When It All Ads Up
Yes, I'm back writing this for at least right now. I may not have the time to do this as regularly as I used, but I am going to try to do the best I can, or at least as often as I can. Also, if you haven't already, vote in the poll I put on here before. It's a six way tie right now, your vote, unlike a vote in California, actually matters. I need to decide on some new icons and make them. I might have a run-off vote soon if there is no tie breaker. But, as the title says, there is now another contender for greatest political ad ever. The 1964 campaign saw "Daisy", 1984 saw "Prepared for Peace" and 2008 has given another classic for the ages.
Or, at least, it's great enough to get me back out from my vacation. The problem is, it's been pretty boring in political land. McCain and Obama have been going at each other, more of McCain attacking Obama, but each side is giving what they get. McCain is calling the simple steps Obama recommended to save gas as foolish, even though The Department of Energy recommended them already, marking the first time Democrats en masse agreed with the Bush administration. The Clintons have been sitting things out, with Bill doing all he can to run down Obama without directly insulting him. Obama took an overseas trip, didn't confuse Sunnis and Shi'ites, so that makes it smarter than McCain's trip, so McCain fired back calling him a celebrity. No clue either. After all, celebrities never become politicians. Yeah, all Republicans, enjoy the goodness. The McCain, instead of trying to argue real issues, is resorting to gimmicks, pointless ad hominems and non sequitors to win. In a patently silly ad, McCain compared Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, painting all three as airhead celebrities with no gravitas. Kathy Hilton, mother of Paris and McCain campaign contributor, responded saying the ad was "a waste of time". Paris Hilton posted one of the greatest political ads of all time. Yes, THIS is one of the greatest political ads of all time. And Paris Hilton did it without doing anyone.
It might be a bit of hyperbole to call this the greatest political ad of all time, but it is pretty funny. It is also pretty telling of the current political climate that McCain seems to be misjudging worse than he ever has before. Obama has been either staying on issues or generally putting McCain on the defensive, followed by McCain staying on an issue and putting Obama on the defensive. McCain dared Obama to go overseas to Iraq. He does, and generally knocks it out of the park with foreign leaders. Even when there was a flap over visiting wounded troops, it got explained but McCain still tried to make issue over it. Then, after he was well received by large crowds in Germany, McCain came up with the idea of painting him as another vapid celebrity. After all, Princeton and Harvard grad and President of Harvard Law Review means all hat and no cattle. So, after trying everything else, they paint him next to Paris Hilton. Republicans said it was all good fun and tried to laugh it off. Democrats said it was insulting and compared it to the infamous ad Bob Corker ran against Harold Ford, Jr.. Oddly, Paris seems to have the best attitude about it, take it on headlong and make it look a touch sillier.
If the Republicans' claim that the original ad was all in good fun and just meant to be "enjoyed", then Paris's ad even more so. In her defense, it's not meant to be a serious ad, but yet it does touch on something serious. She does actually propose something halfway sensible when it comes to energy policy. More drilling, but with greater environmental safeguards than previously required, as a stopgap until more alternative energy sources and resources can be tapped into. Of course, the problem is new drilling won't get oil into the market until ten years from now and won't do much to drop the price in oil. So, really, by the time new oil would affect prices, Detroit should be re-tooled for alternative energy cars. But, irrespective of that, she did actually try to further the debate on alternative energy and tax incentives for big automakers to re-tool plants to accommodate. As opposed to McCain who just gave away tire pressure gauges mocking Obama. So, while Paris's ad is some of the finest political humor in the past couple of months, like all great humor, it had a nugget of truth in there.
The unfortunate truth she uncovered, or at least alluded to, was that McCain is more willing to score a cheap political point on Obama than get into a real, protracted debate on a serious policy issue. McCain will paint as a celebrity, Lieberman will paint him as not knowing enough on foreign affairs since he doesn't ant to nuke Iran on day one and other Republicans will do what they can to demean him (like this stunt by the Tennessee Republican Party against Michelle Obama). McCain has all but ceased going after Obama on real points and gone after the punchline. For example, instead of trying to point out that perhaps some drilling could do some good in conjunction with some conservation, he had tire pressure gauges made up. Which people could get for a $25 donation to the McCain campaign. Instead of the old fashioned kind you get a gas station for about a dollar. The McCain campaign has, unfortunately, substituted snappy one liners for the once famous Straight Talk Express. This isn't to say Obama is free of this either, it's just that it was Monday when Obama gave a speech with real policy initiatives, and I can't remember McCain's last policy filled speech; especially if you have to count ones where he's NOT responding to something Obama said or did. So, in lieu of policy, we get punchlines; in lieu of seriousness, we get slapstick.
