Sunday, January 1, 2012

How Much Hypocrisy Can You Cram Into Thirty Seconds?

Since I don't watch much television, I had missed Scott Walker's latest campaign commercial. But I had received a tip about it so decided to check it out for myself. When I did see it, I was truly amazed at how much hypocrisy he managed to cram into a thirty second spot.

In case you, like me, missed it, here it is:


Like I said, it's so full of hypocrisy and sleazy tactics, I don't even know where to start.

On November 15, when the recall of Walker officially commenced, Walker's neighbors in Wauwatosa opened up their yards to hold a recall petition signing recall rally. Even up to this day, Walker expressed faux outrage, saying that his family shouldn't be exposed to any of this, but now his entire commercial is using his sons and his wife as political human shields! (By the way, if you hadn't noticed, the boys look like they'd rather be anywhere else, especially at the end scene.)

Another thing I was curious about is why Walker has the "paid for" disclaimer so faint and at the beginning of the ad? Is he ashamed of it that he doesn't want people to be aware that this is a political ad? Or is he trying to give it the appearance of being non-political and just a formal holiday well wishing from the governor?

And speaking of holidays, why doesn't anyone mention Christmas in this ad? Tonette says "holiday season." Walker says "blessings of the season." It's a political ad, paid for by his own campaign. He can say whatever he wants in the ad. For someone who made such a stink about it being a Christmas Tree instead of a Holiday Tree, it's rather odd that he won't take pride in his Christianity when he is absolutely free and clear to do so. I thought he was a preacher's son.

But the most egregious part of the ad is where Tonette repeats a running meme for Walker's campaign:
"Our hope is that we can put our differences aside and move forward together."
Excuse me?  After everything that Walker has done to the state and its citizens - putting tens of thousands of people out of work, forcing hundreds of thousands of others into dire financial straits, trashing the economy, trashing the ecology, denying services to more than 10,000 vulnerable disabled people and/or senior citizens for no valid reason, sabotaging the education system, repeated overreaches and insatiable power grabbing, disenfranchising tens of thousands of voters, attacking women and denying them health care - well, you get the idea.  After all that Walker's done, it takes a lot of gall to say we should put our differences aside.

Imagine the reaction that Walker supporters would have if a criminal told the victim, "Oops, my bad. Well, let's move on, shall we?"  They wouldn't tolerate it and there is no reason why we should have to either.

But the state is moving forward, in the sense that the people are taking action to right the wrongs, the next step being the ouster of Scott Walker.

6 comments:

  1. The ad is not only hypocritical, it is deeply cynical and condescending. NOW we should put our differences aside and move forward together? Why not back in February and March of 2011? Walker and his family wish to treat us as if we're children with amnesia.

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  2. Wonder how many of those poor unfortunates that the Walker family is feeding in the video are state workers? The "Walker economy" has many, many victims.

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  3. The ad requires the disclaimer under current law. It clears the way for him to spend some of his war chest on the ad.

    I expect to see more of those type of "required disclaimers."

    A question: Is the house they shot this spot in their house in Tosa or is it the Governor's mansion?

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  4. I believe it's his personal home in Tosa.

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  5. My question is where are the required "hair restraints" when serving food??

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  6. The camera never pans back enough on the "soup kitchen" set up, or whatever it is. The camera shot is WAY too tight to make it believable.

    Should I assume that after serving the people that they all piled into their Saturn sedan, "brown-bagging" it all the way home?

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