A Weblog of Centrist Voices in American Politics
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A Weblog of Centrist Voices in American Politics | |
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November 30, 2005Truth in AdvertisingMoveOn.org began running an anti-war holiday ad recently. The 30-second ad, which also began running on CNN and cable stations during the Thanksgiving weekend, stated that "150,000 American men and women are stuck in Iraq" this holiday season. Just one little problem--the troops shown in the ad weren't American troops at all. They were British troops, as evidenced by the fact that the trooper in the middle of the picture used was wearing uniform shorts, which isn't U.S. practice. MoveOn can't tell an American soldier from a British soldier, even though the uniforms are different! Apparently somewhere along the line someone at MoveOn.org actually noticed that US troops don't wear uniform shorts, and the "storyboard" version of the ad on the MoveOn donations page was Photoshopped to fix the oversight and cover those damning calves...but the video wasn't fixed. Not that it matters much, as the uniforms were still British uniforms on British troops. CNS is now reporting that MoveOn has pulled the ad entirely from their web site, in all its forms. But Wall St. Journal's Best of the Web has the before & after photos, about halfway down the page. I watched the video clip this afternoon, and can verify that the trooper still appeared in shorts in the video, but was in the camo pants in the storyboard stills on the donations page at that time. Both are now gone from the site. But is it still playing in Peoria? UPDATES "Below the Fold" UPDATE: Yes, it is. The ad is apparently still running, and you can view the broadcast version here as a QuickTime video on the MoveOnPAC website. The doctored photo has vanished. MoveOn continues to beg for donations so they can air ads asking us to bring our British troops home.... UPDATE: For those who lack QT and missed the ad, here's a transcription, with scene cuts marked with asterisks. Stills are noted as "Picture", video noted as video. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Picture: Camera pan Left to Right across dinner table, people holding hands Voiceover: Some folks won't be home this Holiday Season ************ Picture: Camera pan Left to Right across BRITISH field kitchen serving BRITISH soldiers Voiceover: 150,000 American men and women are stuck in Iraq ************ Picture: Bush and Cheney walking outside Voiceover: Their President misled America to send them in and has NO plan to get them out ************ Video: The two women from the dinner table scene, one crying, the other comforting her (and, oddly, smirking) Voiceover: Democrats in Congress are leading ************* Picture: Camera pan Left to Right of turkey and side dishes on table, untouched Voiceover: the way home ************* Screen text AND voiceover as camera pans upward center right from turkey: WHERE ARE THE REPUBLICANS? Voiceover: Tell your representative SUPPORT OUR TROOPS BRING THEM HOME. MoveOn.Org is responsible for the content of this political advertisent. Screentext: CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE (202) 224-3121 --------------------------------------- I'll take 'em at their word. They're completely responsible for the contents of their ad. (From the political pro angle, nice touch with the left-to-right and up-to-right-center camera pans. Subliminal symbolism of moving to the middle, even to right-of-center...) Posted by Tully at November 30, 2005 06:48 PMComments
I didn't see the spot, but what's your point? They wanted to say that 150,000 troops were stuck in Iraq. They happened to show a picture of British Troops, so what? The point is still the same. If you have a problem with the message, grow some gonads and say it. Your criticism is along the lines of criticizing the spelling on a blog post. Posted by: Bill at November 30, 2005 07:02 PMI thought it was humorous. Posted by: c3 at November 30, 2005 07:47 PMI thought it was both hilarious and symptomatic. Maybe moveon is trying to tell us that USA troops should be allowed to wear shorts like the Brits. In the extreme Iraqi heat, maybe a good idea! Posted by: susan at November 30, 2005 08:02 PMTully, that's a real GOTCHA!!! You really showed us how dumb everyone in MoveOn is!!! No need to discuss the merits of having Americans getting blown up in Iraq, how to fight the insurgency, or how to win the war of ideas against radical Islamists. Torture? Hey look, MoveOn showed British troops on the air!!! Posted by: Tex at November 30, 2005 09:10 PMLMAO. I'd edit the trollspam to make them look stupid, but it's really tough to improve on the originals. For anyone who missed the point, yesterday's Best of the Web did the original outing, in response to an email from a three-tour Iraq veteran just back from his latest deployment. They admit to having cleaned up the language a bit: I just got back from my third deployment from Iraq on Friday, and I happened to be at the dentist and saw a completely offensive ad from the idiots at MoveOn.org this morning. Anyway, it is a Bush-bashing ad that pretends to be arguing for American soldiers families as they will miss the holidays and it shows turkey and crying wives and blames Bush for it