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Campaign Ad Wars: The Cliches of 2010

2 years ago
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Walter Shapiro
Walter Shapiro
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This is the last week that most Americans can turn on their TV sets and be comforted by such familiar cultural touchstones as party-on beer commercials and advertisements for desperate, must-clear-our-inventory car dealers. By Labor Day, it will be all political spots all the time in our biennial celebration of the right to vote – and the hazards to sanity that come with it.
Campaign commercials tend to be about as predictable as Paris Hilton's denials after an arrest. We are all sadly familiar with the security-camera videos, the voice-of-doom narration and the horror-movie music that are the essential ingredients in a 30-second attack ad. But each campaign year, there are updates in the poll-driven formulas as media consultants grope for the right words to sell a problematic product.
Still, the clichés are unavoidable – and provide a window into what this tumultuous campaign year is all about.
So as a masochistic exercise, I watched a random selection of roughly 75 recent campaign ads that I found on the Web sites of Senate and House candidates from both parties who are locked in competitive races. I purposely ignored Web-only ads, which often run to Russian-novel length (as long as three minutes), since they are viewed mostly by political diehards rather than ordinary voters.
At the end of my ordeal -- with my heart racing from my pent-up anger at anyone who has ever set foot in the District of Columbia – I realized that neither party has come up with the break-through 2010 campaign commercial. As media consultants reach into their familiar trick bag, there is still a mismatch between what is being put on television and what general-election voters presumably want after being battered by recession and dispirited by dashed hopes.
Republican Cliché: Washington Destroyed a Booming Bush Economy
GOP campaign ads deliberately foster the impression that the 2008 economic collapse had little to do with Wall Street and had no connection with a Republican president named George W. Bush. "Washington is failing," ominously begins a typical ad aired by Pennsylvania Senate candidate Pat Toomey, who is running against Democrat Joe Sestak. "Bailouts. Takeovers. A stimulus that gave us record debt without creating jobs. Congressman Joe Sestak voted for all of it." Like "The Wizard of Oz," the 30-spot begins in black-and-white and only bursts into radiant color when (guess what?) Pat Toomey appears on the screen to promise, "More jobs. Less government."
This is the ultimate Republican cookie-cutter ad. In the hard-fought Missouri Senate race for a GOP-held open seat, Republican Roy Blunt goes after Robin Carnahan, the Missouri secretary of state, in similar terms.
Using a woman as the voice-over announcer (most GOP attack ads use a similar gender-based technique), the Blunt ad states . . . well . . .bluntly, "Robin Carnahan will say anything to hide her record rubber-stamping the Obama agenda . . . The disastrous stimulus bill? Government-run health care? A new energy tax? Robin Carnahan supports them all. Do you?"
In a race against Democratic incumbent Earl Pomeroy for North Dakota's lone House seat, GOP challenger Rick Berg (who for some bizarre visual reason is standing in what looks like an unfinished basement) launched his first TV ad in mid-August decrying, "Record deficits. Trillion-dollar bailouts. Government-run health care. That's how they run things in Washington."
Democratic Cliché: What Stimulus Package? What Health-Care Bill?
Amnesia is a bipartisan affliction judging from the campaign ads. A classic of the who-me? genre is an early August spot aired by Democratic Senate incumbent Patty Murray in Washington state, who voted for the 2008 bank rescue bill. Running against Republican Dino Rossi, who has never served in Congress, Murray introduces an ad featuring an off-screen male announcer who laments, "Bailouts. Bonuses. Lost savings. Foreclosed homes. Dino Rossi first refused to take a position on Wall Street reform and then had a fund-raiser on Wall Street."
Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, another vulnerable Democratic incumbent, at least accurately portrays his own voting record as he runs for cover against the anti-Washington tide. Doing his own voice-over, Feingold declares in a recent ad, "Unfair trade agreements. Letting Wall Street run wild. From day one I voted against them because they cost Wisconsin families jobs."
Few candidates in either party are as elusive as Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, who is running for re-election to the House from South Dakota as (ssshhh) a Democrat. In a new commercial that hits every populist hot button, she narrates as the ad begins with an airborne view of the prairie, "In Washington, they call this flyover country. They look down from 30,000 feet . . I took on liberal leaders to protect our right to own guns . . .I approve this message because no matter what party is in charge, I do what's right for South Dakota."
Republican Cliché: I'm a Citizen Who Hates Politics
Since long before William Henry Harrison was elected president in 1840 by pretending to have been born in a log cabin and to love hard cider (a precursor to pork rinds), candidates have trumpeted their humble up-from-the-soil roots. But now that Washington is in the cross-hairs, this theme is reaching near comic proportions.
Dino Rossi, the Republican running against Patty Murray, is narrating a gauzy bio spot that begins, "Growing up, I was the youngest of seven raised on a school teacher's salary. I worked my way through college as a janitor waxing floors at the Space Needle. That's why I can't stand what's going on in the United States Senate. They're wasting money on programs that aren't creating jobs." This angry-janitor commercial raises the obvious question: Would Rossi be nearly as mad if he worked his way through college washing dishes in a fraternity or selling encyclopedias door to door?
Ron Johnson, Feingold's GOP challenger in Wisconsin, adroitly plays the just-folks card in one of the rare humorous commercials of this sobering political year. Mocking the standard meet-my-wonderful-family political ads, the Johnson spot features his wife and children ineptly reading testimonials off of unseen cue cards. Halfway through, Johnson bursts in to say, "That's enough. I'm not a professional politician and they're not professional actors. We're just a Wisconsin family worried about our country."
Democratic Cliché: Okay, I'm Not Perfect. But Have You Seen My Opponent?
This is the Harry Reid strategy in Nevada as the unpopular Senate majority leader is waging a scorched-earth campaign against Tea Party favorite Sharron Angle, who makes Republicans like Newt Gingrich seem like the reincarnation of Nelson Rockefeller. Picking up on Angle's incendiary talk about "Second Amendment remedies," the latest Reid spot ends with the tag line, "Sharron Angle. Just Too Extreme."
Colorado Democrat Michael Bennet, who survived a primary challenge after being appointed to the Senate last year, is trying a similar tactic against his conservative GOP rival Ken Buck. After Buck recently won a bruising GOP primary, Bennet unloaded with a new commercial (complete with the obligatory insidious male voice-over) warning about Social Security privatization and asking, "Who is Ken Buck? And does he speak for Colorado?" Even nastier is the new Robin Carnahan ad in Missouri that ends with the tag line, "Roy Blunt, the very worst of Washington."
These are just a few of the clichés in both parties. Republicans are constantly trumpeting their common sense. In Wisconsin, Johnson even appears to claim that it amounts to an economic strategy saying in an ad, "We can bring America back with discipline, hard work and common sense." Or as the narrator puts it in North Carolina Republican Richard Burr's new TV ad, "He's tight with our tax dollars. That's just common sense."
Democrats, in contrast, seem to regard politics as a form of boxing. In the Connecticut Senate race for an open seat, Democrat Richard Blumenthal (one of the few candidates brave enough to wear a white shirt and tie) ends a recent ad with this long-time Democratic trope, "The people of Connecticut know . . . that I will fight for them."
It's all so predictable. It's all so tiresome. And, yikes, it's still only August.
Filed Under: Democrats, Republicans, Economy, Campaigns, Deficit, Unemployment, Tea Party
Tagged: 2010 Elections, 2010 Senate Elections, 2010 Senate Races, Colorado Elections, Colorado Senate Races, Dino Rossi, harry reid, Joe Sestak, Michael Bennet, Missouri Elections, Missouri Senate Races, Nevada Elections, Nevada Senate Races, parish hilton, Pat Toomey, patty murray, Pennsylvania Elections, Pennsylvania Senate Races, richard blumenthal, Robin Carnahan, ron johnson, roy blunt, Russ Feingold, Sharron Angle, Washington Elections, Washington Senate Races, Wisconsin Elections, Wisconsin Senate Races
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34 Comments

