If you can't say something nice....

When things are going wrong on your campaign, you have two choices: (1) Try to defend or push back against the attacks, or (2) Change the subject and attack the shit out of our opponenents. Fresh on charges of tresspassing on his ex-wife's lawn (you know the one who he cheated on, telling aides he was going hiking on the Appalachian Trail, meanwhile flying to South America to be with his mistress) and this ad from the DCCC Mark Sanford has a choice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gyc0D4tXg5E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=549fQMhDg-4&feature=youtu.be

Guess he's going with door #2.

Watching the ads the ads back to back like this, I was struck by the subtilty and directness of the ad attacking Sanford.

The Sanford attack feels slightly desperate. I understand they hate unions in South Carolina, but I watched it a couple of times and the Boeing line threw me off (and yes, I know the general situation with Boeing, probably as much as the average voter).

So Sanford is trying to muddy the waters, hey look, she's not your voice, I may be a lying cheater, but I'm going to be your voice. That's the subtext, and frankly the only thing keeping a Democrat in this race his the fact of his lying and cheating. Throwing the Pelosi peice in there also feels odd, again I understand the rationale, but without the context it's just can come across like mudslinging (which is what it actually is).

The message itself isn't bad, but the vehicle for that message feels a little sloppy.