05/22/2007

Associated Press

Presidential candidate John Edwards plans to begin airing television commercials in Oregon this week, tapping anti-war sentiment in liberal enclaves that could boost his fundraising and engage core Democratic voters.

The ads, focused on Iraq, are expected to run in heavily Democratic Eugene, Oregon's third largest city, and on local cable stations. The purchase of television time for the ad costs about $20,000, according to a rival campaign. That's a small amount designed to generate media attention and motivate political activists.

Edwards's spokesman Eric Schultz would not comment on the ads.

Strategists outside the campaign saw the hand of Joe Trippi at work in an effort to replicate tactics the Democratic operative used while working on Howard Dean's presidential campaign in 2003. Trippi is now advising the Edwards campaign.

The Edwards campaign has been running some television commercials in Iowa and New Hampshire, more traditional venues for ads because they are early encounters in the presidential nominating contests. Edwards has also been running the ads on his Web site and inviting supporters to enhance them with their own video messages.

He also ran an ad in Washington, D.C., earlier this month demanding that Congress stand up to President Bush's veto of a withdrawal timetable for Iraq. Edwards has been trying to distinguish himself as the main anti-war voice among the leading Democratic candidates.

Oregon has added significance because it is among a number of states considering moving their presidential primaries up to Feb. 5.