5 Nastiest Campaign Ads So Far... (Veiled Subscription Pitch)

Nick Gillespie | October 5, 2006

The hugely entertaining newish web mag 10 Zen Monkeys scores another winner with its recent bit about the "5 Nastiest Campaign Ads So Far," which includes automatic video links to hoo-larious attacks on Harold Ford, James Webb, Sean Astin impersonator Mike DeWine, and more. These ads are just absolutely wonderful, so much so that they almost seem to be mocking satires, rather than the real McCoy itself.

And let's stress the "so far," as I just became aware of another ad, this one emanating like a fish-scented breeze out of a Northern California congressional race involving Republican incumbent Rep. John Doolittle. The ad, linked below, ends with the unforgettable line, "Time for John Doolittle to stop tolerating forced abortions and sex slavery. Time for a change!" Really. Don't be slow in checking out the 10 Zen Monkeys link above or the vid below.

And one final note: If you're a fan of attack ads--and who isn't?--then buy the November issue of Reason, on newsstands now. Our cover story makes the case that "Attack Ads Are Good For You"--and not just because they are often fall-down funny. And if you haven't yet, please subscribe (or renew your existing sub) to the magazine of "Free Minds and Free Markets," named one of the "50 Best Magazines" (out of 19,000!) by the Chicago Tribune for three of the last four years. (And if you want an electronic version, we got that too.)

Your subscription--less than $20 a year, fer god's sake--gets you 11 issues of a richly designed, lavishly printed mag delivered right to your mailbox or inbox, a full month before the content shows up online. And it helps us keep the squirrels running the servers here at Reason Online, too.

Comments

|10.5.06 @ 12:14PM|#

When I finally run for office, I intend to run ads incorporating "The End" by the Doors and that film of the napalm strike from Apocalypse Now. All the ad will say is that this is what my opponent wants for America. Vote Pro Libertate!

|10.5.06 @ 12:44PM|#

I like the Harold Ford one. It has some semi-imaginative visuals and music. Rather then the grainy B/W security cam footage to they often use to portray they other guy as a monster. That plus an ominous diminished chord.

But they should have gone all out and just cast him in a BET video because that's what they're going for right? Kids these days with their pimps and hos and rimz.

I still haven't figured out how an ultramegadork like DeWine got elected to anything.

|10.5.06 @ 1:01PM|#

Yeah, the forced abortions and the sex slavery is pretty bad stuff. But the guy also walked with the animals, talked to the animals. Squeeked and squawked with the animals.

|10.5.06 @ 1:09PM|#

The anti-Webb ad doesn't work at all, because there isn't any evidence provided to back up the women's statements. They couldn't put in some quotes from Webb, or headlines about the problems he's caused, or anything? That's what you usually see in those types of ads. Their absence in this ad sticks out like a sore thumb.

The Webb ad that counters it, on the other hand, contains explicit references to the things he did as Sec. of the Navy, rather than just people giving making bald assertions. Much more effective.

I also like the fact that the the anti-Dewine ad's only criticism is that the senator cooperates with George Bush. That qualifies it as one of the five nastiest attack ads of the season. Nice.

|10.5.06 @ 1:18PM|#

Ford parties with Playboy Playmates? Wow. He may have presidential gravitas.

Roberto Leibman|10.5.06 @ 1:21PM|#

I happen to live in DoLittle's district. The guy is dirty as dirty gets. He pretty much runs the county and some of its cities by giving and getting much money to city councils, he carefully grooms the next generation of legislators to keep control even with term limits in place.
I've received many letters from his office, some among them flaunting his disrespect for California's medical marijuana law, etc. He is the worst possible type of Republican in a very safe Republican district.

|10.5.06 @ 1:37PM|#

That anti-DoLittle ad is totally unfair and one-sided. It does not even mention the pro-forced abortion and pro-sex slavery arguments.

|10.5.06 @ 3:32PM|#

The Doolittle ad showed a number of shots of Jack Abramoff and clearly alluded to the scandals he was involved in, but never mentioned him by name.

Are the voters in northern California such political junkies that they know Jack Abramoff's face?

|10.5.06 @ 4:18PM|#

Abramoff? You mean the producer of Red Scorpion and Red Scorpion II? Californians know all the movie guys--they all get a free subscription to Variety, you know. I heard his name in the news recently. . .must be making a new movie :)

|10.5.06 @ 4:30PM|#

Save for the Dolittle ad, I fail to find any of the ones on the Zen Monkey's site even remotely near "nasty."

People need to grow some thicker skin.