Wednesday, August 6, 2008
John McCain, I dare you to get on the Internets and read this blogpiece
Posted by Will Coviello on Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 5:06 PM
Republican nominee John McCain’s campaign has been going after Hollywood, but not in the way that the GOP typically does. He dropped the celebrity bomb on Obama, comparing him in ads to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. And now Paris is fighting back (or here) — sort of. Aside from comparing the “white haired dude” to Yoda and Colonel Sanders from KFC, she’s announcing that she’s ready for the debates.
The McCain Britney/Paris ads have been very successful. The “celebrity” charge is not the point, but it gets attention, and the media endlessly run clips of that ad that the campaign doesn’t have to pay for. Even GOP supporters can criticize it as silly and draw out the coverage. I think the real point of the spots are to place a black man next to two young blond starlets who’ve had their own fame inflated by issues of promiscuity and photos of exposed genitals on the Internet (find your own links). There are many celebrities that the McCain camp could have chosen. Perhaps celebrities more in the news like Brad and Angelina with their twins. Or Oprah. I think this add very subtly makes just the association that its creators wanted.
A little bit of irony bubbled to the surface last week when it was revealed that the Hilton parents and grandparents had all donated money to McCain and the GOP and weren’t happy about the ad.
All things considered, that’s still not as bad as Paris’ “leaked” sex tape.
But Paris now has her own self-serving ad out. The AP even calls is a "tart rebuttal." This time with a link. It’s not particularly witty, and there is no message. It’s not as well done has her ad for Carl’s Jr. And she tries to be non-partisan, suggesting that there’s a middle ground between Obama’s talk of new technologies and McCain’s sudden (and well rewarded) interest in off-shore drilling. If anything, Paris knows about compromising positions.
McCain also had a fun time last week explaining how he doesn’t use the Internet (or email) but that he understands it; and “the computer.” So perhaps someone on his staff will show him Paris’ work.
McCain doesn’t need to learn much about new technology. But perhaps someone on his staff should remind him of what happened to one-time candidate George “Macaca” Allen in Virginia when he made racially insensitive remarks while being filmed — which were soon posted on the Internets. McCain missed that memo last week when he offered to enter his multi-millionaire wife Cindy up for “beauty contest” at Buffalo Chip – a big motorcycle rally. There are three rounds: biker attire, lingerie and then bikini. She didn't enter. But this is what the event looks like. I dare say even Paris wouldn't enter this contest.
So perhaps the question is that if Paris gets her message out, will people associate her with the old guy, or the “biggest celebrity in the world.”
