The Best And Worst Of The 2014 Midterm Political Ads

07:49

October 16, 2014

Ebola has ratcheted up the tenor of political ads ahead of the midterms. This ad, paid for by the Agenda Project Action Fund, splices imagery of hazmat crews with sound bites of Republicans cutting funding to public health organizations. (Screenshot from Agenda Project Action Fund ad)

With midterm elections three weeks away, it’s political ad season.

This year, things are getting interesting with a couple of fear-mongering ads featuring Ebola.

One ad, paid for by the Agenda Project Action Fund, features Grim Reaper-esque heavy breathing punctuated by gruesome photos of Ebola victims in order to drive home the ad’s point: Republican cuts kill.

NPR’s politics editor Charlie Mahtesian joins Here & Now’s Robin Young about the best and worst political ads this season.

Guest

Charlie Mahtesian, NPR politics editor. He tweets @charlieNPR.

This segment aired on October 16, 2014.