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Friday, August 15, 2008

Barack Obama Campaign Hoping You Don’t Read The Fine Print On Their Television Commercials

Much like Barack Obama himself, The One’s campaign commercials don’t quite hold up under scrutiny.

Maybe you’ve noticed them in some of Sen. Barack Obama’s recent television ads, the small print footnotes at the bottom of the screen as the narrator attacks Sen. John McCain.

They cite newspaper articles, editorials, think tank reports and congressional votes. The print is so small and flashes so quickly, you’d have to freeze the frame to really read them.

But the message behind these barely noticeably source citations is important. They are intended to add credibility and weight to the accusations being made.

In Obama’s case, the source citations are intended to back up the accusations, said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, an expert in political communication from the University of Pennsylvania. But they also help Obama “refute the charge that he’s an empty suit full of empty rhetoric.”

“It’s a tacit refutation that he’s speaking in platitudes,” Jamieson said. “It’s a very clever rhetorical strategy.”

But beware, she said, citations don’t always equal legitimate evidence.

Sometimes cited articles address a topic but don’t fully back up the accusation being made. Or the source cited may have an ideological or political bent.

In short, the citations themselves require scrutiny. And political operatives are betting voters won’t give them any.

To put it another way, Obama’s campaign is hoping Americans are either dumb or not paying enough attention.

Nothing says “change” like a politician trying to pull a fast one on the public, no?

Comments

I guess he knows his sheeple don’t have a TV big enough to be able to read the fine text


Without an honest exchange of ideas, how can a mind grow?

RebTex on August 15, 2008 at 10:04 am
Avatar for Pun

So does EVERY other politcal person running for office. Mcain is far worse is everything else. From telling people he does not run a negative campaign, to saying he is not part of the oil companies, but he still took millions from them!! I think Mcain is FAR FAR FAR worse thatn Obama.

Pun on August 15, 2008 at 11:51 am
Avatar for Texan Across the Pond

Sounds just like the gimmicky car sale ads that end with a voice going at 5X normal speed explaining that what you just heard is a bunch of bunk. Caveat empor, let the voter/buyer beware!

Texan Across the Pond on August 15, 2008 at 01:59 pm

more garbage from the empty suit,,,


Check out:
Goon’s North Dakota Red Neck
Goon’s World

goon on August 15, 2008 at 03:07 pm

Mcain is far worse is everything else.

Were you trying to ask a question here?

From telling people he does not run a negative campaign

Has McCain thrown the race card at Obama?  Face it, Obama is a rookie that doesn’t know what he is doing and would rather throw the race card than give any real “change” or solution.



A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers.

dougee on August 15, 2008 at 06:59 pm

I like how people now call telling truth negative.


Check out:
Goon’s North Dakota Red Neck
Goon’s World

goon on August 15, 2008 at 07:09 pm
Avatar for LMAO

Pun, you don’t think that Obama and everyother person that has run for president hasn’t taken millions from the oil industry????
Since you like Obama then you must love paying sky high payroll taxes and income taxes to the infernal revenue. McCain would not be my first choice but Obama wouldn’t even make the list as a choice. Beware of a wolf in sheeps clothing.

LMAO on August 15, 2008 at 07:13 pm

I like how people now call telling truth negative.

I agree that this is sad goon.  Our society tries to sugarcoat everything (i.e. children’s softball not keeping score now so no one loses).  No one has a backbone anymore.



A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers.

dougee on August 15, 2008 at 07:16 pm
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