TV Ads Say S.U.V. Owners Support Terrorists

New York Times ^ | 1/07/03 | KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

[kattracks]

ASHINGTON, Jan. 7 — Ratcheting up the debate over sport utility vehicles, new television commercials suggest that people who buy the vehicles are supporting terrorists. The commercials are so provocative that some television stations are refusing to run them.

Patterned after the commercials that try to discourage drug use by suggesting that profits from illegal drugs go to terrorists, the new commercials say that money for gas needed for S.U.V.'s goes to terrorists.

"This is George," a girl's voice says of an oblivious man at a gas station. "This is the gas that George bought for his S.U.V." The screen then shows a map of the Middle East. "These are the countries where the executives bought the oil that made the gas that George bought for his S.U.V." The picture switches to a scene of armed terrorists in a desert. "And these are the terrorists who get money from those countries every time George fills up his S.U.V."

A second commercial depicts a series of ordinary Americans saying things like: "I helped hijack an airplane"; "I gave money to a terrorist training camp in a foreign country"; "What if I need to go off-road?"

At the close, the screen is filled with the words: "What is your S.U.V. doing to our national security?"

The two 30-second commercials are the brainchild of the author and columnist Arianna Huffington. Her target audience, she said, is Detroit and Congress, especially the Republicans and Democrats who last year voted against a bill, sponsored by Senators John McCain, Republican of Arizona, and John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, that would have raised fuel-efficiency standards.

Spokesmen for the automakers dismissed the commercials.

Eron Shosteck, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said of Ms. Huffington, "Her opinion is out-voted every year by Americans who buy S.U.V.'s for their safety, comfort and versatility." He said that S.U.V.'s now account for 21 percent of the market.

In an interview, Senator Kerry distanced himself from the commercials. He said that rather than oppose S.U.V.'s outright, he believed they should be more efficient.

"I haven't seen these commercials," he said, "but anybody can drive as large an S.U.V. as they want, though it can be more efficient than it is today."

Ms. Huffington's group, which calls itself the Detroit Project, has bought almost $200,000 of air time for the commercials, to run from Sunday to Thursday. While the group may lose some viewers if stations refuse to run the advertisements, the message is attracting attention through news coverage.

The advertisements are to be broadcast on "Meet The Press," "Face the Nation" and "This Week With George Stephanopoulos" in Detroit, Los Angeles, New York and Washington.

But some local affiliates say they will not run them. At the ABC affiliate in New York, Art Moore, director of programming, said, "There were a lot of statements being made that were not backed up, and they're talking about hot-button issues."

Ms. Huffington said she got the idea for the commercials while watching the antidrug commercials, sponsored by the Bush administration. In her syndicated column, she asked readers if they would be willing to pay for "a people's ad campaign to jolt our leaders into reality."

She said she received 5,000 e-mail messages and eventually raised $50,000 from the public. Bigger contributors included Steve Bing, the film producer; Larry David, the comedian and "Seinfeld" co-creator; and Norman Lear, the television producer.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Agreed. But the ecocommietreehuggers would oppose that because that means, heaven to mergatroids, more coal mining!!!!

[Protagoras]

Plus, she's somewhat of a fox....depending on the haircut.

Only if you are an undertaker. Ugh

[537 Votes]

Nothing helped terrorism so much as Bill Clinton, who, after the first World Trade Center bombing, spent eight years finding his zipper instead of Osama bin Laden.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

"You say gov't should have no say in the public's purchasing decisions where oil consumption is concerned."

That pretty much somes up true capitalism. When the government controls the disbursement of resources that's called "communism". Certainly you're old enough to remember that term.

"Do you believe that's the way it should be with every other resource having national security implications, as well? "

Perhaps if we actually declared "war" via the U.S. Constitution's outline then I might take you seriously. Until then, we apparently have plenty since the fedgov hasn't said squat.

"You must be too young to remember the OPEC oil embargo."

I'm not. But the commielibs refused to allow more drilling also. We could be self sufficient but because we've allowed the left to control the agenda, we now must deal with overseas situations. Ah well, maybe if we kept the government out of the oil business beyond health regulations, then and only then would we succeed in what we should be: Independent.

"Maybe you haven't yet noticed how much of our economy runs on oil. Maybe you think the reason for the Persian Gulf War was to free the oppressed people of Kuwait."

You're more guilty than the people you preach against. Do you own Tupperware? What do you think the keyboard on your pc and plastic in the monitor and CPU case is made of, Play-DOH? Do you use Saran Wrap, Q-tips, a toothbrush, drink Coke in 2 liter bottles, etc.?? Either set and example and boycott all oil based products to send your message or shut up. Gasoline consumption by consumers is so minute compared to the manufacturing side of things, it's not even funny.

" Oh, I suppose to be a "real" conservative, one has to let the "free market economy" determine the availability of oil, the size of the military, the number of aircraft carriers, and our foreign policy response to North Korea."

If you haven't noticed, our "free market economy" already has. The Russians are putting 20% of their fleet in mothballs; do you know why? Because they are out of money. We would not be able to BUILD and DEPLOY the largest navy in the world if the success of our market has not allowed this to be created.

"Yeah, go ahead and "drive large," my fine, self-proclaimed conservative friends.

I am. I will. And at 13 mpg, that's my business, not yours.

"Keep the terrorists swimming in US$."

Tin foil alert.

