Betsy's Page

Thursday, October 26, 2006

That Ford ad

I think that the whole brouhaha over that Ford ad with the girl saying she met Harold Ford at the Playboy party and, at the end, says, "Harold, call me" is really stupid. The ad, which features pretend street interviews with people mocking some of Ford's positions is moderately funny as far as political ads go. However, I don't think that putting in references to his Playboy party visit are all that relevant except for one thing - he denied going to the party and then later admitted that he had. Otherwise, there is nothing wrong with a single man going to a huge party during the Super Bowl. So, why bring it up? It might even make some guys think that Ford is cool. Hey, you go, guy!

However, now the screaming is all about the implied racism of having a white woman playing the Playboy bunny.
Critics asserted that the advertisement was a clear effort to play to racial stereotypes and fears, essentially, playing the race card in an election where Mr. Ford is trying to break a century of history and become the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction.

Hilary Shelton, director of the N.A.A.C.P.’s Washington bureau, said the spot took aim at the sensitivities many Americans still have about interracial dating.

John Geer, a professor at Vanderbilt University and a specialist in political advertising, said that it “is playing to a lot of fears” and “frankly makes the Willie Horton ad look like child’s play.”
Oh, give me a break! No one except the professional race mongers saw this as a play on miscegenation fears. If they had used a black actress, the knock would have been on the implication that a black man could only date a black woman. And, let's face it. Anyone who would vote against Ford because of the implication that he talked to a white woman at a party wasn't going to vote for him anyway. Such a hypothetical racist voter wasn't going to vote for a black man for Senate. So, it would have been a waste for the Republicans to try to sell that message. They were clearly just trying to do a cute little reminder of Ford's disengenuous denial of having gone to a party that he had actually gone to. If all these critics hadn't had a hissy fit, no one would have been thinking about these racial overtones.

I don't know what the political fallout will be from this silly little fuss over the ad. Will the supposed outrage over this bill fire up black voters to come out and support Ford? Weren't they going to be fired up already to vote for the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction? Will there be a backlash against all this super sensitivity that will help Corker? Did the fuss just call more attention to Ford's initial lie about not having gone to the party and damage his Sunday School image? Will people just get fed up with all the minimalization of real political debate. Who knows? It's just dang silly.

posted by Betsy Newmark permalink 6:19 AM 0 comments

Comments:

I think that the whole brouhaha over that Ford ad with the girl saying she met Harold Ford at the Playboy party and, at the end, says, "Harold, call me" is really stupid. The ad, which features pretend street interviews with people mocking some of Ford's positions is moderately funny as far as political ads go. However, I don't think that putting in references to his Playboy party visit are all that relevant except for one thing - he denied going to the party and then later admitted that he had. Otherwise, there is nothing wrong with a single man going to a huge party during the Super Bowl. So, why bring it up? It might even make some guys think that Ford is cool. Hey, you go, guy!

However, now the screaming is all about the implied racism of having a white woman playing the Playboy bunny.

Critics asserted that the advertisement was a clear effort to play to racial stereotypes and fears, essentially, playing the race card in an election where Mr. Ford is trying to break a century of history and become the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction.

Hilary Shelton, director of the N.A.A.C.P.’s Washington bureau, said the spot took aim at the sensitivities many Americans still have about interracial dating.

John Geer, a professor at Vanderbilt University and a specialist in political advertising, said that it “is playing to a lot of fears” and “frankly makes the Willie Horton ad look like child’s play.”

Oh, give me a break! No one except the professional race mongers saw this as a play on miscegenation fears. If they had used a black actress, the knock would have been on the implication that a black man could only date a black woman. And, let's face it. Anyone who would vote against Ford because of the implication that he talked to a white woman at a party wasn't going to vote for him anyway. Such a hypothetical racist voter wasn't going to vote for a black man for Senate. So, it would have been a waste for the Republicans to try to sell that message. They were clearly just trying to do a cute little reminder of Ford's disengenuous denial of having gone to a party that he had actually gone to. If all these critics hadn't had a hissy fit, no one would have been thinking about these racial overtones.

I don't know what the political fallout will be from this silly little fuss over the ad. Will the supposed outrage over this bill fire up black voters to come out and support Ford? Weren't they going to be fired up already to vote for the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction? Will there be a backlash against all this super sensitivity that will help Corker? Did the fuss just call more attention to Ford's initial lie about not having gone to the party and damage his Sunday School image? Will people just get fed up with all the minimalization of real political debate. Who knows? It's just dang silly.

