by Frank James
Jim Slattery, a Kansas Democrat running against Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, wants to get your attention with a new ad called "Hosed." He certainly got mine.
He has an ad in which a Gulliver-sized corporate executive is approached by "Kansans" the size of Lilliputians. As they rail and the giant, he gets angry. Next thing you know, you're looking down at the little people from the giant's perspective and see a yellowish stream of liquid hitting the startled and outraged little people.
The giant lets out a bellowing laugh. Oh my God, this is a political ad that's portraying someone peeing on people! The world's gone crazy, I thought. Now we have pornography in a political ad.
Well, not really. The ad makers only want you to think that's what's going on because that's shocking and riveting stuff straight out of "Shogun." As the camera pulls back, the giant is only pouring gasoline on the little people from a gaz nozzle.
Oh, OK, that's all right, I guess, so long as no one's smoking or the giant doesn't toss a match into the crowd. Actually, the thought of people being drenched in gasoline is pretty disturbing too, no?
What a bizarre ad. Does it get more outlandish than this?
Maybe. We'd like readers of The Swamp to send us links of ads that they found to be either borderline or all the way over-the-top. Send us the links in comments to this post and we'll get as many of them up as we can and try and choose a winner or winners with a poll.
• 
• 
• 
Comments
Why yes! There's a public power initiative in San Francisco, and supporters have done an only-on-the-Internet ad that drops f-bombs left and right. Two utility company executives walk through San Francisco. The point at people and say "I'm going to f--- her." "I'm going to f--- both of them." And so on. Definitely NSFW. Linked to here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/cityinsider/detail?blogid=55&entry_id=31454#readmore
Posted by: Bill | October 14, 2008 12:45 PM
I want to know how you can associate this with pornography. Good job telling the world you're into water sports and the sight of yellow liquid turns you on.
Posted by: Jim | October 14, 2008 12:51 PM
Nothing that politicians do surprises me. They will do anything that they think will help them win. Most importantly lie their @sses off.
Posted by: Tom | October 14, 2008 2:10 PM
What I'd like to know is why is the Tribune offering Halloween masks of the only 3 of the candidates? Where is B.O.'s mask? Oh, yeah, that would really play up that he is a crook! Or is he just "too good" for a little spoofing fun? Elite, anyone?
Posted by: Sheila | October 14, 2008 2:12 PM
First, Sheila, the masks have nothing to do with this article. Second, if you look at the mask page, you'll notice that the Barack Obama mask will be available Wednesday.
Posted by: mh | October 14, 2008 3:45 PM
"What I'd like to know is why is the Tribune offering Halloween masks of the only 3 of the candidates? Where is B.O.'s mask? Oh, yeah, that would really play up that he is a crook! Or is he just "too good" for a little spoofing fun? Elite, anyone?"
Actually, if you were paying attention Sheila they are releasing them over time, Palin was first, then Biden, then McCain. I am guessing that Obama's is the last one to come out. Calm down and wait a minute before you go spouting off.
Posted by: Kristen | October 14, 2008 3:54 PM
Obviously these ads are done by CHILDREN just out of high school or college. These are done to done to 'shock' people, not get them to think. An ad that would make people think would be too difficult to create - better to go with 8-year-old-type humor.
Posted by: Stacey | October 14, 2008 5:47 PM
It's easy to pick on Slattery because he's not going to win and at this point he has to gamble on this kind of stuff to even get attention.
Why not be useful and analyze the ads of politicians that actually have a chance in November? All this does is waste bandwidth.
Posted by: DBX | October 14, 2008 9:56 PM