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Proof Hucakbee is lying about the moving cross
myself | Dec 20, 2007 | Travis McGee

Posted on 12/20/2007 8:59:16 AM PST by Travis McGee

"THE TODAY SHOW"

MEREDITH VIEIRA: Let's talk about this Christmas ad, because it comes after you have taken some hits from the critics, first for calling yourself a Christian leader, then for questioning whether Mormons believe Christ and the devil were brothers, something you did apologize for.

Now in this ad you are say people should be celebrating the birth of Christ while the shape of a cross appears to take shape behind you. And that has led some to say that this is another overt religious appeal to voters. What do you say about this ad and about those criticisms?

MIKE HUCKABEE: That floating cross is a bookshelf, Meredith. We were all amused -- the production crew I think probably more than anyone, who put the spot together.

VIEIRA: So you didn't see that image when you put the spot together, that it might be confused?

HUCKABEE: Absolutely not.


These are movie camera "tracking dollies."

There are two reasons to use tracking dollies when directing a film. The most basic use is when following a moving subject and keeping them in the same plane. The classic use is to follow a walking actor in profile.

The other use of the tracking dolly is to move the background in a controlled way, while keeping the foreground subject in one place by simultaneiously tracking and panning the camera.

That is how the Huckabee team contrived and executed the shot, in order to move the glowing white (spotlighted) shelf/cross from the left side of the shot to behind Huckabee's head, in exactly the 30 seconds of the ad.

The use of the tracking dolly is the smoking gun, the proof that the moving cross effect was deliberate, and that Huckabee is lying about it being an unnoticed coincidence.

They didn't just come out and "find" that a tracking dolly had magically appeared on the set, and decide, "Aw shucks, why don't we stick the camera on this here funny contraption, and slide it from left to right while aiming at Mike's head, just for the heck of it."

Every aspect of this political advertisement was deliberate, down to the placement of the three ornaments on the glowing white spotlighted empty shelf.

The proof that the moving cross effect was deliberate, is the use of the tracking dolly to move the cross in the background in a perfectly controlled way.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: ads; cross; huckabee
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To: Travis McGee
I don’t have the time to read through this whole thread to see if someone points it out, but I don’t think this video was made with a camera tracking dolly. If it were, the angle on Huckabee would be changing as the background shifted. I think Huckabee and the background were filmed separately and the background added to Huckabee after the fact — as a shifting background.

The end conclusion. The apparent cross was deliberate.

Is this bad? It only means that Huckabee is trying to play up the Christian aspect of his candidacy as compared to his competitor. For example: He says his religion defines him. He points out he is a “Christian Leader.” The WOT is a theological war and only he has a theology degree. “I won’t say if the other guy is Christian.” “Anyway, doesn’t the other guy believe Jesus and Satan are brothers.”
Huckaabee is playing the religion card and claiming he isn’t. It is that simple.

One problem with that strategy is that his political liberalism is not the major faction in the GOP. The SBC is not the majority of Christians in this country. And Huckabee has identified himself with the minority position in the conservative/modernism split in the SBC.

So, as voters bring him sharply into focus, playing that card, he can’t help but come out the loser.

161 posted on 12/20/2007 10:54:34 AM PST by broncobilly
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To: broncobilly
The black vote is predominantly of the same strain of Souvrn' Evangelicalism as the Huck.

Workd for KKKatuh, and Kkklinton, so it ought to work for the Huck.

162 posted on 12/20/2007 10:57:11 AM PST by muawiyah
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To: muawiyah
"As Sigmund Freud told the woman once "Madame, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar"."

Ehhh.....try telling that to Monica!

163 posted on 12/20/2007 11:02:18 AM PST by XenaLee
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To: Boat Rocker
You have to be a completely paranoid idiot to write that post. I own a production company and have shot hundreds of political ads. We always use a dolly for effect on head shots.

Thank you for this post. This thread shows an ignorance of video production to the extreme. Whenever people post here talking about how they only disagree with Huckabee on the issues I think of the time wasted on his old family Christmas photo and this ad. I hate to break it to the people here, but old Christmas photos and the background of a political ad does not make up issues. Stupid quips about foreign policy, wanting to fix education at the federal level, and his stance on the Fair Tax are examples of issues. Not using dolly tracking for an ad.
164 posted on 12/20/2007 11:07:39 AM PST by dan1123 (You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. --Jesus)
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To: Finalapproach29er
One double-talking Jethro from Little Rock in my lifetime is enough.

You got that right.

I remember learning as a child that Virginia was the birthplace of more Presidents than any other state. I would hate for children to have to learn in a few decades that Arkansas now holds that honor...

165 posted on 12/20/2007 11:17:08 AM PST by gridlock ("I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today" -- J. Wellington Wimpy)
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To: stephenjohnbanker
"When the heat is on, instead of immediately telling the whole truth and defusing the situation, Huckabee’s instinct is to obfuscate. How Clintonesque. Huckabee is the least media savvy campaigner of all the candidates of either party, and it will be his undoing.”

This is the same for any politician. Any campaign is premised on image, perception and manipulation. Thus, the first instinct is to maintain the fiction at all costs. Politics corrputs everything it touches. I have no doubt that Huckabee is a sincere Chrisian and was a good Pastor but entering the political arena is to embrace the world with both hands and the inevitable result is corruption. Starts with the small lies of convenience. When that's successful the lies become bigger, more often, without forethought. It becomes necessary to create more lies to account for the first lies. This is the way integrity goes, not with a bang but a whimper. Honestly, does Huck come off as a Pastor or a politician?