And to think it's not even the conventions yet.
Or, at least, it's great enough to get me back out from my vacation. The problem is, it's been pretty boring in political land. McCain and Obama have been going at each other, more of McCain attacking Obama, but each side is giving what they get. McCain is calling the simple steps Obama recommended to save gas as foolish, even though The Department of Energy recommended them already, marking the first time Democrats en masse agreed with the Bush administration. The Clintons have been sitting things out, with Bill doing all he can to run down Obama without directly insulting him. Obama took an overseas trip, didn't confuse Sunnis and Shi'ites, so that makes it smarter than McCain's trip, so McCain fired back calling him a celebrity. No clue either. After all, celebrities never become politicians. Yeah, all Republicans, enjoy the goodness. The McCain, instead of trying to argue real issues, is resorting to gimmicks, pointless ad hominems and non sequitors to win. In a patently silly ad, McCain compared Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, painting all three as airhead celebrities with no gravitas. Kathy Hilton, mother of Paris and McCain campaign contributor, responded saying the ad was "a waste of time". Paris Hilton posted one of the greatest political ads of all time. Yes, THIS is one of the greatest political ads of all time. And Paris Hilton did it without doing anyone.
It might be a bit of hyperbole to call this the greatest political ad of all time, but it is pretty funny. It is also pretty telling of the current political climate that McCain seems to be misjudging worse than he ever has before. Obama has been either staying on issues or generally putting McCain on the defensive, followed by McCain staying on an issue and putting Obama on the defensive. McCain dared Obama to go overseas to Iraq. He does, and generally knocks it out of the park with foreign leaders. Even when there was a flap over visiting wounded troops, it got explained but McCain still tried to make issue over it. Then, after he was well received by large crowds in Germany, McCain came up with the idea of painting him as another vapid celebrity. After all, Princeton and Harvard grad and President of Harvard Law Review means all hat and no cattle. So, after trying everything else, they paint him next to Paris Hilton. Republicans said it was all good fun and tried to laugh it off. Democrats said it was insulting and compared it to the infamous ad Bob Corker ran against Harold Ford, Jr.. Oddly, Paris seems to have the best attitude about it, take it on headlong and make it look a touch sillier.
If the Republicans' claim that the original ad was all in good fun and just meant to be "enjoyed", then Paris's ad even more so. In her defense, it's not meant to be a serious ad, but yet it does touch on something serious. She does actually propose something halfway sensible when it comes to energy policy. More drilling, but with greater environmental safeguards than previously required, as a stopgap until more alternative energy sources and resources can be tapped into. Of course, the problem is new drilling won't get oil into the market until ten years from now and won't do much to drop the price in oil. So, really, by the time new oil would affect prices, Detroit should be re-tooled for alternative energy cars. But, irrespective of that, she did actually try to further the debate on alternative energy and tax incentives for big automakers to re-tool plants to accommodate. As opposed to McCain who just gave away tire pressure gauges mocking Obama. So, while Paris's ad is some of the finest political humor in the past couple of months, like all great humor, it had a nugget of truth in there.
The unfortunate truth she uncovered, or at least alluded to, was that McCain is more willing to score a cheap political point on Obama than get into a real, protracted debate on a serious policy issue. McCain will paint as a celebrity, Lieberman will paint him as not knowing enough on foreign affairs since he doesn't ant to nuke Iran on day one and other Republicans will do what they can to demean him (like this stunt by the Tennessee Republican Party against Michelle Obama). McCain has all but ceased going after Obama on real points and gone after the punchline. For example, instead of trying to point out that perhaps some drilling could do some good in conjunction with some conservation, he had tire pressure gauges made up. Which people could get for a $25 donation to the McCain campaign. Instead of the old fashioned kind you get a gas station for about a dollar. The McCain campaign has, unfortunately, substituted snappy one liners for the once famous Straight Talk Express. This isn't to say Obama is free of this either, it's just that it was Monday when Obama gave a speech with real policy initiatives, and I can't remember McCain's last policy filled speech; especially if you have to count ones where he's NOT responding to something Obama said or did. So, in lieu of policy, we get punchlines; in lieu of seriousness, we get slapstick.
And to think it's not even the conventions yet.