In Part 1, we heard Mark Graham talk about how an interview he did with the New York Times turned into an opportunity to do a major political ad against President Trump's re-election bid.
In Part 2, we'll hear from Graham about the video shoot and the reaction he received from the Erie community once the commercial began airing multiple times every day.
After Graham, a Republican, gave a no holds barred interview with the New York Times, a Democratic political action committee knew they had their man to appear in a television ad against the president. The video was shot at Graham's property in Fairview Township.
"It looked like 60 Minutes in my back yard. Two cameras. A mike boom. A guy holding an umbrella,” Graham said.
The ad made Graham one of the most famous people in Erie County. You couldn’t turn on local TV without seeing it. But, Graham did not known just how big the ad campaign would be.
"Had no clue,” he said. “They said can we make a video. They didn't say they were going to make a million dollar buy."
Graham is now getting public criticism on social media about not voting in 2016 after saying in the ad that he did. But, he says public opinion was positive before that news.
"So when this fell in my lap and then the public's response to me personally has been 98% perfect. Good job. Very professional. Good points you made."
Graham says his message about Trump is the same whether he voted in 2016 or not. He hopes people still remember that message. He'll never forget a phone call he recently received from a woman he hadn't seen in years.
"She told me who she was. She goes, 'You're my hero.' Ha. Just because I made that commercial. I'm her hero."
The video was financed by a Democratic political action committee called American Bridge.
Democrats are focusing on Erie County after the county went for Trump in 2016.