Northwest Bans Anti-Nuclear Weapons Ad From Twin Cities Airport

The Union of Concerned Scientists put up two ads in the Minneapolis-St. Paul and Denver airports aimed at the McCain and Obama campaigns to get serious about reducing and ultimately eliminating nuclear weapons from the face of the earth.

The Union of Concerned Scientists is an advocacy group committed to stopping the proliferation of nuclear weapons. They took out an ad in the Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport aimed at Senator John McCain to halt this scourge. A similar ad was placed at the Denver International Airport aimed at Senator Obama. Politico.com reports the following: ''The MSP ad shows an overhead photograph of downtown Minneapolis and says, ''When only one nuclear bomb could destroy a city like Minneapolis...We don't need 6,000.'' According to Elliott Negin, the media director for the Union of Concerned Scientists, this is only one part of a broader advertising campaign aimed at both conventions. The advertising blitz will also include radio spots and smaller ads in bars and restaurants. The UCS group also bought ads during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston and the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City and placed them on the sides of cabs and no problems occurred. The ad at the Twin Cities airport has been up since August 13 and was supposed to remain for a month. Northwest is the official airline of the Republican National Convention. Clear Channel Outdoor is their advertising vendor and the airline ordered that the ad be removed. The Union of Concerned Scientists released an e-mail correspondence between Northwest and Clear Channel. Kathleen Nelson is Northwest's regional director and she asked for the ad to be removed. She took a look at the ad and stated that she could understand why the ad could be scary or offensive to some people. Nelson also said that it was an attack ad against McCain. politico.com reprinted the article from the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Tammy Lee is Northwest's vice president of corporate communications and she sent an e-mail to the Pioneer Press on Monday: ''Out of an abundance of respect for both parties, we will not allow attack ads of either persuasion to be prominently displayed in our concourses. Our customers and employees complained and we responded. We will not be a party to petty political attacks on either side.'' Negin disputes that the ad in the Minneapolis-St.Paul Airport is anti-McCain. The group just wants the presidential candidates to pay attention to the issue. According to Negin, the Union of Concerned Scientists doesn't endorse political candidates. Northwest Airlines flights originate and depart in Concourse G where the ad is located. The airline controls advertising in this part of the airport. Peggie Hardie is the general manager for Clear Channel Airports in Minneapolis. She has asked the UCS to modify the ad and a revised version could be accepted if concerns are satisfactorily met. Negin said that the UCS group is willing to meet with Hardie and discuss the ad but he reiterates that Clear Channel already accepted and posted the ad. Therefore, it should remain up from August 13-September 13. The Metropolitan Airports Commission controls advertising in other parts of the airport. Spokesman Patrick Hogan says that only commercial and non political advertisements are allowed for display.