Turnabout

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPyDnEivY1E] Here's something you won't see a lot of this year: A Democrat attacking a Republican for supporting the bailout.

It's kinda interesting.  I really like the opening shot of Robin Carnahan against the flag. Maybe that's the best thing about the ad.

I guess it's not too big of a leap from bailout to getting Wall St money, but it feels a bit like a non sequitur in my opinion.

Well it'll be good to put the Republicans on the defensive about the bailout for a change.

It's hammer time

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-ibawfcsMg&feature=player_embedded] This is a hammer spot, cause it's about as subtle as a hammer.

Straightforward, not overdone, but it'll take some repetition for it to sink in, and eventually it make with enough money behind it. It's what I've called before attrition warfare, just line the armies up and go at it. Pretty typical for political attack ads. Also pretty cheap to produce.

Still I don't think it has the impact per airing that this ad (which I reviewed previously) has:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWrgmT_Vl7Q&feature=player_embedded]

What if they had just listed the amounts without voice over, then cut the quote of him saying he couldn't recall, then the votes. I think they were trying to tease out the beginning of the spot, to get the viewer curious, but I just don't think it works.

A hammer's not subtle, but often times in politics it's not death by 1000 cuts, it's death by 1000 hammer blows. I just wonder if there's not a better way.