The Political Attack Ad Challenge

I’ve always found it amazing how easily politicians and the media can distort the records of politicians, especially when election season comes around. It seems sometimes that the makers of these political ads have no shame and they treat the political season more like open season on the reputations of their adversaries.

An attack ad is a short, 15-60 second piece of political advertising almost always aired during an electoral campaign - but maybe as a third party ad. It is the key feature of negative campaigning and is often used to discredit a key political figure.
Common features of such an ad include

• Memorable sound bites that are intended to be repeated by the public on the street and in discussions about how to vote, e.g. "not up to the job", employed by the Ontario Tories against Dalton McGuinty in 2003.

• Memorable conceptual metaphors that can serve to smear opponents, e.g. the revolving door used to smear Michael Dukakis in 1988 by implying that he was "soft on crime" in Massachusetts.

• To avoid libel claims, relying on deliberate ambiguity and fatuously extreme assertions beyond legal liability

• Humor, especially in combination with the above.

If it fails, an attack ad campaign can be "spun" into "good fun" by simply extending the conceptual metaphors or extreme assertions to humorous lengths. Evil reptilian kitten eater from another planet details one such case - maybe. Ambiguity exists on this level too, as it is easy to reinforce a campaign of attack ads with generally negative or humorous comments. Only an expert or direct opponent would note the tendency of conceptual metaphors to keep reinforcing each other - the soul of propaganda techniques and ideology itself.

Sourcewatch

A few years ago, the guys on my favorite radio show made phony political attack ads about each other and the results were hilarious.

I thought it would be fun to try something like that here so that we could learn just how easy it is to smear someone else’s reputation through misquoting and misrepresentation and find out how brave someone has to be to put themselves up for this type of public scrutiny.

Here’s what I propose:
Pretend that I am putting myself out there for election to some silly political office, say comptroller of ATS city. (What is a comptroller, who knows?)

You are on the staff of my political opponent and are tasked with creating a political attack ad against me. Your job it to go through my post history to find dirt that you can use against me to smear my reputation and make me appear to be too loony to be taken seriously by the voters.

Create a political attack against me using quotes from my posting history or by making insinuations against me based upon what I have posted here in the past. Please post links to the posts that prove all of your assertions or allegations. This will also allow us to see how badly you have twisted or misrepresented my words in order to make me sound crazy.

It should be fun to see what the people here think about my qualifications for political office based upon what I have written here. You won’t have much trouble trying to paint me as a lunatic and you may not even have to misquote me to do it as I have posted some pretty crazy stuff in my time here. As always, humor is greatly appreciated and the greater the distortions the better.


If anyone else is feeling especially daring, you can volunteer for the political attack ad treatment as well but, please, only make ads about members who volunteer for the treatment.


Here are some guidelines on how to rate the attack ads:

Technical Foul: A statement that implies something that isn’t quite true and deserves additional explanation, or that is entirely false.

Foul: A statement that distorts or incorrectly states a fact involving policy.

Warning: A statement that could easily be misconstrued, but is generally truthful.

No Foul: Not every tough political ad is a foul. Sometimes the Truth Squad will review an ad and find that it is, indeed, totally accurate, even if it is not nice.

Michigan Messenger

Mods: if it could be possible to turn this into an ATS contest, I would be willing to put up 1000 of my ATS points to the person who comes up with the most creative attack ad based upon whichever post generates the most stars.

This could be a fun thread!

I'm not getting into it, though.

I'd rather create a sort of poltical smear campaign against Phage.

You know he works for NASA, right????

How could you expect any truth from Phage concerning the skies and what occurs there?

He's paid to toe the "company line".

I admit this was pretty weak.

I guess I could do better. I'm just lazy.

No offense, Phage.

Like I said, I'm lazy. But not so lazy to check back on this thread from time to time and see how it develops.

Okay, spank my butt and put me to bed.

This is what I get for posting in the middle of the night.

Either nobody saw this one or you're all busy putting together awesome attack ads against me.

Just remember, if anyone does notie this thread and decides to participate, only make attack ads against members who volunteer for the treatment, otherwise it could be considered a violation of ATS T&Cs.

reply to post by FortAnthem

Create a political attack against me
using quotes from my posting history

Interesting. Very well, I'll participate.

putting together awesome attack ads against me.

...how's this:


FortAnthem is a pedophile, anti-american, occult illuminati elitist, and a satanist, bent on the destruction of our country by infecting his own moral decay into anyone foolish enough to listen to him.

