> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # HOT SEAT: Cable TV ads put incumbent on the spot - URL: https://www.smdp.com/hot-seat-cable-tv-ads-put-incumbent-on-the-spot/ - Published: 2006-10-25T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T21:46:43.000Z - Author: Kevin Herrera - Tags: Community, Pacific Palisades, #archive-import, Homeless, Homelessness *McKeown opponents put feelings on film* CITYWIDE — The hand-held video camera shakes as an elderly woman sitting on a park bench vents her frustration over the number of homeless people living on the streets of Santa Monica. “It’s a disgrace,” she says, with the sounds of children playing in the background. “I haven’t seen this many homeless people in all my life. (The City Council) needs to do something.” Then, the campaign commercial cuts to grainy, black-and-white images of homeless people picking through trash cans and sleeping on sidewalks. A female narrator blasts Councilman Kevin McKeown, charging the candidate with being Attack on the airwaves an enabler who has done nothing to move the homeless off of the streets. The narrator soon charges that McKeown voted to allow the homeless to live in Palisades Park. “Santa Monica cannot afford four more years of Kevin McKeown,” the narrator says, as McKeown’s smiling image gets stamped by a black circle with a line through it. The commercial, now running on CNN, MSNBC, The History Channel and local cable stations, is one of three spots entitled “Santa Monica Stories” that attack the incumbent’s voting record. The spots are paid for by the Edward Thomas Management Company, operators of Shutters on the Beach and Casa del Mar hotels. The company has gone on the offensive in these final weeks of the campaign season to oust McKeown, whom the group feels has been detrimental to the financial health of the city. In addition to the commercials, the company’s manager, Tim DuBois, sent letters to registered voters for the sole purpose of asking them to oust McKeown from office. “My reason for writing to you today is to express our frustration with city policies that make Santa Monica less attractive to visitors as well as those of us who live and work in this wonderful community,” DuBois wrote. “I’m talking about aggressive panhandling, intolerable traffic, poor city planning and a homeless problem that has grown out of control. “Simply put, Councilman McKeown’s actions make Santa Monica less attractive to residents and visitors.” The commercials have drawn criticism from McKeown and his supporters, who call them deceptive and desperate. McKeown, in turn, is using the commercials to support his image as a fighter for working-class residents who opposes the commercialization and exploitation of Santa Monica by big business. “These negative attack ads on TV are a new low for Santa Monica politics,” McKeown said. “No one spends that kind of money without expecting to make it back somehow. The big developers and luxury beach hotels targeting me stand to reap millions by turning our Santa Monica into Miami Beach. “The real reason for their attacks on me is my strong defense of our coast, and of Santa Monica’s human scale and character,” said McKeown. “They know I will fight inappropriate development in Santa Monica.” READY FOR THEIR CLOSE-UPS The TV spots mark a first in Santa Monica, where candidates for local races have traditionally bypassed spending the large sums of money needed to buy air time on television. One 30-second spot can run as much as $700, depending on the channel and the time of day it airs. Political pundits are watching the council race with renewed interest to see how much money will ultimately be spent. “You’ve got a nice little election brewing there,” said Matt Klink, a political consultant with Cerrell Associates, Inc. “It’s a highly competitive atmosphere. For voters to pay attention to candidates, you’ve got to have the resources to do that... There’s the old saying that money is the mother’s milk of politics.You can’t win without it.You will see that play out on election day.” DuBois could not be reached for comment, however, Seth Jacobson, a spokesman for Santa Monicans for Sensible Priorities (SMSP), which has spent in excess of $400,000 in the campaign so far, thanks to strong financial backing from DuBois, said the commercials will run daily until the Nov. 7 election at a total cost of roughly $35,000\. Since the commercials were paid for by DuBois’ company and not the SMSP political action committee, the true cost of the commercials could not be verified. Financial disclosure statements on the City Clerk’s web site detailing contributions and expenditures from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30 show that SMSP has raised $359,000 from Edward Thomas Management, the majority of which has been spent on mailers in support of candidates Bob Holbrook and Terry O’Day, as well as mailers against McKeown. In contrast, McKeown has spent just $126, leaving him with a little over $12,000 to spend, $10,000 of which is coming out of his own pocket in the form of a loan. Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR), the ruling political party in Santa Monica, is backing McKeown and has so far spent $73,562 on slate mailers, canvassing and political consulting, leaving the organization with a little over $72,000 to spend with less than two weeks to go until the election. “I think that it is pretty absurd to spend that kind of money for local television ads attacking other candidates,” said Denny Zane, a co-founder of SMRR. “It certainly can be effective, but Kevin has many friends in this community whose voices will be more effective than the voices of a couple of hotels.” Zane would not discuss SMRR’s campaign strategy, however, the group plans to send more literature to voters, walk precincts and make phone calls to encourage people to get out and vote. TURF BATTLES Jacobson said the commercials and the letter by DuBois were created so that they could reach as many voters as possible and make the greatest impact. Since many mailboxes are already clogged with campaign literature, the best way to make a statement was through a personal letter addressed to each voter, and campaign commercials that can capture a viewer’s attention better than a traditional mailer, Jacobson said. “These are real people, real Santa Monica residents who want to express their concerns,” Jacobson said of the participants featured in the commercials. “This is not an AstroTurf campaign as (some) would think. These are real voters talking about real issues.” The commercials shine a light on homelessness and public safety, specifically, insinuating that McKeown is solely responsible for the considerable down-and-out population in Santa Monica. “The laws against camping are on the books and enforced,” McKeown said. “All I’ve ever done is try to make effective enforcement humane; try to find shelter for those rousted, so they don’t just end up in a residential neighborhood sleeping in someone’s carport. That’s just common sense. Move feedings indoors, I said four years ago. That’s what we’re finally doing.” Jacobson said it’s too little, too late. The commercials also call into question McKeown’s decision to vote against the emergency installation of security cameras on the Santa Monica Pier. That ad looks to portray McKeown as soft on crime. In his defense, McKeown said he did not want to bypass the normal approval process, which included consultation with the Landmarks Commission. McKeown responded that he is very concerned about public safety and has fought for more funding for the police department, which is why he has been endorsed by the Police Officers Association. “I’m not surprised they would endorse an incumbent,” Jacobson said of the association. “It’s in their best interest to do so.” The ads showcase the emerging power of cable television, political pundits said. Now, more than ever, candidates are able to use the medium to their advantage, as advertising rates have dropped while the number of viewers has increased.Candidates have the option of buying only a few spots, running several back-to-back during the final days of the campaign, or sticking to just particular shows and time slots. “Cable is becoming increasingly more popular in local elections because it gives candidates the ability to target voters effectively,”Klink said. “It really speaks to the success cable channels have had in penetrating into all communities. You really get a bang for your buck with cable.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/102506-02_01.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/102506-02_02.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/102506-02_03.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/102506-02_04.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/102506-02_05.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/102506-02_06.jpg) *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 25, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/102506.pdf?ref=smdp.com)