Campaign ads sometimes seem like more political cartoons.
Metro Graphics
“Saturday Night Live” versus “Law and Order” is the theme for the 2008 race for the White House. With the primaries starting in less than two months and the presidential election now less than a year away, those nauseating campaign rallies and ads are in full force.
There are the ads which only allude to the candidates’ ideas and stances on the issues without ever saying what they actually believe in. Then there are the commercials which critique the current government, who aren’t even running for reelection. And then there are the ads which beg the question, “What were they thinking?”
“The Bush economy is like a trapdoor. Too many families are one pink slip, one missed mortgage payment, one medical diagnosis away from falling through and losing everything.”
Hillary Clinton uses this as the theme for one of her current television spots, saying she advocates change without ever saying what that change will be. Bush-bashing is her political vehicle, not her own ideas.
But it’s not just about overly expensive yet poorly written ads; it’s what they are saying on the campaign trail that we should be listening to.
On Nov. 3 in Spartanburg, Barack Obama gave his “A Change We Can Believe in Speech.” Amongst his ideas for the presidency, he made a few jokes.
“The name Dick Cheney, my cousin, will not appear on the ballot. We had been trying to hide that cousin thing for a long time. Everybody’s got a black sheep in the family and a crazy uncle in the attic.”
Who knew politicians did stand up; I thought they were just syndicated actors who dabbled in politics.
Fred Thompson’s Web site has his own personal video commentaries that he makes while chillin’ at his desk or in the car on the way to a debate. Apparently, he has a permanent microphone attached to his American flag lapel pin.
Candidates also make appearances on Jay Leno. Ron Paul made a recent stop on the “Tonight Show,” a week before the writers guild went on strike I might add.
The candidates are out there trying to make a name for themselves any way they can. At a rally on Nov. 2 at Clemson University, Paul discussed his plans for the presidency. Those plans shocked many in the audience who were unaware of his radical ideas.
There’s Paul’s “mind our own business and spread democracy through a good example” idea for foreign policy and the complete removal of the income tax, department of education and other similar institutions.
But if actually learning about the issues is too much of a hassle, voters can always turn to Mitt Romney’s wife Ann’s Web site to find a good soup or Welsh skillet cake recipe.
CNN’s Web site also offers a game of presidential pong, though it’s not quite as much fun without the beer.
The candidates are reaching out to the country in every way imaginable. From Facebook to YouTube, voters can find almost anything they want to learn about when it comes to the candidates.
They are always looking for support and new ideas for their campaigns. Here’s the latest one compliments of a Ron Paul supporter, “Ron Paul people are beautiful people!” I guess the rest of us are just ugly.