Look at the rubbish he posts about:

From this post

The foundations for our sexual liberation

included the sexual molestation of children

Or from this post, where he talks about:

how many orgasms children of various ages could be made to experience in a 24-hour period

FortAnthem is a disgusting pedophile bent on the corruption and destruction of our youth. This is common knowledge. Many others have pointed this out. Look at what others have said in response to some of FortAnthem's posts:

Even ATS Forum Moderator gimme_some_truth had this to say in response to one of FortAnthem's disgusting posts promoting pedophilia:

I am speechless
Why was it allowed?

a bunch of perverts, trying to justify molestation and rape of children

Scalded Frog said this in response to one of FortAnthem's many anti-american rants:

OMG! OMG! OMG! Really don't know whether to laugh or to cry!

Absolutely surreal!

Are you religious? Then FortAnthem is the antichrist towards your beleifs, and if elected he will stamp your freedoms into the ground. Listen to what he says in this post

there is NO natural right to the freedom of religion

Look in that same post where he admits his intention to commit genocide upon the faithful:

The painful truth is that serious Catholics and serious Calvinists cannot live

It's painful for me to even read the sewage that pours from him and his posts. This is what he believes and this is the future he envisions for humanity:

Morality has become an antiquated notion

The state must become the conscience of the people and must enforce its "moral laws" upon the people at the point of a gun in order to prevent total anarchy from breaking out.

Look what he and his ilk have to say about their elitist agenda in this post in his thread right out commanding us all to bow down before him:

In my words-

Bow down to your masters, for you are not my countrymen. Lick the hand that gives you scraps

This is what FortAnthem and those like him believe.They're so bold in their elitism that he's outright commanding us to bow to him and lick his hands. Don't take my word for it. Read the post. This was actually said.

And why should he or his ilk care about us? They view us as nothing but dogs to be kicked. Look what he says about us in this post:

users 'are insecure, narcissistic and have low self-esteem'

Read this thread where he brags about, and I quote:

how easy it is to screw up a whole nation

Because that's what his agenda. To screw up this nation. FortAnthem is a boldfaced illuminati villain, and he's so confidant that we'll fall for his lies that he rubs it into our faces because he thinks we're too stupid to notice:

The American people have failed in their duty to elect honest and just representatives but, they did not intentionally vote in people who were wicked and evil. Often they were tricked into voting for the lesser of two evils because the system prevented any real, decent men to enter into the competition.

Do you see what he's doing? It's common knowledge that illuminati occultists must leave clues to their plans, and this is what he is doing: Leaving clues to satisy his master, Satan.


If we value our freedoms, our very lives...we must band together and vote NO on the scourge that is FortAnthem.

reply to post by LordBucket


Bucket, you are the master.

I wouldn't want to vote for me after that ad.


Anyone else think they can do better?

Anyone else want to volunteer for the attack ad treatment?

I'd love to have the chance to tear into somebody here but, I won't do it without their consent.

I can't believe that there's nobody else out there who would want to make an attack ad against me.

Where are all the folks from my foes list when you need 'em?

I thought for sure that sombody I'd ticked off in the past would rise to the challenge to prove to the world that I'm too crazy to be taken seriously.

Here you go FortAnthem, my attack ad for you...



If anyone want's to they can have a go at me.

Forth Anthem say's he wants your vote to be comptroller of ATS. But when asked what he would do as comptroller, Fort Anthem smugly answered:

What is a comptroller, who knows?

He wants your vote, but then again, here is what he thinks of you:

The stupidity of the American public never fails to amaze.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Forth Anthem is not a man who should be trusted. He is a man who ridicules icons of Sesame Street:

Burt and Ernie were gay!

He wants to hold a public office, but when it comes to holding office holders to open and accountable government what are his views?

What bothers me is that they want to un-mask...and expose them to PUBLIC scrutiny as well.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

His irreverent and hostile attitude towards the clergy is well documented:

Suprised nobody even bothered to come along and say they hoped the preachers went to jail for their crimes against America.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

He wants you to pay taxes, and more taxes, and keep paying taxes:

show me his tax records.

The USA has some of the lowest levels of taxes in the developed world.

But when it comes to his own tax liability:

Now the SUPER rich, them I still envy. They have the dough to hire expensive lawyers and accountants to avoid paying the taxes.

Forth Anthem would love for you to vote him into office and make him SUPER rich so he can hire expensive lawyers and accountants to avoid paying taxes.

Is this a man you would trust with your daughter?

Those skinny ass college girls need to grow a little meat on them bones.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

What does Fort Anthem think of employment?

The employee always comes last.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

What are his views on ethics and morality?

"What would Jesus do" when faced with difficult decisions in their lives...we must remember that we are NOT Jesus and that we cannot do everything that he did, in fact, sometimes doing what Jesus did would be wrong for us, both practically and morally.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

What does Fort Anthem think of individual rights, and those who fight for those rights?

