I always enjoy the campaign advertisements on TV. I really enjoyed the first campaign ad that Democratic candidate for Congress Jim Hunt started running. The commercial basically criticizes the work his fellow Democrats, Max Baucus and Jon Tester, have done (or not done).

First, Hunt tells the viewers that, “Washington is not shooting straight with us” and then he tells us, “They let big oil write our energy policy and now Montanans are paying at the pump.”

“Washington is not shooting straight with us” has to include this do-nothing Congress (controlled by the Democrats), and Max Baucus, Jon Tester, and their Congress that has set record after record for the lowest approval ratings ever.

Hunt must have missed all the press releases and comments from the Democrats about the “great” energy bill passed last year by the Democratic-controlled House and Senate. By the way, that’s the same energy policy that both Max Baucus and Jon Tester fully supported. Since that Democratic-sponsored energy bill passed, gas prices have gone through the roof.

Then Hunt tells us that, “Too many Montanans don’t have affordable health care.”

Ouch – that must have hit like a punch in the gut to Max Baucus. Baucus has been “working” on this for 30 years. Now in May 2008, Baucus is telling folks he’ll begin looking into it, “Baucus’ panel begins delving into health care.”

Hunt is correct that too many Montanans don’t have affordable health care, but the problem is more the fault of Max Baucus’ lack of leadership on the issue than anyone.

Hunt says, “I won’t take Congress’ health care until I get it for Montanans first.”

That’s an admirable statement, but will he do without health care entirely? Doubtful. I imagine Hunt may have some form of health care for himself and his dependents due to his 23 years of service in the National Guard, or through his firm. So he might not be sacrificing as much as the wants the viewers to believe.

In the e-mail that accompanied his announcement that his first campaign ad was hitting the airwaves, Hunt wanted his supporters to donate a cool $25k in 25 hours to keep the campaign advertisement up and running. If he gets enough money to do another commercial, I would imagine Baucus and Tester will want to take a look at it, even approve it, before it hits the airwaves – just to ensure they keep the damage to their political careers to a minimum.