Scoop: Downtown Grass Valley featured in a Bloomberg political ad about “small towns”

A Mike Bloomberg for President political ad called “Small Towns” includes video of downtown Grass Valley, Main Street, and local businesses including the Sierra Starr Winery tasting room and Holbrooke Hotel, Sierra Foothills Report has learned. (You can watch the video below; downtown Grass Valley appears at the 15 second mark).

It is a “feel good” ad that Bloomberg’s team has created for the businessman’s run for President and includes lyrics from John Mellencamp’s song “Small Town.”

“In small town America, dreams hold fast, but good jobs seem like a thing of the past,” says a narrator, while images of small towns (including ours) appear on the screen and Mellencamp’s 1985 hit song plays in the background. “And more and more of our kids have to leave in search of an opportunity, making smaller towns smaller.”

“Mike Bloomberg knows a little something about opportunity,” it continues. “As a business leader and mayor, he created hundreds of thousands of good paying jobs. So he intends to finally invest in our infrastructure and partner with community colleges to prepare the next generation for next generation jobs.”

The ad was posted on Feb. 4 and it has 5.7 million views on YouTube, according to the internet video-sharing platform.

Mellencamp, the “quintessential small town boy,” Indiana native, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and co-founder of Farm Aid, is supporting Bloomberg for President.

The song begins:

“Well I was born in a small town
And I live in a small town
Probably die in a small town
Oh, those small communities.”

“Mellencamp isn’t a stranger to the political arena, or to Bloomberg. The two met while working on the ‘From the Ashes,’ a documentary about the impact of the coal industry on the environment, economy and public health. Mellencamp contributed a song to the soundtrack,” the Indianapolis Star reported.

Bloomberg will join other Democratic candidates on the debate stage in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, and he is expected to face some tough questioning. California’s Presidential primary election is March 3. Let the games begin!

(Hat tip to Jackson Starr for the tip!)