Being in the Chicago area and it being near a primary, it is unfortunately inevitable that I will have to endure political campaign ads here and there. I'm still waiting for one that doesn't look like a carbon copy of ads that have been run for years with just new words about whoever the person is pasted in.

Here is a campaign ad that is not cookie cutter. It manages to be homophobic, racist and xenophobic all in the span of one minute.

I know most people hate these, but I can't help cracking up at them. They are so over the top.

The only good thing about Election time is The Daily Show mercilessly ripping into the ads.

(On a side note, I totally heard Scudworth's voice when I read the thread title. STAMOS!!)

Oooh. My favorite kind. As far as good ones go, I think my all-time favorites are the ones Russ Feingold puts out. Everything from 2004 is here, plus some from his previous campaigns all the way at the bottom of the page. "Travelogue" (from '98) is probably my favorite quirky one, and "Made in the USA" and "Morph" tie for my favorite serious ones. I'm pretty sure that "Morph" won an industry award, which it completely deserved.

I've seen so many bad ones I can't even begin to count. There's just no excuse for some of the low budget horror shows I've seen in my home state. New Jersey campaigns are made of money, and at the state house level, you can only afford cable time anyway, which is super cheap, so why not spend more on making something that doesn't make the candidate look like a mannequin or a serial killer?

I was raised in a very politically active family and am still engaged by politics, but I cannot abide most political campaign ads. They seem, IMHO, to reflect the very worst aspects of a discourse that has lost all civility.

If I am watching something on DVR or VCR I ff through the ads. If I'm watching 'live', I either change the channel briefly or, more likely, mute the ad. We did this so often during Massachusetts gubernatorial campaign that we ended up dubbing the eventual winner, Mitt Romney, 'Mute' Romney.

If you missed it, Ed Helms and former US Senate candidate Paul Hackett did a brilliant satire of the whole candidate packaging process (including ads) on the Daily show last night.

Thanks, Jersey, for the link to that "Morph" ad. It's so good, it gives me goosebumps and puts tears in my eyes each time I've watched it.

Continental Skiff Boat Oarsmen for Veracity is still one of the funniest things I've ever seen. "Washington cares not a wit for his fellow man. I know. My slave told me."

I realize this makes me a horrible, evil, [insert negative adjective] person, but... every time I see ads for one of the Democratic candidates for NY governor, I collapse in giggles. He's doing the ads himself, see, and, well, he has a rather pronounced lisp. His name? Suozi. He wants my... Support.

Sorry, I'm in Jersey. Yet, I kinda want to watch the primary debate, if there is one. Not because I care about the campaign. No, because the lisping Suozi is running against... Spitzer. Oh, the humanity.

xaxat, that first link you posted was hysterical. I could die happy. (And offended.)

No, you wanna know what the funniest political commerical was? It was one that showed this elder lady, with reddish hair, who was running for something. She's sitting in some kind of conference, and the announcer begins talking about what she *doesn't* do for the people. As the announcer goes on, her smile gets bigger and bigger. Finally, she smirks, and they ask us if we really want to vote for her.

Cracks.My.Shit.Up.

I think around the late 90's, SNL did some scathing commerical parodies. One was..."He's a jew. A dirty, dirty jew." Another one was..."He's an axe murderer. An axe murderer."

It wasn't really an advertisement, but

A month or so ago Toronto commuters riding the GO transit system were repeatedly informed that "Stephen Harper eats babies". It was determined that a hacker had programmed the advertising signs to spool it out.

It spooled the same message over, and over, and over, and over, and over. Gross, eh?

His aide reported later that day that he had never seen Harper ever eat any babies. Which I guess is good news for us. And babies.

Shut the hell up, Rick Perry, soon to be former Governor of Texas (hopefully). I am being bombarded with his tv ads lately, featuring him saying how he has helped Texas schools become even stronger, cut taxes, and something else (I was too enraged by this point to even hear what he was saying).
Texas schools are in the crapper--he had to call multiple special sessions to get the morons to work out a finance program, the state-mandated testing is a joke, teachers are paying even more now for their already crappy health insurance, and the Robin Hood funding program is a nightmare.

