as social promotion and discipline--are the province of local school districts, not the federal govern-ment. As for test scores in Texas, an increasing number of students are passing the state achieve-ment exam, particularly black and Latino students. Still, the cornerstone of the accountability plan that Bush credits was in place before he took office. And Texas scores on national achieve-ment tests are more mixed.

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Analysis

In the ad, Bush downplays the need to spend more money for education, and his spending plans are considerably more modest than those of his Democratic rival, Vice President Al Gore, who wants about $115 billion over 10 years for new teachers, school construction and universal access to preschool. Bush offers much less money. But hoping to increase accountability, he would encourage state testing and allow federal aid for poor students to be converted to public or private school vouchers. Gore, too, has an accountability plan, but it does not include vouchers. The Democratic National Committee has been airing pro-Gore ads in 17 states since early June, but the Republicans had been off the air for three weeks.