all. Here is the crucial part of the ad that I would like to bring to your attention. As they pretend to argue on my behalf, they show a group of soldiers standing around a table in the Middle East. OK, it's also pretty funny, but the main point is: If you're going to claim to speak for American soldiers, it would be helpful to know what American soldiers actually look like. Unless they were trying to reach all those Brits in Oxford, Ohio, of course. In which case I stand corrected. ;-) Posted by: Tully at November 30, 2005 09:31 PMYeah, if they want to make W look dumb, just show him in his "Top Gun" suit under the "Mission Accomplished" banner. Posted by: Blue Jean at November 30, 2005 10:30 PMOr they could use this picture from a recent W event. Posted by: Blue Jean at November 30, 2005 10:39 PMSo all of these far left (looking over from the middle left) guys are offended by someone calling MoveOn on what is probably going to undermine their image from the perspective of anyone but the far left. What was the phrase? Grow some balls. If you can't hold MoveOn accountable its no suprise you can't win elections. Posted by: Shloky at December 1, 2005 12:06 AMShloky we on the "far left" aren't offended that some people in MoveOn made a mistake. We're offended that George Bush and his weak-kneed political politicians in both parties made a mistake of invading a country that was never a real significant threat to America. We're offended that the administration supports torturing people, suspending habeas corpus, dropping white phosphorus on cities, running up trillion dollar deficits, and all the other foolish and evil things they've done. Posted by: Tex at December 1, 2005 07:35 AMWhat, Jean? Graduating midshipmen who haven't slept in 72 hours will nap when nothing is going on and they have to wait somewhere sitting down? Stop the presses! (Bush trying to escape through a locked door would be a better pic for your example, but would still be off-topic.) Shloky we on the "far left" aren't offended that some people in MoveOn made a mistake. We're offended that...(yada yada yada) Note the apparent inability to address the thread subject without immediate subject switching, followed by the prompt conflation and inflation of topics. This is called "diversion." (Look Buzz, a spaceship!) We're not supposed to notice. It is, after all, all about Bush. They wanted to say that 150,000 troops were stuck in Iraq. They happened to show a picture of British Troops, so what? The point is still the same. Here's "Bill" doing the same thing from a slightly different angle, pretending to be dense (or actually being dense) and following up with diversionary ad hominem. "Bill" is trying not to notice that MoveOn's "message" was that they were claiming to speak for the troops and their families, to use them as poster children in a pity ploy. Yet they don't even know what American soldiers look like, and aren't concerned enough to actually find pictures of American soldiers. Or maybe they were worried that real American soldiers might have real American lawyers.... The before and after photos demonstrate that MoveOn was not unaware of the problem, and tried to cover it up. Posted by: Tully at December 1, 2005 09:36 AMTex, I'm not seeing the relationship. Where exactly does the conflict lie here? Suppose I or anyone else agreed with everything you say in your 2nd paragraph above about the demerits of the Bush admin. What is it about these views which would preclude one from also acknowledging that MoveOn has embarassed themselves here? If they care deeply about American troops in Iraq, don't you think they could have taken enough care to provide an accurate visual of American troops in Iraq? You know, the actual people whose fate they are claiming to care deeply about. Also, please take care to note that the suggestion by MoveOn's defenders that it doesn't matter suggests something to everyone else about what MoveOn and its defenders really care about most. It suggests that what they really care about is opposing US policy and removing troops from Iraq by any means necessary, while they actually only care about the troops themselves insofar as this is a useful vehicle for reaching their end. Posted by: bk at December 1, 2005 09:44 AMPersonally, I think it's hilarious. But, hey maybe that's just me. And, yup, I thought W trying to escape out of a locked door was funny as well...although maybe not as funny as Gerald Ford banging his head on a door jam, but pretty damn funny. Posted by: AR at December 1, 2005 01:21 PMNote the apparent inability to address the thread subject without immediate subject switching, followed by the prompt conflation and inflation of topics. This is called "diversion." (Look Buzz, a spaceship!) We're not supposed to notice. It is, after all, all about Bush. Yes, I AM trying ot change the subject to the war, the torture, how to fix the complete FUBAR we've made in Iraq. You know, the important stuff. It's pathetic that supposed "centrists" would rather focus on the fact that MoveOn screwed up an ad and embarassed themselves. Posted by: Oberon at December 1, 2005 01:55 PMOh no! I just mixed up my screen names. "Tex" is the leftwing anti-Bush dude. "Oberon" is much more centrist and has a better sense of humor. Rats. Posted by: Oberon at December 1, 2005 01:59 PMLOL. Go with