I guess they're trying to be "sensitive" to the "persecuted minority" by catering to their needs.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Why does he want your vote?

The new Federal get out of responsibility free card.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Is this really the man you want as comptroller?

Paid for by the other guy who can be trusted as your ATS comptroller.

reply to post by whatukno

Fort Anthem attack ad parody

That's highly entertaining.

If anyone want's to they can have a go at me.

I say we let FortAnthem have a go at you. The thread was his idea, so it seems fitting he get to participate. I would volunteer myself, but I would be so easy to create an attack ad for, it would just be pointless.

www.abovetopsecret.com...
"I think it might be fun to be the lord of evil and run rampant across a world raping and destroying."

www.abovetopsecret.com...
"There may come a time when we may look upon such things as the total annihilation of entire races and think simply, "Wow. Nicely done."

www.abovetopsecret.com...
"yeah, I'm gonna go kill that guy and foreclose on his house and stomp on his cat and arrest his kids and imprison his neighbors for life. And why? Because I like it."

reply to post by LordBucket


I am hoping that someone will take the challenge.

If anyone is interested, someone can even find a plethora of sound bites to use here anyone has my written permission to use that content for a parody video or any other parody online media.

reply to post by whatukno


That was great, I posted it on my profile page.


I'll get to making one for you when I get off work.

reply to post by whatukno


Man, I can see why this thread hasn't gotten more responses, digging up dirt is a lot of work.

Well, here goes my cheap shot at the whatukno candidacy:

Is Whatukno an evil illuminati tool who drinks babies’ blood to keep his wits sharp? Does he get off on pulling pussy cat tails while plotting the demise of the American republic? You decide…

Wukky claims to be a strong conservative who upholds family values and wants to implement a strong libertarian plan to release us from our chains.

We can help create a conservative paradise with no government whatsoever! No government, no laws, no taxes, no socialism! You could have a completely free market, with no regulations at all!

A utopia of free trade and supply side economics awaits

Big words, big promise but, does he really think he can bring about these grand sweeping changes by running for city comptroller? When asked how he intended to bring about these changes, Whatukno responded:

Yes folks, it's official, Wukky has no clue

He has no clue? Are you kidding me! This guy wants to be a leader of men but, he hasn’t got a single idea of how to deal with the problems facing the country. Oh, wait, he did have this clever solution for dealing with the homeless problem;

pointing and laughing as you walk down the street

Yeah, that’s real mature coming from the man who wants to determine the fate of this city as its next comptroller. It’s a good thing he’s not running for national office after hearing what he would do to deal with the violence in the Middle East:

I would have denied even knowing that there were jews in the world to begin with

In the past, Whatukno has supported all of the previous administration’s policies and he even spoke out in favor of the administration going even further than it actually went. Those policies have proven to be a disaster for all of us here in ATS City. What does Whatukno have to say about his involvement in the policies of the previous administration?

Im not saying its anyones fault but mine.

He plain out tells us that he is the one responsible for the disastrous policies of the previous administration, he flat out admits that he hasn’t got a clue about how to solve the problems HE CREATED and now he wants us to put into office to do what exactly?

In his own words:

same old song and dance for idiots.

COME ON PEOPLE! Don’t tell me you’re falling for his siren’s song of free market anarcho-libertarianism. This man hasn’t had a libertarian thought in his head his whole life in fact, until he saw the change in the political winds, this is what he had to say about big government:

I in a sense am pretty liberal.

And that he has

given up on the American dream and seek not to better ourselves, but to wait for the bailout

A zebra can’t change its stripes and a diehard liberal can’t just overnight turn into a libertarian. Don’t fall for his lies.

Is Whatukno the spawn of Satan? Well, maybe not but, he’s awful close.


I am FortAnthem and I approved this message.

reply to post by FortAnthem


Okay....I don't know if this counts, but this guy got so POed at me today that he raked over all my posts and put together a collection of excerpts..all centering on Islam..

Otherwise he kind of put together his own political attack ad against me...spinning everything I stated in some pretty distorted ways...It actually gave me a good laugh today. I needed it...he is serious BTW.

Originally posted by ollncasino
reply to post by maybereal11

 

Originally posted by maybereal11
The Anti-Mosque crowd has the right to protest...I'd even fight for thier right to do so.

I have a right to call them on their bigotry.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Do you now?

You have called 58% of the Arab world bigots!
You have called 70% of New Yorkers bigots!
You have called 61% of Americans bigots!

Are you sure it’s not you who is the bigot?

A pro-miitant Islamic bigot?

58% of Arab World Objects to Ground Zero Islamic Center
freemarketmojo.com...

70% of NYers demand: Move the GZ mosque!
www.nypost.com...

