Who's doing the campaigns' PR?
Dave McNeely

Rep. Rick Noriega, D-Houston, who is running for the Democratic nomination for senator, was incorrectly identified in last week's Dave McNeely column as a lieutenant in the Texas National Guard. Noriega is a lieutenant colonel.

GSD&M media guru Roy Spence of Austin, a longtime buddy of Hillary and Bill Clinton, has become more involved in helping Hillary's campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. John McCain's Republican effort is being helped by consultant Mark McKinnon, also of Austin, who handled George W. Bush's TV ads in his 2000 and 2004 presidential campaigns, and his gubernatorial re-election campaign in 1998.

If Clinton and McCain make it to be their parties' nominees, the ideas for the TV ads leading up to the November battle could be coming out of Austin on both sides.

Spence got a call from the former president three days before the New Hampshire primary, asking that he come help out. Spence did, and whether that was the spark or not, Hillary Clinton defied the pollsters' predictions and won that race. It was a much-needed boost after her loss to Barack Obama days earlier in the Iowa caucuses.

Spence is no stranger to political campaigns, even presidential ones. He first met the Clintons when they were handling the Texas Democratic campaign of the presidential ticket of George McGovern and Sargent Shriver.

In 1984, Spence, who did TV ads for former Vice President Walter Mondale's campaign to stave off hard-charging Colorado U. S. Sen. Gary Hart, came up with a classic commercial questioning Hart's experience.

It had a TV camera panning around a blinking red telephone, ostensibly connected to the Kremlin. The ad asked voters whether they wanted a seasoned president to answer that phone when the Soviets called, or someone "unsure . . . unsteady . . . untested."

It worked, and Mondale went on to win the nomination, although he was buried by incumbent President Ronald Reagan in November.

Don't be surprised if something similar is hatched to question Obama's seasoning in contrast to Hillary Clinton.

As for McKinnon, he was the guy who came up with the idea of using videotape of 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry windsurfing back and forth across the screen to depict him as a flip-flopper constantly changing positions. If McCain and Clinton make it to the general election, expect a field day of painting the former First Lady negatively.

However, if Obama winds up as the Democratic nominee, McKinnon may sideline himself, unless he re-searches his soul and gets a different result than he did earlier. McKinnon, who cut his teeth on Democratic political races before hooking up with Bush in 1998, said in late 2006 that he was going to help McCain, but would have problems if McCain was going up against Obama.

"I think Barack Obama is the most interesting persona to appear on the political radar screen in decades," McKinnon was quoted in the New York Times. "He's a walking, talking hope machine, and he may reshape American politics."

In June of 2007, McKinnon told Austin American-Statesman White House correspondent Ken Herman that "If the Democratic nominee is Barack Obama, I will not work in the general election. I will, however, still support and vote for John McCain. I just don't want to work against an Obama candidacy. I think a McCain vs. Obama race would be a great choice for the country."

McKinnon, asked why he likes Obama, said that even though he disagrees with Obama on some issues, like how rapidly to pull troops out of Iraq, "I don't think Barack Obama needs the mirror of politics to reflect who is. I think he has deep character and good judgment. . . . I believe he is honest and independent and if he were elected, I think it would send a great message to the country and the world."

McKinnon declined to say if he'd favor Obama if someone besides McCain were the GOP nominee.

"Too hypothetical," he said.

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The State's Ethics Enforcer . . . . The race is on to replace Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, the Democrat who along with traditional DA duties is the state's chief ethics enforcer, with his Public Integrity Unit. Earle, first elected in 1976, isn't seeking reelection.

Former state Comptroller John Sharp Tuesday endorsed Earle's longtime deputy, Rosemary Lehmburg, who has been with the office since Earle became DA.

"I know top-notch public service when I see it, and I know that Rosemary is ready to take the helm of this critical office," Sharp said. "She is tough, fair, and innovative."

Contact McNeely at dmcneely@austin. rr.com or (512) 458-2963.