KCRA 3 AdWatchers GIves Pombo Ad a C- For Truthfulness

KCRA Adwatch: Pombo's Ad Focuses On Gnatcatcher (source)

"In this Adwatch, the focus is on an ad by Rep. Richard Pombo of Tracy, who is running for re-election in next month's primary.

The ad claims Pombo saved lives of U.S. Marines by taking a stand on the gnatcatcher.

To find out if that was true, KCRA 3 took a closer look.

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The ad begins with a dire claim about the Marine Corps' combat training grounds at Camp Pendleton in southern California.

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But KCRA 3's adwatchers have a problem with how this describes that move as "closing" parts of the base.

Swatt said the government's effort does not mean that part of the base was actually closed. It just meant that the military has to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service regarding efforts to protect the gnatcatcher.

So for truthfulness, this ad gets a C-." (More-At-Source)

"In summary, here are the ratings:

Truthfulness: C-
Relevance: B
Substance: C
Effectiveness: B+" (source)