I think a two year old could run the state better than Perry ever has. Go Kinky Friedman! Seriously.

I wish I was on one of the trains that had this, that'd be a great picture.
My favourite part was a Toronto Star article with the headline "Stephen Harper does not eat babies, according to GO Transit."

Anyone remember the Rick Lazio/Hillary Clinton race for the New York senate? Lazio started out with all kinds of positive ads about all the great stuff he'd done for New York, while Clinton, not having done anything for New York, was forced to run a strictly negative campaign about Lazio's shady past dealings. Lazio eventually tried to turn this to his advantage, running new ads pointing out the difference in the two campaign styles, but at the same time he changed his slogan to "Hillary Clinton: you just can't trust her," hence going straight to what he was accusing her of.

Wow, I bet every newspaper reader that morning was SO glad they paid a fee for the paper to get hard-hitting stories like that. Pretty funny, though. We all were wondering what his extra girth was all about. Isn't he losing weight again?

I live in Oklahoma. The ad the one of the candidates for Lt. Governor in running is driving me batty. Given that it's in Oklahoma, it may or may not be for a Republican, the Democrats here are rather conservative as well.

It goes on and on about his being a Christian, and his strong pro life stance.

Problem: He's running for Lt. Governor. A position that has zero power to promote any sort of agenda (on any thing, much less abortion), unless the Governor drops dead or is impeached (both have happened in the state, I'll grant). If all you've got going for you is your pro-life position, wouldn't you run for a position where it mattered? The only reason I can see for him to bring it up is if he is in fact a Democrat, and he's trying to get the social conservative yellow dog Democrat vote. If he's a Republican, he's wasting his time and money using that as his only theme, because the number of pro-choice Republican in Oklahoma (like, say, me) is in the low teens percentage wise, so have next to no effect on primaries, much to my disgust.

It just drives me a bit nuts at the lack of logic of it all. He's running on a pro-life platform, but can only do something about it if some dies.

I find it ironic! :)

But seriously, I know very little about US politics, so I searched the National Lt-Gov's Association (NLGA). Apparently, Lt.-Govs hold power in both the executive and legislative branches...that's power! and have a big voice in key policy (Health care, budget, veto), like that.If he's pro-life, he has two places to beat his drums, as it were.

And, a lot of Lt.Gov's become ambassadors or members of the Supreme Court. Not bad jobs if you can get 'em!

Welcome to Oklahoma. The Lt. Governor can do squat here. In theory, he (well, she, as it happens right now) can cast a vote to break a tie in the state senate in her role as President of the senate. This doesn't happen very often given that the current split is 25 Democrats, 23 Republicans, and the Republicans have NEVER had control of the body. From the 1960's the day to day operation of the senate is by the President Pro Tempore, not the Lt. Governor.

As to giving advice, not likely. The gov and the Lt. gov don't belong to the same party right now. The Gov is a more or less pro-choice Democrat, and the Lt. Gov is a more or less pro-life Republican.

Aside from state tourism and film boards, the Lt. Gov isn't even the chairman of any state government committees.

<topic> One of the other persons running for Lt. Gov is a, I kid you not, a used car salesman. His car ads are bad enough, I can't wait to see his political ads. </topic>

Ten bucks says he wears a cowboy hat and sits on a horse. Every. Single. Sleazy. Shuckster in Oklahoma local commercials, wore a cowboy hat and sat on a horse, at least during the five years I lived there.
And they all spoke in soft, gentle, soothing voices, like the creep does in bad horror movies just before he suddenly pounces and eviscerates his victim.

The entire combination just made my skin crawl - even the mute button wasn't enough, somehow it was even worse!

[/quote]

Oh, well, that's that then. I found it interesting, though, how the role of the Lt.-Gov. actually varied from state to state. Your Lt.Gov Fallin did a child-safe thingy though. That counts for something! I think he's going for the long term prizes!