posted by Betsy Newmark permalink 6:19 AM 0 comments

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Thursday, October 26, 2006

That Ford ad

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HOME Betsy neither necessarily uses, nor endorses, the products advertised on this site. The truth about Avesil Cheap Hosting Atlanta Bankruptcy Attorney Dallas Bankruptcy Attorney Wikio Get exclusive travel deals and book discount cheap flights Online Bachelors Degree Comments from an AP history and government teacher in Raleigh, NC. e-mail betsynewmark AT gmail.com Commissions earned from selling items through Amazon will go towards buying materials for my classes. Thank you. Site Feed		Thursday, October 26, 2006 That Ford ad I think that the whole brouhaha over that Ford ad with the girl saying she met Harold Ford at the Playboy party and, at the end, says, "Harold, call me" is really stupid. The ad, which features pretend street interviews with people mocking some of Ford's positions is moderately funny as far as political ads go. However, I don't think that putting in references to his Playboy party visit are all that relevant except for one thing - he denied going to the party and then later admitted that he had. Otherwise, there is nothing wrong with a single man going to a huge party during the Super Bowl. So, why bring it up? It might even make some guys think that Ford is cool. Hey, you go, guy! However, now the screaming is all about the implied racism of having a white woman playing the Playboy bunny. Critics asserted that the advertisement was a clear effort to play to racial stereotypes and fears, essentially, playing the race card in an election where Mr. Ford is trying to break a century of history and become the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction. Hilary Shelton, director of the N.A.A.C.P.’s Washington bureau, said the spot took aim at the sensitivities many Americans still have about interracial dating. John Geer, a professor at Vanderbilt University and a specialist in political advertising, said that it “is playing to a lot of fears” and “frankly makes the Willie Horton ad look like child’s play.” Oh, give me a break! No one except the professional race mongers saw this as a play on miscegenation fears. If they had used a black actress, the knock would have been on the implication that a black man could only date a black woman. And, let's face it. Anyone who would vote against Ford because of the implication that he talked to a white woman at a party wasn't going to vote for him anyway. Such a hypothetical racist voter wasn't going to vote for a black man for Senate. So, it would have been a waste for the Republicans to try to sell that message. They were clearly just trying to do a cute little reminder of Ford's disengenuous denial of having gone to a party that he had actually gone to. If all these critics hadn't had a hissy fit, no one would have been thinking about these racial overtones. I don't know what the political fallout will be from this silly little fuss over the ad. Will the supposed outrage over this bill fire up black voters to come out and support Ford? Weren't they going to be fired up already to vote for the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction? Will there be a backlash against all this super sensitivity that will help Corker? Did the fuss just call more attention to Ford's initial lie about not having gone to the party and damage his Sunday School image? Will people just get fed up with all the minimalization of real political debate. Who knows? It's just dang silly. posted by Betsy Newmark permalink 6:19 AM 0 comments Comments: I think that the whole brouhaha over that Ford ad with the girl saying she met Harold Ford at the Playboy party and, at the end, says, "Harold, call me" is really stupid. The ad, which features pretend street interviews with people mocking some of Ford's positions is moderately funny as far as political ads go. However, I don't think that putting in references to his Playboy party visit are all that relevant except for one thing - he denied going to the party and then later admitted that he had. Otherwise, there is nothing wrong with a single man going to a huge party during the Super Bowl. So, why bring it up? It might even make some guys think that Ford is cool. Hey, you go, guy! However, now the screaming is all about the implied racism of having a white woman playing the Playboy bunny. Critics asserted that the advertisement was a clear effort to play to racial stereotypes and fears, essentially, playing the race card in an election where Mr. Ford is trying to break a century of history and become the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction. Hilary Shelton, director of the N.A.A.C.P.’s Washington bureau, said the spot took aim at the sensitivities many Americans still have about interracial dating. John Geer, a professor at Vanderbilt University and a specialist in political advertising, said that it “is playing to a lot of fears” and “frankly makes the Willie Horton ad look like child’s play.” Oh, give me a break! No one except the professional race mongers saw this as a play on miscegenation fears. If they had used a black actress, the knock would have been on the implication that a black man could only date a black woman. And, let's face it. Anyone who would vote against Ford because of the implication that he talked to a white woman at a party wasn't going to vote for him anyway. Such a hypothetical racist voter wasn't going to vote for a black man for Senate. So, it would have been a waste for the Republicans to try to sell that message. They were clearly just trying to do a cute little reminder of Ford's disengenuous denial of having gone to a party that he had actually gone to. If all these critics hadn't had a hissy fit, no one would have been thinking about these racial overtones. I don't know what the political fallout will be from this silly little fuss over the ad. Will the supposed outrage over this bill fire up black voters to come out and support Ford? Weren't they going to be fired up already to vote for the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction? Will there be a backlash against all this super sensitivity that will help Corker? Did the fuss just call more attention to Ford's initial lie about not having gone to the party and damage his Sunday School image? Will people just get fed up with all the minimalization of real political debate. Who knows? It's just dang silly. posted by Betsy Newmark permalink 6:19 AM 0 comments Comments: Post a Comment