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GummiRob

Is this what over 200 years of our political system boils down to? We are reduced to "campaign by smear, fear, sound-bite, and cliche"? I don't want attacks! I want "their real views in the issues!" Stop the agit-prop, the hate-paining, and the race to the bottom. Give We The People what we truly want: your true views on the issues. Then get out of our way, and let us do our job on Election Day! Simple...but not likely. Pity. --RKJ

August 31 2010 at 6:59 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Martin Magnus

What Ron Johnson is playing down is that he like many running for office is a rich (Millionare rich) business person who thinks he can eliminate the political elite from Washington. Apparently, he likes wear his "Patriotism" like his backers in the Tea Party. Unfortunately if he and his follower get the opportunity to gain "power," the middle class of Wisconsin and the country will suffer the same issues that we have gone through from the formation of our country. That is, the "haves" will generate more for themselves and the "havenots" will be pushed further behind. Many of these individuals like to hide behind the Constitution and Thomas Paine. But they fail to realize, our founding Fathers wrote their ideas for themselves, the well to do landowners, (who owned slaves). The lower class whether poor or middle class will never get a true break. The handshake between our government and big business will never let it happen. This is not the ramblings of conspiracy nut, the facts of this are quite open if you read your history of the United States. Ron Johnson is a cold and calculating business owner, he's out for his share of the pie and not the "Mr. Smith, gollygee, nice guy." How many jobs does he outsourse?

