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.
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.
Workd for KKKatuh, and Kkklinton, so it ought to work for the Huck.
Ehhh.....try telling that to Monica!
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...
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?
“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.
I don’t care if its a cross or a bookshelf.
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.
That's the point, isn't it? The cross literally is eclipsed behind his holy loving wonderful head.
It's obvious to a pro, as your friend pointed out.
I don't care about the use of the cross.
I care about a former preacher LYING about intentionally using the cross.
“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.’
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.
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Good. Cuz I don't wanna vote for a dumb liar. I'd much rather vote for a clever liar. Okay, well maybe not.
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.
Take a look at the photo link below, one thing for sure, he isn't at all concerned or preoccupied with his appearance.
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).
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??
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