166 posted on 12/20/2007 11:18:33 AM PST by joebuck
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To: longtermmemmory

“He used subterfuge to create a cross with tricks of angle and light.”

The construction crew that built the inside of the house were also in on the trick.

Sometimes a banana is just a banana.


167 posted on 12/20/2007 11:21:13 AM PST by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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To: Travis McGee

I don’t care if its a cross or a bookshelf.


168 posted on 12/20/2007 11:21:54 AM PST by linn37 (phlebotomist on duty,its just a little pinch)
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To: muawiyah
"Windows, bookcases, glassblock walls ~ they are all regularly used as backdrops behind all sorts of talking head and CSI type shows on TV.

Next you'll be telling us the gang at Meet the Press is actually the College of Cardinals or something:"

And where, exactly, did I say otherwise?

I have no problem with the ad. As I said, I thought it was rather cleverly done. However, when asked about the ""cross/bookcase"", don't you agree that Huckabee should have had a better, more honest and forthcoming response? I certainly do.

Personally, I'm rather partial to crosses. But the media will use Huck's denial of the appearance of any cross in the ad against him, as you "should" well know (by now).

I think we need a President that can offer up a better answer than the one he gave. One that can think on his feet, be honest, consistent in his policies, be true to his campaign promises, and is trustworthy. So far....I'm just not seeing anyone that fits that bill yet.

169 posted on 12/20/2007 11:24:27 AM PST by XenaLee
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To: Boat Rocker
If he wanted a cross in the background, he would not have used a dolly movement because the cross actually disappears behind his head at the end of the ad.

That's the point, isn't it? The cross literally is eclipsed behind his holy loving wonderful head.

170 posted on 12/20/2007 11:24:47 AM PST by Travis McGee (---www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com---)
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To: Ghengis
I asked a friend who does video production. He watched it on YouTube and described to me how the shot was laid out, lighted and shot. The 'cross' was very obviously, very deliberately placed in there to provide a subliminal efefct to his trained eye. His first words; "That was very slick how they did that."

It's obvious to a pro, as your friend pointed out.

171 posted on 12/20/2007 11:25:57 AM PST by Travis McGee (---www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com---)
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To: camerongood210
I’m not a Huckabee fan, but what if the cross effect were intentional? Who cares?

I don't care about the use of the cross.

I care about a former preacher LYING about intentionally using the cross.

172 posted on 12/20/2007 11:27:27 AM PST by Travis McGee (---www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com---)
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To: vox_freedom

“That Christ was born on Christmas morn?”

Didn’t you get the memo on that?

The Wise Men arrived after they heard about the birth of the saviour.
Joseph, Jesus, and Mary checked in to the ‘manger’ inn for the night.

Jesus was possibly six months old when the Wise men showed up.

We moved his birthday to December to coincide with the festival the pagans celebrated, in order to help convert them to Christianity.

We celebrate Christmas as the day ‘the Christ was born’ because that is a loose translation for ‘the day the three Wise Men showed up and verified that this boy was the Christ.’


173 posted on 12/20/2007 11:31:03 AM PST by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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To: Travis McGee

Maybe he didn’t lie about it.

Maybe when he watched the final release, he was so preoccupied with his appearance and such, in the video, that he didn’t notice.

Of course, that may be worse. With all his campaigning lean towards his Christian faith.


174 posted on 12/20/2007 11:33:51 AM PST by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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To: Travis McGee

Bookmark


175 posted on 12/20/2007 11:38:24 AM PST by Sweet_Sunflower29 (Dear Santa, I can explain.)
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To: Psalm 73
which only means he may not be as dumb as some make hinm out to be

Good. Cuz I don't wanna vote for a dumb liar. I'd much rather vote for a clever liar. Okay, well maybe not.

176 posted on 12/20/2007 11:41:57 AM PST by BykrBayb (In memory of my Friend T'wit, who taught me much. ~ Þ)
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To: Travis McGee

Anybody with an ounce of common sense will conclude that the cross was a MAJOR part of the commecial.

Huckaboob insults my intelligence by claiming it was a surprise. There are NO surprises when shooting an expensive ad.


177 posted on 12/20/2007 11:43:35 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: UCANSEE2
Maybe when he watched the final release, he was so preoccupied with his appearance and such, in the video, that he didn’t notice.

Take a look at the photo link below, one thing for sure, he isn't at all concerned or preoccupied with his appearance.

Caption this picture of the Huckabees

178 posted on 12/20/2007 11:46:44 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: Leisler

Some of the persuaders IMHO (I’ve never read that book)

Repeat the name of product three times. (The brain’s THREE threshold. Anything repeated three times while in an acceptable mood will be remembered, and believed)

Play WANT - GET. (Show scene of what people WANT, then show what to GET ) WANT THIS? GET THAT!

The brain’s MAIN focus, while watching TV is on the exact DIRECT CENTER of the viewing screen.

Put the WANT(chicks in bikinis, happy children, happy sex life, etc) in the middle of the screen, then substitute PRODUCT NAME(GET).


179 posted on 12/20/2007 11:46:58 AM PST by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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To: BykrBayb

hey, look, I’m just being realistic - they are ALL politicians and they all have their schtick. Not-a one of them are white as snow - why is everybody shocked that Huck may be just as slick as Mitt or Hitlery, or any of them??


180 posted on 12/20/2007 11:55:29 AM PST by Psalm 73 ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here - this is the War Room".)
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