A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....09-14-04....Presidents for Sale

Billie

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

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I found this article, "Presidents for Sale" written by Stephen Battaglio, in a recent issue of TV Guide, and thought it would be interesting to look back at some of the television ads of a few of our past Presidents. I followed a link in the article to http://www.movingimage.us , where one can view the full ads of the candidates - as opposed to the still images I posted below - for as far back as the first TV spot in 1952.

Mr. Battaglio begins with:

"'To think that an old soldier should come to this,' Dwight D. Eisenhower said while filming the first presidential campaign TV spot in 1952. But after he won, candidates have regularly called on Madison Avenue for help."

"An online exhibit from the American Museum of the Moving image called 'The Living Room Candidate' shows the wily work of all the presidents' admen. Here are some of the highlights."

Below are excerpts of Mr. Battaglio's article, citing some of the more memorable campaign ads of Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, and Bush (Senior).

The young, handsome Massachusetts senator's commercials used documentary-style footage culled from rallies and speeches that played to his strengths as a public speaker. "John F. Kennedy's campaign was really onto the importance of television in terms of onveying personality," says David Schwartz, the museum's chief curator of film. Until Kennedy came along, commercials with politicians talking to voters looked stiff and staged.

The ad showing a little girl plucking daisy petals in a countdown that ends with a nuclear explosion and mushroom cloud didn't even mention President Lyndon B. Johnson's opponent, Sen. Barry Goldwater. But viewers knew it meant Goldwater had no qualms about using the bomb. "Daisy Girl" became the most talked-about political ad ever made - even though Johnson only paid to run it once. When Republicans cried foul, the spot was pulled. But news shows ran it frequently. "Nobody has ever topped it," says Schwartz.

Based on his campaign commercials, President Nixon didn't need anyone to break into the Watergate Hotel in order to get reelected. "Richard Nixon really mastered the use of television after learning his lesson in 1960," says Schwartz. Nixon's attack ads against George McGovern employed simple visuals, such as a hand wiping away toy soldiers, planes and ships to depict the candidate's proposed defense spending cuts. Another showed a hard hat looking down at pedestrians - half of whom would be welfare recipients under a McGovern plan. "They're some of the best ads I've ever seen," says CNN senior analyst and former political consultant Jeff Greenfield. "And, given how Nixon ended his career, it seems odd that the ads were accurate."

Campaign ads are now packed with so much information that "they're like video news releases," says Deutsch. But President Reagan's reelection ad team made its point about American preparedness against the threat of Soviet nukes just by showing a bear ominously wandering through the woods (voice-over: "Isn't it smart to be as strong as the bear?"). "One of the most inventive ads ever," says Greenfield. "It never talked about what it was about. The political ad guys today are afraid of being too clever."

The senior Bush's campaign commercial with prisoners robotically going through a revolving door referred to - but did not name - Willie Horton, a Massachusetts convict who committed serious crimes while free on a experimental state furlough program. But on the campaign trail, Bush had made Horton a poster boy for his view that Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis was soft on crime, so viewers got the message. Bush's negative ads against Dukakis were so tough - and effective - that political reporters have put campaign commercials under greater scrutiny ever since. "Every day in the New York Times, they are critiquing ads that ran the night before," says Deutsch.

Mr. Battaglio didn't address any campaign ads after 1988,
so feel free to add your own personal favorites.

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[Billie]

[mrsmel]

It's funny-strange how the ads and cosmetics of the campaigns seem to be more "touchy-feely" and bland,even as the campaigns have gotten dirtier,especially on the 'rat side.

[Billie]

Good morning, and welcome to A Few of FR's Finest. Today we're looking at some memorable campaign ads from the past. You'll remember some of the more controversial ones, I'm sure!

[The Mayor]

September 14, 2004

Jesus' Very Own Peace

Read: Matthew 16:21-23

My peace I give you. —John 14:27

Bible In One Year: Proverbs 19-21; 2 Corinthians 7

---

On the eve of the execution of Christian martyr Nicholas Ridley (1500-1555), his brother offered to stay with him in the prison to be of comfort. Ridley declined, saying that he planned to sleep as soundly as usual. Because he knew the peace of Jesus, he could rest in his Lord.

The next morning, Ridley told a fellow Christian who was also being executed, "Be of good heart, brother, for God will either assuage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it." Then they knelt and prayed by the stake and, after a brief conversation, were burned to death for their faith.

Jesus had given Nicholas Ridley His peace (John 14:27). But what kind of peace did Jesus have? In Matthew 16:21-23, we see His peace in His determination to go to Jerusalem even though He knew He would suffer and die (see Luke 9:51). Peter rebuked Him, but Jesus trusted His Father and went to the cross. His purpose for living was to die.

Amy Carmichael said, "The peace of Jesus stood every sort of test, every strain, and it never broke. It is this, His very own peace, which He says 'I give.'"

No matter how big or small our trials may be, we can trust Jesus to give us His very own peace in the midst of them. —Anne Cetas

For Further Thought
How can we be at peace with God? (Romans 5:1-2).
How do we find peace in our trials? (Philippians 4:6-7).
Have you experienced Jesus' peace?

When Jesus rules the heart, peace reigns.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Billie.

[Billie]

Good morning, mrsmel. Since I live in Texas, most of the television ads aren't playing here - they didn't in 2000 either. No need for President Bush to air his ads here, and of course a waste of time for dims. :) I'll be so glad when it's all over - 'they' are the masters at dirty tricks and deception, and it's way past time to shut them up and shut them out.

Thank you for your post. :)

[The Mayor]

This looks great!

[jamaly]

Good Morning. I just wanted to let you know that there is a mandatory evacuation for my parish in Louisiana. My daughter, twins and I will be evacuating in a few minutes. We will be staying in Houston until we receive an "all clear" from the parish officials (that's county officials for everyone else in the USA).

We are a little nervous about what we could come home and find. There could be no damage at all or massive damage. Oh well, I have always wanted to build a brand new house. Whatever happens I know it is all in God's hands. However, I am a little worried just the same.

If any of my Freeper buddies think of me, I would appreciate a little prayer for my family all of those in Ivan's path.

Freep on.

[Mo1]

Morning Billie

[Gabz]

Good morning...fascinating thread.

[Billie]

Thank you for the coffee and those comforting words you post every day.

[GailA]

Good morning

[Gabz]

No matter how big or small our trials may be, we can trust Jesus to give us His very own peace in the midst of them. —Anne Cetas

This is very apt today both for the folks already hard hit by Ivan, and those still in it's path on the Gulf Coast.

Good morning, and thank you.

[Billie]

Morning, Keeper of the Stars Sky. :)

[Billie]

This looks great!

Thanks, Rus - I thought it would be interesting today. :)

[Gabz]

My prayers are with you, your family and all those in your predicament.

[The Mayor]

Prayers for all in Ivans path..

[dixie sass]

Morning everyone.

[dixie sass]

Amen on your daily inspirational piece and also to Jamoly and all in in Ivan's path.

[Gabz]

Morning Dixie............possibility that those of us on the East Coast are going to be introduced to Tropical Storm Jeanne at the 11am update.

Just peachy.