Ad watch: Crowley's 'The People'

AD: "The People," David C. Crowley for City Council, produced by Scott Seidewitz. Started Thursday in 30-second and 60-second edits. (Script is for 60-second version.)

SCRIPT: Crowley: "When you enter public office after a lifetime of service, you bring a different perspective to the table. I've already served my country, served my state, even run international relief programs. I'm not looking to run for a higher office. I'm on City Council because I want to serve my hometown, the place where I grew up. From this perspective, I recognize that City Hall is not what's most important in Cincinnati. People who fix up their homes, raise their children here, serve in civic organizations -- they have a bigger impact than anything we do on City Council. What makes Cincinnati great? It's the people who live here and the values they share. As a new mayor and a new council prepare to take office, we need to remind ourselves of this every day. We need to prove that we believe in the people of Cincinnati, and we need to put the interests of the city above the interests of politics. That's what true service and leadership are all about." Male announcer: "A lifetime of service, a lifetime of leadership. Council member David Crowley."

VISUALS: Crowley speaks directly to the camera from his living room. Photos of Crowley appear: in his Navy uniform, with former Gov. Jack Gilligan, standing next to a United Nations relief convoy in Bosnia.

FACT CHECK: The ad doesn't exaggerate Crowley's resume. If anything, it's understated. He's a Navy veteran, was picked by Gilligan to be the first director of the Ohio Department of Aging, and spent 12 years running Catholic relief efforts in West Africa, Nepal, Thailand, Romania, Croatia, and Bosnia.

STRATEGY: At 68, Crowley is the oldest member of a City Council with a median age of 35. When he first ran in 2001, he received endorsements from across the spectrum and came in seventh place; in 2003, he was known more as a liberal and placed ninth. This ad tries to return him to safe, non-ideological territory. The ad isn't flashy or gimmicky -- indeed, it aspires to be just the opposite, portraying Crowley as a mature, thoughtful and deliberative member of City Council.