I approve this message

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In American politics, "I approve this message" (sometimes in the past tense, with "authorize" in place of "approve," or with "ad" instead of "message") is a phrase frequently said by candidates for federal office in political advertisements on television and radio in order to comply with the so-called "stand by your ad" provision of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, enacted in 2002, that requires "a statement by the candidate that identifies the candidate and states that the candidate has approved the communication."

The provision was sponsored by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), with the stated intent of discouraging negative campaigning by forcing candidates to associate themselves with their attacks. Wyden has since proposed to extend the requirement to political advertising on the Internet.

The phrase can be said at any point during the ad, but is typically inserted at the beginning or the end. Some perceive the statement to be awkward and to make candidates look foolish; other candidates regard it as an opportunity to affirm or encapsulate the theme of their message: "I'm Howard Dean and I approve this message because it's time to take our country back."

In the 2006 elections, Senator Joseph Lieberman declared "I approve this election" in his acceptance speech, following his successful victory as an Independent candidate.

The phrase is sometimes used humorously in non-political discussion. In the 2004 campaign season, various businesses used this phrase in their ads in order to draw greater attention to themselves.