Incumbents enjoy many perks. Free media attention is one of the most valuable of those, especially during campaign season.
That?s why incumbents ? and their family members ? should not appear in so-called “public service announcements” near election time unless in response to an emergency.
Any other appearances reek of self-interest and abuse the privilege of office.
The legislature recently prohibited tax dollars from being used for advertisements featuring candidates for statewide office, their likeness, voice or name until after the 2006 elections.
A surfeit of public-service announcements prominently featuring Gov. Ehrlich and Comptroller William Donald Schaefer prompted the decision.
But Republican Ehrlich has pole-vaulted over the restriction with a big assist from Democrat Schaefer.
Gov. Ehrlich?s wife, Kendel, and son, Drew, appear in a television ad paid for by the Maryland Retailers Association, touting Maryland?s tax-free shopping week Aug.23 to 27.
On Thursday, Schaefer unveiled the ads, which will run for free on TV and radio stations that decide to air them.
It doesn?t matter that the state did not pay for the ads. Or that it?s the governor?s wife and son and not him who appear.
They give free publicity to Ehrlich, who polls show is running behind Democratic rival Baltimore Mayor Martin O?Malley.
The mayor must pay for his ads.
We know of many aspiring actors who would have gladly pushed a shopping cart full of clothes on television.
Or why not Miss Maryland?
Perhaps the bigger question is why public service announcements exist at all.
Like public bathrooms and public housing, the “public” in public service announcements stands for low quality.
How many children have stopped smoking pot because the president or a rock star told you not to? And why should retailers receive free publicity?
Other advertisers must pay for their spots.
The General Assembly should move to abolish funding them aside from those that make essential public safety announcements.
In the interim, elected officials and their families should choose to pay for their political advertising. It?s only fair.
