STFU, Barry
(posted by Daniel Koffler)
Here’s a thoroughly disgusting ad from Barack Obama. I’m hopelessly torn over whether the xenophobia, the protectionism, the promise of subsidies, or the general gutter identity politics is the most noxious element. Christ.
I apologize for not having much to say about the financial system almost collapsing, but as it happens, purely coincidentally but probably timed perfectly, this is the week I’m fleeing the country for Britain. Please let me know if somebody fixes the cracks in America any time soon.
UPDATE: Yeah, ok, it’s the xenophobia that’s worst — the sinister audiovisual framing of the word “foreign.” Really, really contemptible. Next we’ll learn McCain eats arugula and is popular in Germany.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Well Daniel, whether disgusting or not, as a Michigan resident I can tell you it will sell here. I don’t like the underlying them either (I’m a free-trader). But what is the guy supposed to in the face of Rovian wedge campaigning? Pitch softballs?
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:28 pm
The protectionism is Democrat boilerplate. And it sounds like McCain did lie about buying American cars. That was rather stupid of him.
September 24th, 2008 at 1:00 am
Agreed. Dumb ad and all. But frankly I was expecting something a bit more shocking from the way you characterized the ad.
September 24th, 2008 at 2:05 am
Agreed. Dumb ad and all. But frankly I was expecting something a bit more shocking from the way you characterized the ad.
Not dumb, even sorta, in MI; I may disagree with the premise, but it is anything but dumb in this state.
September 24th, 2008 at 4:12 am
OK, for “dumb,” substitute “very mildly evil.”
Still, a lot of Americans do buy Nissans and Toyotas. Are they going to take it as a dig that they are unpatriotic?
September 24th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Butbutbut McCain is insane and will destroy us all and it’ll be all your fault if you don’t vote for OUR SAVIOR OBAMA!!!!
Besides, Germans are icky.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Still, a lot of Americans do buy Nissans and Toyotas. Are they going to take it as a dig that they are unpatriotic?
I viewed the issue not so much as “he buys foreign cars” but “he lied and said he bought all-American.” I’ve owned foreign cars in the past, but I don’t go around bragging “I only ever buy American cars.”
September 24th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I viewed the issue not so much as “he buys foreign cars” but “he lied and said he bought all-American.” I’ve owned foreign cars in the past, but I don’t go around bragging “I only ever buy American cars.”
I drive a Toyota Tercel. But I again say, especially in the Detroit area and in Michigan in general — which has the worst economy of any state other than the gulf states, at least last I checked — this ad is effective. Regardless of how many of us reading and writing HERE think it based on faulty ideology, pandering or whatever.
September 24th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Actually, this ad is quite reasonable.
This ad is quite specifically and explicitly focused on neutralizing McCain’s attempt to present himself as a “buy-American straight-talker”. Unless that clip of McCain is misrepresentative, then Obama only focuses on “buying American” because McCain did.
McCain was the one pandering here.
The only good criticism that I’ve seen rests on whether it is legit to hold McCain responsible for purchases that were made in his wife’s name.
September 24th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
I viewed the issue not so much as “he buys foreign cars” but “he lied and said he bought all-American.” I’ve owned foreign cars in the past, but I don’t go around bragging “I only ever buy American cars.”
I suppose the message being made here is that there isn’t anything wrong with buying foreign, but lying about it to appeal to voters with an anti-foreign attitude just stinks.
Until, of course, you actually watch the ad and see Obama meeting auto workers and appealing to Michigan’s auto-nativist bias. It’s obvious at that point that he does intend to criticize McCain because he is (allegedly) insufficiently protectionist.
September 24th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
It’s obvious at that point that he does intend to criticize McCain because he is (allegedly) insufficiently protectionist.
Agreed, and while I disagree with this position I also know it’s SOP for Democrats, so I don’t blame a Democratic candidate for trying to pander to Democratic voters. But McCain opened the door by telling a fantastically stupid (as in, easy to disprove) lie.
Of course, if the man can’t remember how many houses he owns, it’s quite plausible he can’t remember which countries his cars came from, either. Kinda like the way I can’t tell you, offhand, how many pairs of socks I own.
September 26th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
It’s not a very appealing ad, but why in the world would McCain say what he said (featuring the giveaway word ‘literally’)? Because, my friends, he is and always has been a gigantic fake. McCain Skates.
If Drezner really sees this ad as a reason to vote for McCain, god help him. It takes a lot of education (and now tenure) to be that stupid.