[tgslTakoma]

contributors included Steve Bing, the film producer; Larry David, the comedian and "Seinfeld" co-creator; and Norman Lear, the television producer.

And none of these knuckleheads ever rode in the back of a big, gas guzzling limosine, or flew on a private or small charter jet I suppose. And of course, we can be sure that they don't own houses bigger than they need - which use massive amounts of electricity and/or fuel oil to heat/cool. And they don't buy anything that comes in plastic bottles and other plastic containers, or is packed in styrofoam. What maroons!

[Libloather]

Hannity simply NAILED Arianna on his radio show today. He asked her how big her mansion was - no answer. He asked her how many times she's flown on a private plane - she said she jumps on them because they're going to her destination anyway. He asked her how many cars she owns - she said she drives a Honda Prelude that gets 52 miles to the gallon.

The ugly truth - Arianna owns a 5000 square foot home with five bedrooms. Takes plenty of energy to heat and cool that baby. Norman Lear owns a 9000 square foot mansion with an additional building designed to hold 32 automobiles.

These folks should the very last to tell anyone what vehicle to drive.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

As I inferred in post #144, if you don't boycott all oil based products when you preach like this, you are a hypocrite.

[Red Jones]

Arrianna is right; she's also very intelligent and very attractive as well. She's also got integrity, not afraid at all to go against the grain. Such a person is valuable.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

"Arrianna is right; she's also very intelligent and very attractive as well."

Based on that statement, I hereby nominate you for the annual FRaward for "DU Lurker of the Year Award".

"She's also got integrity, not afraid at all to go against the grain."

You mean the integrity to preach against the "peasants" driving SUV's while she flies in a private jet, uses limos that get about 6 mpg, and has a house that probably consumes more electricity in one month than my house does in 10 years? Yuppers, that's integrity.

"Such a person is valuable."

....to the Democratic Party. There, I finished your sentence for you, I hope you don't mind.

[Bobby777]

The two 30-second commercials are the brainchild of the author and columnist Arianna Huffington.

this is the result of her hanging around Bill Maher ... this was his ridiculous mantra ...

[Chemist_Geek]

I guess your problem is with our government for not using our own oil.

Or more accurately, not letting us drill our own oil. I'm all for energy independence. I urge people to conserve energy - drive hybrids, research fuel cells and solar, build nuclear plants - so the demand, and therefore the price, for terrorist-funding Middle East oil falls.

We can drill in ANWR, in the Gulf of Mexico, off California's coast, under the Great Lakes. We can build nuclear plants. All if the government were to get out of the road.

I do wish that there were fewer SUVs on the roads; if people aren't ever going to go off-road where SUVs belong, then why not buy a van or station wagon?

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Why don't we quit selling our oil overseas first. That's the point ThomasJefferson and I have been trying to make throughout this thread.

[Chemist_Geek]

if you don't boycott all oil based products when you preach like this, you are a hypocrite.

WTF is wrong with urging people to not send as much money as they have been to the Oil Sheikhs?

Start at the low end of the fuel economy scale and work one's way up. We can be energy independent, with adjustments to bothe government policy (drilling in ANWR) and personal policies (fewer gas guzzling SUVs). Energy independence is a good thing.

[Chemist_Geek]

That's the point ThomasJefferson and I have been trying to make throughout this thread.

No, I have to say that there's been very little of that and more of you guys confusing conservationists with commie Greens. Take a deep breath, understand that we're on the same side here, and let's figure out a way to get America energy independent.

[Red Jones]

a few years ago Arrianna was really criticizing the Clinton corruption, so I don't think she's a democrat or valuable to them. I also didn't interpret Huffington's comments as being critical of SUV drivers. I thought she was ridiculing the mindset of the tv ads about how buying illegal drugs supports terrorism. I thought Huffington was just seeking a more intelligent and responsible public debate. Becasue buying gasoline supports terrorism exactly as much as buying illegal drugs. She has a good point. Republicans tend to support Bush blindly, so it is legitimate to ask republicans why they don't ridicule SUV drivers for supporting terrorism just as they ridicule ddrug users for supporting terrorism.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

"WTF is wrong with urging people to not send as much money as they have been to the Oil Sheikhs?"

Nothing. Know how to help? Quit selling 65% of the oil from Alaska to the Pacific Rim, that's how. It's assinine that Canada and Alaskan production goes overseas instead of down a pipeline into the U.S. and on east. But the consumption by automobiles is miniscule compared to the amounts used for electrical production and plastics. Taking my SUV away from me does nothing but give the government carte blanche to dictate what citizens will drive; what will you do if Hitlery decides to assign you a skateboard or a Yugo?

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Sorry to break this to you but the comment in #150 was correct; she's into the Hollyweird crowd now and has gone over to the dark side on many issues. She is dead serious.

[Howlin]

What we need here are pictures of ALL the starts and politicians driving around in their SUVs. That will stop this crap.

Arianna Huffington is no better than Maureen Dowd; they both are poor excuses for women who got slammed by men and are taking it out on the whole world.

[CounterCounterCulture]

The two 30-second commercials are the brainchild of the author and columnist Arianna Huffington.

Arianna Huffington...enough said (SPIT)

[Darnright]

>>I do wish that there were fewer SUVs on the roads; if people aren't ever going to go off-road where SUVs belong, then why not buy a van or station wagon?<<

Do you live in California, or somewhere there's never any snow? Vans and station wagons are useless in areas where snow removal is inefficient or non-existant.