I read this entire thread from last week over at Smash's last night, and something didn't sit right with me, but I couldn't place it until this morning when I watched the ads again.
Many of the commenters said that they approve of President Bush's ads, except for one part. They approve of using footage of the WTC, but they didn't like the two-second clip of firefighters carrying a flag-draped coffin. That was crossing the line to them.
Didn't we have a big debate in our country back in October and November about how President Bush was being sneaky for not letting journalists photograph flag-draped coffins coming home from Iraq? People were outraged that he was "candy-coating" the war and not showing the human price that we've paid. But in his ad, when he shows the human price we paid on the morning of September 11, people say that it's in bad taste?
I don't grok.
I think it's the exact opposite. Intentionally shooting footage of servicemembers' coffins coming home to sway opinion on the war -- and that is indeed what certain journalists wanted to do -- is manipulative. Using footage that's "public domain" from September 11 to represent what happened that day is, in my opinion, appropriate.
And, by the way, when do we get to see Kerry's ads? I wonder if he's cookin' up a good one with flapping Bush and Cheney heads farting on each other and laughing à la Terrance and Phillip. Or a flag-draped coffin from Vietnam. Or one with lots of bleeped-out swear words.
Posted by Sarah at March 12, 2004 07:21 AM"And, by the way, when do we get to see Kerry's ads?"
Whenever he holds an opinion long enough to approve an ad. "Make this for me ... oops, sorry, changed my mind." The ad budget is twice what would be expected, since his staff is working overtime designing ads promoting every conceivable meme from "I'd Shoot Osama? Would Dubya?" to "Je me rends" (it just sounds cooler in French).
"à la Terrance and Phillip"
Glad you can type accents now!
Posted by: Amritas at March 12, 2004 08:38 AMI'm glad you mentioned the coffin issue. It is something I've considered but not been able to write about. Definitely needs to be said.
Not that any of them have problems with hypocricy.
Posted by: Mike at March 12, 2004 12:52 PMYep, yep, and yep. I had a post (OK, a rant) about the ads flap not too long ago and I agree: public domain, etc. Seems like people want to whitewash reality. Dangerous thing to do in these times.
Posted by: topdawg at March 12, 2004 02:00 PM