the sense of humor. I mainly posted this because I think it's funny. Like Jimmy Swaggart preaching with his fly open and his Nixon hanging out. Posted by: Tully at December 1, 2005 02:16 PMThis thread inspired me to make my periodic visit to Daily Kos. Their post on a possible challenge to Joe Leiberman lead to this article from the Hartford Courant by David Lightman. This section caught my eye, and I need folks help. "The war in Iraq has all the characteristics of Joe-momentum," said Tom Matzzie, Washington director of MoveOn.org, a liberal, Democratic-leaning activist group, recalling a slogan the senator used unsuccessfully during his 2004 presidential campaign."Democratic-leaning?!? As opposed to what Republican leaning? Socialist Worker Party leaning? Someone help me on that phrase. Posted by: c3 at December 1, 2005 03:57 PM MoveOn.org, a liberal, Democratic-leaning activist group, recalling a slogan the senator used unsuccessfully during his 2004 presidential campaign. "Democratic-leaning?!? ROTFLMAO! I guess that would make Focus on the Family a "conservative, Republican-leaning organization." Posted by: AR at December 1, 2005 04:04 PMDemocratic-leaning?!? As opposed to what Republican leaning? Socialist Worker Party leaning? Someone help me on that phrase. What's wrong with it? Many MoveOn types are much more liberal than the average Dem\. A lot of them think the Democratic party is too centrist, too sell-out, too whatever. They're the ones criticizing the Dems as "Republican-lite." Remember Ralph Nader? Personally I think "liberal activist group" says it all, and the phrase "Democratic-leaning" just detracts from the description. But it doesn't make me laugh out loud either. Posted by: Oberon at December 1, 2005 09:53 PMI dispise the move-on types for this comercial. Its like identity theft. You don't pertend to speak for military famillys when you support the goals of the people the troops are fighting. You don't use the immage of the troops and their famillys to put out a message that most of the troops are opposed to. If the message came from the VA or an organization that has a history or a policy of troop support, fine, good job. Move-on needs to be seen as an imoral oportunistic organization and I will not vote for anyone that they support. Posted by: Bernie at December 1, 2005 10:35 PMYes, Bernie, nobody should be allowed to exploit the military. Except W, of course. By the way, when was the last time he spoke in front of an audience that wasn't enlisted and/or under a signed loyalty oath? What, Jean? Graduating midshipmen who haven't slept in 72 hours will nap when nothing is going on and they have to wait somewhere sitting down? Stop the presses! And where is the evidence that they were awake for 72 hours? I'm afraid I didn't see that in the article. (Bush trying to escape through a locked door would be a better pic for your example, but would still be off-topic.) LOL! See above. Posted by: Blue Jean at December 1, 2005 11:24 PMJean, giving speaches to the military is a diferent animal. The president has a right to try to sell his position on the war to the military, so does move-on. Thats not what this was. I don't have a problem with people selling things, war, anti war, or a bar of soap. Fine, make your pitch, I'll listen, I'll research, and I'll buy it or tell you to pack sand. Its a completely different issue if someone uses your image to try to sell something to someone else. My familly is not a tool for your politics! Posted by: Bernie at December 2, 2005 09:18 AMYou haven't seen evidence, Jean, because you're unaware of how senior midshipmen spend their last week at the Academy--or the rest of that four years. ALL military cadets at ALL our academies are ALWAYS short on sleep. The most prized reward isn't town leave, it's extra rack time. As a zoomie (AFA) of my acquaintance once said "There's plenty of time to sleep, as long as you can do it standing up with your eyes open, paying attention." The schedules call for them to get about 6 hours sleep a night in theory. In practice that's subject to mandatory watchstanding, drills, exercises, and whatever chores or studying they failed to get done during the other 18. And during commissioning week, they're booked solid. It surprises me not at all that a middie (or any other US military academy cadet) will nap when put in a chair for over five minutes without any ordered duty to perform but wait. If they do anything else it would be amazing. Posted by: Tully at December 2, 2005 09:37 AMIf they used "left-leaning" to describe MoveOn you'd simply fall down laughing. They lean so far left they've already fallen over themselves. I titled the post "False Advertising" because that's what it is. They claim to speak for our troops and their families. They do not. Posted by: Tully at December 2, 2005 09:43 AMPersonally I think "liberal activist group" says it all, and the phrase "Democratic-leaning" just detracts from the description. But it doesn't make me laugh out loud either.That does help. Now I see MoveOn's perspective. I assume "leaning" implies a reference point of the "center" (i.e. "leaning from the center toward the Democratic Party") I now surmise that MOveOn's reference point is the "far left" Posted by: c3 at December 2, 2005 07:19 PM |
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