Cashing Out

The pro-health care reform and the anti-health care reform groups have drastically scaled back TV ads since Scott Brown won.

One month ago, interest groups on both sides of the health care debate spent more than $1 million per day on television ads, with more than 390,000 ads airing in all of 2009 through today. Now, that spending has dropped off to just "barely" $1 million per week, said Evan Tracey, president of the Campaign Media Analysis group.

Tracey said there was $210 million spent on health care ads in all of 2009 through January. Most of that was in the summer and fall of 2009, and only $12 million was spent in January.

The ads that remain on the air are just a trickle nationally - with a handful of AARP and Conservatives for Patients Rights commercials airing during national cable shows - and the in-state spending targeting specific senators and representatives has dried up, Tracey said.

"This is definitely a big drop. Everybody is catching their breath at the very least," he said.

Both sides may be taking a breather...or it could very well be that both sides are convinced that the battle's already over now and that ads aren't going to make a difference.  I can understand the anti-HCR forces taking five, but seeing the pro-side pack it in when we're "on the two-yard line" or whatever is pretty depressing.

Don't give up the fight, however.