At issue here is a political ad I hadn't seen so I'll take the Times' word for the content.
It was a cinematic two-minute commercial featuring Clint Eastwood, an icon of American brawn, likening Chrysler’s comeback to the country’s own economic revival. ...NYT
Shown during the Super Bowl. Eastwood is, well, Eastwood: Dirty Harry, former mayor, and Republican-with-big-money of the California Republicans. He's not a lefty. He's a Republican voter. According to the Times, he "has acknowledged recently having a political change of heart." That may mean the libertarians have got him. On the other hand, just about everyone who isn't a friend of Rove (and probably some who are) are familiar with the feeling that the Republican party has been behaving very, very badly.
In any event, so what! The ad was placed by Chrysler, it was about the comeback of the auto industry and it's an echo of Reagan's "Morning in America" ad back in the '80's. Maybe that's why it has pissed the Republican party off, big time.
Mr. Eastwood, who narrates the new ad and appears among images of molten steel and city streets, says: “How do we come from behind? How do we come together? And how do we win?” He concludes, looking straight into the camera: “This country can’t be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again, and when we do, the world’s going to hear the roar of our engines.” ...NYT
This is seen as outrageous, over-the-top politicking during the Super Bowl. Republicans are furious. As the Times points out, already there have been plenty of ads shown that are unfavorable to Obama -- from Audi, Ford, and Sears, among others.
What does Clint Eastwood say?
“I just want to say that the spin stops with you guys, and there is no spin in that ad. On this I am certain,” Eastwood told Fox News, in a statement read on-air by Bill O’Reilly. “I am certainly not politically affiliated with Mr. Obama. It was meant to be a message about job growth and the spirit of America. I think all politicians will agree with it. I thought the spirit was OK.”
He added, “If Obama or any other politician wants to run with the spirit of that ad, go for it.” ...WaPo
Which makes the Republicans look even worse than even ol' Clint may have been seeing them lately. I get the feeling that Karl Rove, et al., would like us to believe that ads should only serve the Republican party and -- watch out -- once that party has control of all branches of government, they will work to achieve total control of your mind and mine.
On the other hand, some Republicans are a little surprised at the party's hysteria about the Chrysler ad.
Even some Republican advertising strategists said they failed to make the political connection to Mr. Obama.
“To the extent that anything that sounds good about the economy might also sound good for the president is an outcome,” said Steve Grand, who creates ads for Republican candidates and political groups. “But I don’t think that was the intention.”
Mark McKinnon, Mr. Bush’s former advertising strategist, noted that the ad’s message was ambiguous enough that it could be construed as helping Mr. Romney. “It’s half time in America,” he said. “And we are way behind, and we need a new quarterback.” ...NYT
The average American probably sees the Republican party's protests as, well, just another annoying aspect of a party whose main role, for three solid years, has been as the loud and constant spoiler during a time when a little optimism and some signs of respect for what many Americans have been going through would have been welcome.
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