Oh, dear. So that means he'll be yelling in a ADHD-type of voice, and pointing in all directions wildly out to TV land. Hey, don't give up on him yet...maybe he'll give you a bargain or something!


Man I just love driving through the US and seeing those commercials! The car salesman in Canada are boring: usually they're in a 3-piece suit, standing in the parking lot with the cars, inviting you visit. But nothing outstanding.

What I can't get over is that in Oklahoma, they're actually allowed to take children away from gay parents, even if it's a legal adoption. Crazy stuff. But such is these conservative times.

I'm still bummed out that the Rock the Vote campaign for '04 failed. I wish I was a Gen Xer. At least they cared enough to vote in Clinton for '92.

Due to the lovely document that is the Texas Constitution, the LT Gov actually has more "real" power than the governor. The delegates who wrote the document (in 1876!) wanted a weak executive branch, and boy did they get their wish!

website for above
I've missed the majority of the political ads this season. We did have a fairly nasty ad campaign for state rep (the incumbent lost- DUI allegations can do that<He wasn't actually driving, he'd already landed the car off the road when the police got to him>)

I hate computers!

I didn't know there was a Kennedy in Texas politics!

He only wishes he were a Kennedy! Then there were the charges for exposing himself to a massage therapist <he thought he was in a "massage parlor" I guess!>
Our local races usually run billboard and print ads, not commericals. If you all could see the quality of the locally produced tv spots, you'd understand why print is best!

Aw, don't even get me started. Do you also happen to be a millennial? (Gen Yer? Echo Boomer? Member-of-the-generation-that-cares-not-a-whit?)

In Ohio, the candidates have started running some ads. But at least with them you know what the ad is going for ("Vote for me! A candidate that won’t kidnap and kill you!"). The ads that bug me are the ones from bizarre, shady, swift-boaty interest groups where they sort of make weird claims and it's hard to tell what they're exactly pushing or who they're trying to fool. Like those Carbon ones, kinda. They always show up around election time but I never have any idea who they're supporting. Just as well, I guess?

I join you in that hope, emma675. It matters not to me how much actual power he wields as Governor. He is an ass and an embarrassment (as far, far too many Texas Governors have been - yeah, I'm looking at you, Bush).

The commercials are rage-inducing in that his claims of fantastic success are lies and if there were actually been such fantastic things happening, he had nothing to do with them. I'll take Carol or, yes, Kinky any day.

I've been really impressed by the quality of Eliot Spitzer's campaign ads. No attacks, nice production values, works his message in subtly and organically, no screaming or mud-slinging. Quite pleasant, really. The schools one is almost sweet.

This is in stark contrast to my local congressional race, where my incumbent has based his entire campaign around the fact that his opponent's name rhymes with "spender". Doesn't give any evidence that her spending in lower offices was out of line for the area, just, hey, her name is Stender, she's a Spender. It rhymes, so it must be true. It's a pity his name isn't Tucker.

There was an infamously low-down mud-slinging fest of an election for State Supreme Court Justice a few years back, here in Nevada. It got so bad that when the election results came in, "None of the Above" won. Unfortunately, "None of the Above" was not eligible to serve, the seat was given to the runner up.

Unfortunately, they're already campaigning for the November elections here (TN). That means two whole months of every Jeopardy commercial break containing at least one mudslinging ad. Being Tennessee, this means trying to prove "I'm much more of a rabid conservative than you". I'd hate to be a gay alien right now.

It's the same in Alabama. Some of the best ads consist of the voice-over man telling people that one of the candidates is Liberal (the horror!!) and that she evens supports Bill and Hilary Clinton (!!!).

With the way everyone acts in the commercial, you'd think they said she ate babies.

Ah! I know exactly what you are talking about, Twisted Reality. The ads in Alabama are incredibly irritating (it's hard enough being a liberal in this state). I live in Birmingham and I keep seeing ads against Lucy Baxley for governor and they give no reasons to back up any claims in their ads. The one bad thing they say over and over is "She's liberal." The way they say "liberal" pisses me off because just that one word passes for a smear over here. Then they say, "vote for a candidate that supports our family values." I resent the implication that we liberals are automatically morally corrupt and don't have "family values."