61% of respondents oppose the construction of the Park51/Cordoba House project
www.time.com...

So most of the Arab world, most New Yorkers and most Americans oppose the Ground Zero Mosque, but you have the bigotry to call them bigots.

You are a silly man.

And a bigot.

Originally posted by maybereal11
If you keeping saying Jihadist/Terrorist and Muslim in the same sentence the lazy minded will stop realizing there is a difference.

You appear to assume that you are smarter than everyone else (in common with many left wing zealots) and appear to be asserting that you have the right to control what information ‘lazy minded’ people should be exposed to.

And to call them bigots.

Is it not fascists who try to control the information that people are allowed to see?

Of course in the West, left-wing zealots also appear to think they have the power to control what information people are allowed to see.

For their own good, of course....

Originally posted by maybereal11
FYI - I am for religious freedom and genuinely think Islam is a lovely religion when not taken to extremes

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Oh well, at least we know where you stand.

Originally posted by maybereal11
"Ground Zero Mosque" is a phrase designed to incite emotion and division, kudos to the AP for not chasing Fox News ratings.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Oh, so we are not allowed to call it the Ground Zero Mosque now.

Let me guess. It’s bigoted?

Originally posted by maybereal11
There are a long list of Christians Extremist Groups that feel the same way..have you examined the stats for Christians? Eric Rudolph bombed American civilians in the name of God and he was a folk hero to many evangelicals.

Every religion has it's extremists...martydom is not just a component of Islam...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

The old, “if Christians are murdering people, then why are aren’t Muslims allowed to murder people?” argument.

An argument much loved by left-wing zealots who feel the need to excuse murder in the name of Islam.

Originally posted by maybereal11
"Terrorist NYC Mosque Imam puts plan in place to maximize recruiting of terrorists and convert Americans from other faiths to Radical Islam!!!"

I am just seeing if I can predict far right-wing spin.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

You are doing just fine by yourself with your own left-wing spin.

Originally posted by maybereal11
You are member of team Al-Qaeda and that is why I am happy to call you on your BS..

Really?

I would say if anyone has Islamic leanings, it’s you!

I reserve the right to call a left wing zeolot, like yourself, out on your BS.

edit on 12-10-2010 by ollncasino because: (no reason given)

edit on 12-10-2010 by ollncasino because: formatting

reply to post by maybereal11


That's pretty neat, he made an attack ad against you and he didn't even know it. Thanks for sharing you terrorist hugging fool.

I'm surprised nobody else has taken Wukky up on his offer, I was sure that there'd be plenty of folks chomping at the bit to tear into him, maybe even more than have an axe to grind against me.

I'm sure you folks could do a better job than the lame ad I did. I tried to stay away from the whole disinfo agent for the left spiel because that would have been too obvious but, that doesn't mean somebody else can't go down that road.

reply to post by FortAnthem

I'm surprised nobody else has taken Wukky up on his offer, I was sure that there'd be plenty of folks chomping at the bit to tear into him, maybe even more than have an axe to grind against me.

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly explain why I haven't taken Wukky up on his offer. Wukky and I have become friends and often communicate to each other by U2U, however in this site he and I are often embroiled in some very passionate debates that at times get so heated that we sort of stop talking to each other for a while. Because of this, I did not want to wage any political attack on him even if it is in jest. Frankly, when Wukky was openly running for office, I took him to task quite often for his political views, and there are numerous posts of mine that can easily be construed as "political attack campaigns".

I am glad to have Wukky as a friend, and have no doubt that there will be plenty of times in the future where he and I will find ourselves embroiled in another debate over political issues. In between those times, I am glad to have a period of amicable friendship with him, and do not want to risk that just for a few yuks here in this thread. So, for that reason, I have humbly declined to take Wukky up on his offer.

I found this attack ad spoof and figured this would be the best place to post it:

reply to post by LordBucket


LornBucket..that was the most awesome thing i have ever read...lol..

I wouldn't for for ANYONE after that...

I made this one when Christine O'Donnell came out with her infamous "I'm You" campaign ad.

reply to post by whatukno


You could be right:

Not to be such a nitpicky female, but how did Christine O'Donnell's hair go from a professional, skimming the shoulders cut in the "I am not a witch ad" to the middle of her back in the debate?
Three possible options:
1) they edited it in post-production on the ad
2) she's currently wearing hair extensions
3) or she actually is a witch.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/efe83d08aef4.jpg[/atsimg]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/0f9999acafe0.jpg[/atsimg]

TPM

She's a WITCH!!!!

I just found these two hilarious REAL attack ads, one says the candidate wants to kill dogs and puppies and the 2nd actually comes out and says the candidate kicks kids on the face. They even have video of him doing it!