Just Walt's Mental Meanderings

Walter Blevins

Walter Blevins
Location
Vista, California, USA
Birthday
August 22
Bio
I'm a 60 year old guy who lives in Vista California with my wife. I spent the 30 years before moving to Cali in Iowa, Wisconsin and North Dakota. And I have 2 grown children, a son and a daughter who live in Nebraska and Iowa and a 22 year old step-daughter lives with us here in Vista. I'm a proud grandpa with 2 grandaughters living in Nebraska. I like to write about a whole variety of things from my kids to cooking to politics to the car industry to my status as a "Cheap Bastid" and "Old Fart" and just random thoughts. And I really love writing about cooking really good, homecooked comfort food cheap. That's why they call me the Cheap Bastid. By the way--all the stuff I write is my stuff and you can't use it without my official OkeyDokey

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FEBRUARY 6, 2012 1:56PM

A New Low in Political Advertising?

Rate: 8 Flag

Here's something I just came across on Yahoo news.  In the world of political advertising the lines between promotion, position, advocacy and just plain tawdry are getting ever more blurred.

 Yesterday's Super Bowl game saw some interesting ads.  One of the most popular was an ad by Chrysler featuring Clint Eastwood talking about Detroit.  It certainly reminded me of one of Eastwood's best ever roles--that of Walt Kowalski, a retired auto worker in Detroit.  Here it is:

But that's not the ad I'm referring to.  Apparently there was another ad run regionally in Michigan for Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra.  What is infuriating some is that it presents an Oriental woman thanking his opponent for being "Debbie Spenditnow" and causing investment and jobs growth in China at the expense of Michigan. 

 Take a look.  Do you find it offensive?  Or is it a clever, no-holds-barred ad in a political campaign.  There's one part of me that thinks this guy is a jackass.  There's another part of me that thinks this ad, if he can get away with it, is brilliant--in a totally pragmatic kind of way.

What do you think?

Author tags:

pete hoekstra, debbie spenditnow, tacky commercial, michigan, u.s. senate campaign

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I came across this a little bit ago on Yahoo. Just wondering what your opinion is.
Walter Blevins
February 06, 2012 02:24 PM
I didnt find Eastwoods too bad and it did have encouraging words but I saw the last one this morning.
US politics at its finest.. argh.
HUGGGGGGGGG
Linda Seccaspina
February 06, 2012 02:29 PM
The Hoekstra ad is certainly race-based.
I did not think the ads were good at all, save the Clint one, which I tht was done quite well bc it is ambiguous and lends itself to both left and right interpretations.

r.
Jonathan Wolfman
February 06, 2012 02:43 PM
Linda--thanks. yeah, like you said US politics at its "finest"

Jonathan--of course Eastwood's ad lends itself to both left and right--it was focused on Detroit and was an ad for Chrysler--continuing the theme from last year but not advocating a specific car like last year's did
Walter Blevins
February 06, 2012 02:50 PM
Walt, in the history of dirty low-down attack ads, that last one was kind of mild, in my opinion. Not sure that it is race-based like another commenter holds. After all, they were talking about China so it follows they wouldn't have an Irish Colleen talking. As for Clint's ad, well I loved it and love it mostly because it spoke to right as well as left and after a few years of reading blogs, I think anything that draws us together is a good thing. God knows there is little of it around today.
David McClain
February 06, 2012 03:03 PM
Walt, I thought the Eastwood ad was a bit of genius but that Hoekstra one was as low as I've seen yet. The kind of mentality that is behind those things is just offensive to me. It's funny, the only time that republicans are worried about racism and class warfare is when the people they attack fight back. If I were an Asian conservative I'd find someone else to vote for.
bobbot
February 06, 2012 03:12 PM
David--thanks. Hoekstra seems to have brought things to a new low--but it tends to appeal to voters in Michigan who have suffered for years from jobs going overseas--but there's no two ways about it, it's racist

Bob--thanks. this guy knows how to hit warm buttons I guess, but it's sure repulsive. Seems like he's saying what some voters are thinking but in a really stereotyped kind of way. He's got a lot of brass and I hope it does a "boomerang" on him and bites him in the butt.
Walter Blevins
February 06, 2012 03:22 PM
He's a damn crook, and I'm not talking about Eastwood. Anyone who would run a commercial like that, has no morals, period!
scanner
February 06, 2012 03:26 PM
The Debbiespenditnow was highly offensive, in so many respects. Every time I think politicians have sunk as low as they can, they sink a little lower.
Erica K
February 06, 2012 03:29 PM
Hoekstra's taking a lot of heat for that ad here in Michigan, where we do have our standards for political mudslinging!
Maria Stuart
February 06, 2012 03:59 PM
I find it offensive on its face and because I don't think it even makes much sense. But it wouldn't surprise me if it's effective. I saw in one of the comments that he's taking some heat. Unfortunately, in today's world that may be just the attention he wants.
jlsathre
February 06, 2012 04:16 PM
Walter, I doubt Hoekstra actually brought politics or political ads to a new low (that would be super-human), but the ad sucked big time. My guess is that any informed individual who saw that ad would be turned off by it…and it may very well backfire on him If so…great, because we got more than enough sleazebags in Washington already, and he is not needed.

The Eastwood commercial was what anyone buying commercial time wants…something that catches the eye. I have no doubt it was meant to pique the interest of political minded people, but as has been noted by several people already, both sides of the aisle can find fodder in it.

Personally, I did not think the ads this year were anything special. The game was a gem…and since I have been a diehard GIANTS fan since 1958…I thought the results were stupendous.

Gonna go into Manhattan for the big victory parade (tomorrow, I think!).
Frank Apisa
February 06, 2012 04:26 PM
A MANNING WON THE SUPERBOWL THIS YEAR!!

~does a victory dance~ :D

Hey, it ain't my fault the dude who took my bet that a Manning would win the Superbowl this year didn't specify, which Manning!! ~:D

Politics? All the same!! Bunch of no good crooks that may have started out legit but...well...something in the DC water turns them strange!! ~nod~

~wanders off into the thorn bushes to spend his winnings~
Tinkerertink69
February 06, 2012 05:30 PM
I really don't find it racially offensive. Who else but a Chinese person would be used to represent China? What's offensive is the point of view of Republicans who want to reduce everything to the lowest common denominator. Who believes they really mean NO spending? Try cutting the military budget to see how they respond!

Lezlie
L in the Southeast
February 06, 2012 05:55 PM
Hoekstra's a racist jackass.

He's ignorant, too. China isn't even first in terms of holding US debt - that honor goes to America itself.

China held, as of May 2011, a truly staggering 8% of US public debt.

Read that again - 8%.

That means 92% is held by...well, other people, I suspect.

So Hoekstra's a racist jackass who's also not very good with numbers.

Or else he's a racist jackass and a bald-faced liar.

Are either of those really appealing choices?
Alan_in_MN
February 06, 2012 06:01 PM
Clint's is very good, appealing to our better angels. With the other, you can tell in an instant that you're being dumbed down and manipulated by someone who thinks it's cute to twist surnames. Not a new low as there's so much awful stuff out there. But it plows the same muck.
Abrawang
February 06, 2012 08:59 PM
Have you heard any of the opinions of someone from Michigan? Would their take be informative?
Chrissie Pissie
February 06, 2012 09:57 PM