ETA: Don't get me started on the ads that coax us to vote for the "Christian candidate" or vote for "Christian values." Just being a Christian is not a platform. Give me some more reasons to vote for you. Again, I despise the implication that those of us who aren't Christians don't have morals and standards. Here's one vote you sure as hell aren't getting.

I really wish Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert would get a hold of the governor ads here and rip both sides new ones. These ads just keep getting more vicious and disgusting and really turns me off even more from the whole political process, which is unfortunate. Now I have to decide which side is less vile.

One of the candidates in our Senate Republican primary (he lost) campaigned on the promise of opposing whatever Hillary did. Nobody asked him what he'd do if Hillary and Teddy Kennedy were on opposite sides of an issue. Ironically, his name was Hilleary.

Ditto New Hampshire... the challenger for governor has based his entire campaign on slinging mud at the popular incumbent without one eensy, teensy hint as to what he thinks he could do any better. He says nothing positive about himself at all, leading me to believe there isn't anything positive to say about him. Needless to say, the current gov will be getting my vote.

As for the state senate positions, I have no particular love for any of the incumbents there, but their challengers are all so mealy-mouthed and unable to string words into coherent sentences in their political ads, I find myself unable to vote for them in good conscience. They may have some good ideas, but they're unable to articulate them, and one guy when asked about his views on developing alternative energy sources basically said that he had some really good ideas but he wasn't going to tell anyone what they were until after he was elected. He'll be waiting a while...

Here in Michigan, we keep getting STUPID ads from both Jennifer Granholm and Dick DeVos. At this point, it's really a race between idiots. But DeVos' commercials infuriate me because they're so damned nonsensical. One commercial in particular grates because, months ago, he blathered about Granholm issuing "negative attacks"--in reality, no Granholm commercials had even aired yet (at least, not in my part of the state). Of course, Granholm keeps going on and on and on and on about how DeVos moved jobs to China. And DeVos goes on and on and on and on about how Granholm hasn't created any new jobs here. And that's nice and all, but neither one seems to have a clue that if they want people to vote for them, they need to make like the Cylons and have a goddamn Plan.

In my neck of the woods, the Challenger in our Senatorial race is, of course, campaigning on the fact that he is NOT THE INCUMBENT.

I know that already. Tell me why you are going to be better for me in Washington than a man who has been there for eighteen years and has built up a heck of a lot of owed favours. The incumbent has CLOUT. I really don't care if his party has disowned him, I vote for whom I think will serve my state best, not who will serve his party best.

The incumbent's ads (so far at least) have been a record of past achievements. I don't mind this. If the challenger gave me a single reason to vote for him other than that he will support the party line on all occasions, then I might seriously consider voting for him. But he hasn't. In fact, a mindless devotion to one party's rhetoric is a pretty strong disincentive to me (and, I suspect, most moderate or Independent voters).

There is also a candidate from the other party running, although I do not know why. I suppose it is traditional...

Well, here in Texas we've got four, count'em FOUR, candidates for governor this year, including one who threatened to sue to have her name listed as "Grandma" on the official voting ballots (don't get me started on that). So we have two times the normal amount of campaign commercials, mudslinging, and what have you.

I may lose my mind before November.

Try living in Ohio. Jeepers Christmas, it is SEPTEMBER, and the ads are not just during the news/Wheel/Jeopardy/WWTBAM hours, but even into prime time! And they are relentless. One after the other after the other.

Can someone just put me into a coma until November 8?

Hmmmm. Capt Clownfish's neck of the woods sounds suspiciously like RI.

At least you have Kinky to keep things interesting.

Here in MN it's pretty quiet, probably because the Gov. race is the only competitive one. The only interesting race is the Congressional 5th race because the prohibitive favorite is a black Muslim and once was a member of the Nation of Islam. So that should make for some interesting TV.

