Letters to the Editor
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Does This Say Something About MoveOn, Obama, His Supporters or All of the Above?
I remember when MoveOn did the "Bush in 30 Seconds" contest and I recall genuinely clever advertising. The ad that eventually won that contest was, if I recall correctly, a bunch of kids working horrible, soul-sucking jobs and discussing Bush's mismanagement of the country. This ad, little more than a "talking head" who speaks with clear conviction, doesn't sum up Barack Obama so much as offer one man's testimonial about why his is voting for the man. I don't want to say the ad isn't good, but I do want to say that it is underwhelming.
I wonder if this ad conveys the unintended message that MoveOn isn't able to generate as much heat as it once did. The "Bush in 30 Seconds" contest was heated, very competitive and there were a lot of people who had interesting things to say. Maybe it says something about Obama's supporters (a number which includes me) and our inability to see much beyond our hardcore adoration of the man. Maybe it says something about Obama himself but I am having trouble figuring out what it is beyond "He is good." and, maybe "He plays well with others."
I appreciate what some have said regarding the target of this ad, but I just have a hard time seeing anyone moved by this commercial. Obama's supporters and most Dems are already going to vote for him but is THIS really going to sway people in the middle or get the military to vote for him? I'm not saying they can't be swayed or that they won't end up voting for him, but I just don't see how this particular ad figures in the calculus of having any kind of effect one way or another.