August 31 2010 at 3:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
one4reason

When you have no relevant issues.....lies and personal attacks will suffice.

August 31 2010 at 2:57 PM Report abuse +6 rate up rate down Reply
brewrz

Ron Johnson's ad was in direct criticism of Russ Feingold for hiring an actor who was protrayed as someone who benefitted from the stimulus plan. Apparently he couldn't find any real people who benefitted from the stimulus.

August 31 2010 at 2:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ettu

Oh, believe me, the Republicans have not forgotten what caused the meltdown. It is the Libs/Progs/Dems who have never owned up to what they did that caused this mess. We KNOW, we REMEMBER, and the numbers who are enlightened are growing every day.

August 31 2010 at 2:54 PM Report abuse -2 rate up rate down Reply
one4reason

When you vote for candidates who lie, this is what you get: "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." "Saddam has weapons of mass destruction. "It looks like we've turned a corner." Our country has lost it's rudder because the VAST MAJORITY of voters, in this country, would "vote for the DEVIL if he's on MY ticket."

August 31 2010 at 2:51 PM Report abuse +7 rate up rate down Reply
mpcham4011

Trust me as a Wisconsinite, I've been trying to avoid all political ad's for over a month already. With as many retiress as I can remember in a long time in Madison, to the Us Senate seat yikes !! And it will only get worse. The Ron Johnson ad that cracks me up the most is the one where he basically says ' I'm a millionaire, I know better'. Which is sort of funny because Feingold, must not be taking payouts because after 18 years he's only worth $400,000.

August 31 2010 at 2:45 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to mpcham4011's comment
-- Blackbelt Ron

You want a guy who runs his own finances so poorly to run OUR finances! No Thanks! -Good Bye Mr. Feingold -

August 31 2010 at 2:55 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Scottilla

Maintaining two homes and saving $400,000. Oh yeah, he's certainly running his own finances poorly.

August 31 2010 at 3:32 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
richshill

I liked the Ron Johnson ad! "I'm not an actor and neither are they (the family)..." I just want to get elected. Humorous and reasonably straight. It's too bad we can't pass a law requiring straight, honest talk from prospective politicians. How many are actually able to do what they claim in campaign ads? An unsuccessful candidate for US Senator here in Washington state claimed that he knew what God wanted him to do. That's quite a claim!

August 31 2010 at 2:43 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
Alan

What's scary about 2010 is that it looks like we're going to give control of either the House or Senate (maybe both) back to the Republicans. I need to see and hear some definite answers from Republicans to know that things just aren't going back to the way they were. I think the Democrats deserve to lose their majority, but the Republicans need to have a better way to do things. That being said, what really needs to happen is for all of us to work together to get our country back to work. Eliminate wasteful government spending. Reduce pensions and salaries to a level comparable with the private sector. Companies need to (at least temporarily) stop hoarding profits and re-invest in people. It can't be so complicated, can it?

August 31 2010 at 2:12 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Alan's comment
ettu

We all want more than what we have gotten from our politicians. Our only power seems to be at the polling place. We cannot get rid of ANY of them any other way. They would have to commit murder on the big screen before they are drummed out. Even when they are retired in disgrace, we have to continue paying them tremendous amounts in pension and health benefits. Who else gets 100% pension for serving ONE term in Congress. Who else gets LIFETIME GUARANTEED healthcare benefits, when they leave a particular job? This must change. They have granted themselves the best of all worlds, and we have allowed it. If the clock is to be turned back anywhere, it is to bring government employees pay, pensions, and healthcare benefits in line with the private sector. As for companies not hoarding their cash, they aren't the only ones. The uncertainty over what is coming down the road has created this freeze, both at private companies and in the home. Even with the tax credits, and freed up loans from banks, companies are not going to want to borrow, or hire, because they do not know what is coming. This is the fault (perhaps a deliberate cloak of secrecy) of the Obama initiatives which have been carefully timed to not reveal their real costs until much of the 2010 and 2012 elections have taken place. Pretty slick, but not slick enough.

August 31 2010 at 3:02 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
pmbalele

I would love to read interesting phrases and jabs during 2008 pressidential campaign. Did anybody assemble these?

August 31 2010 at 1:45 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to pmbalele's comment
knute9

My favorite foot-in-mouth politician was John McCain's economic adviser, who wrote the "Enron Loophole" bill that deregulate oversight of the energy futures market, former senator Phil Gramm, who stated that "we are in a mental recession" and that "we have become a nation of whiners".

August 31 2010 at 3:10 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply

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