I just moved from the 5th district to the 2nd this year so, I missed out on all the fun. If I was still living in the area I would vote for Alan Fine because A) He's Jewish and more importantly B) Keith Ellison is way leftist. I am very shocked that KE is doing more advertising because of how historically liberal the area is Fine should be campaigning his butt off right now, and there should be a possitive ad for Fine not mentioning the NOI thing that talking point is getting old.

Other MN political ads:
Mike Hatch I love his ads saying "yes, I am a biligerant @ss but a Govenor should be"
Tim Pawlenty Not liking the ads much there boring and too red, according to the polls he has the 18-34 vote locked up well, but he need to reach out to the other age groups his ads.
klobuchar v. Kennedy She is winning because her ads are possitive, take notes Kennedy, it's too early for mud-slinging.
Michelle Bachman looks crazy and Patty Wetterling hasn't even had an ad(that i've seen anyway)

Edited because Shoked is not Shocked

Connecticut, actually, but I understand how all the tiny states can look alike...

Heh. Well, my neck of the woods is Rhode Island. Lincoln Chafee has only been in office since 1999, when his father died. I think we elected him in 2000 because we were hoping he'd be like his dad. He kind of is, except people liked John Chafee.

I haven't seen a single Senate campaign ad here since the primaries. Not one, neither from Chafee nor from Sheldon Whitehouse (what a crappy name). In fact, the only ad I've seen is the same scary one for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Fogarty, who looks like my tenth-grade interim Spanish teacher. I think I saw Patrick Kennedy's ad, but I might have seen it on the local news.

The candidates seem to be banking on incumbency and/or being a Democrat, and don't think advertising is worth the money. This is a strong blue state, but dammit, we love our incumbents. After all, it took a federal rap to get the people in Providence to quit electing Buddy Cianci. Then, just like a blue state, they elected a gay Democrat. That's Rhode Island in a nutshell.

Yes, I was thinking of Lincoln Chaffee and confusing him with his dad. He was targeted by the extreme wing of his party much like Uncle Joe was. It's going to be interesting if Lieberman pulls this out, can he mend fences or will he be ostracized by his own party?

I just saw Wetterling's first ad: it basically went over her career as a child safety advocate, trying to make her seem tough, because that's pretty much the Republican knock against her: she's nice enough, but not tough enough to make it in Washington.

ETA:
I'm a Couch Potato. But I already knew that.

Heh. Latest salvo in our Tennessee senatorial race: Bob Corker claims to be tough on illegal immigration...except when he needs cheap labor! Apparently a construction site for a project he was somehow related to got busted by immigration.

I think I really, really would vote for Bag Of Leaves.

Bag of Leaves and Others

My favorite part is the message across the bottom of the screen at the end "This message paid for by citizens for..."

Oh, and Actinolite, before you settle on Bag of Leaves, you might want to check out Old Relish Packet's platform. I hear he's a war hero.

I know. Living in a "battleground" state (or whatever the hell they're calling it now) sucks. I am avoiding commercials like the plauge right now. It's the only way I'm keeping my sanity until November. I have a DVR and I never watch anything live. So far, I've managed to avoid seeing everything except one Mike DeWine ad. (I was watching TV with my dad and he had the remote.) And even that one time made me want to smash my head against a wall. Or better yet, his.

It doesn't get much funnier than what's going on here in CA, where Arnold the Governator nonetheless seems a safe bet for re-election.

Interestingly, Arnold's campaign ran an ad against the Democratic challenger that quoted another Democrat who lost in the primary. Is this common? Seems pretty ballsy to quote someone who - while he hates your opponent - almost certainly doesn't endorse you.

I hate these ads. What sucks is that neither Corker nor Harold Ford are conservative, at least not socially . But both of them have been sprinting to the right faster than O.J. used to run through airports. So much pandering to the rabid right, which is baffling because I don't think that that subset represents that large of a percentage of voters.

I had actually considered voting for Corker (because he was a great mayor here in Chattanooga) even though I'm a Democrat, but his campaign has pissed me off. Ford isn't winning that many points with me either.

Being a gay liberal (when did that become a slur?) in the south, I'm used to the fact that NO ONE I vote for ever wins.